CULTURAL SUGGESTIONS 169 



bloom of the year would go with it. By waiting until the blos- 

 soming period is over, however, one is sure of being on the safe 

 side. 



The formation of a lawn is so largely a matter of good pure 

 lawn seed, and keeping out the weeds, that it does not seem 

 necessary to say much about it here. Special mixtures of seed 

 for various places, combined to meet special conditions, are pre- 

 pared by the best seedsmen and are usually what they claim to 

 be. A goodly proportion of white clover is, to my mind, always 

 desirable, for the tiny blossoms, strewn star-like in the green, 

 are lovely, and its leaf form gives a depth and quality of color 

 to a lawn that is unrivalled. 



Ground must be carefully prepared and should be of as even 

 a texture and quality as possible. This is much more important 

 than that it should be rich. Any soil will grow grass if the right 

 kind of seed is chosen, and it is really better if not extremely rich. 

 Strong sure growth rather than quick and luxuriant growth, is 

 the aim in building up a lawn. Sow the seed any time in the 

 spring up to about the tenth of May. Later sowings than this 

 are likely to burn away, if they ever come up at all. It is well, 

 on a newly made lawn, to sow again lightly between the first 

 and middle of September, which gives an opportunity for good 

 growth before winter comes, and fills out bare spots. 



Weeds may always be expected in a newly made lawn. They 

 simply must be fought, tooth and nail, until a strong stand of 

 grass is established. Weed seeds are said to lie dormant down 

 in the earth for years ; and it certainly seems as if they did lurk 

 around and wait the opportunity to spoil things. The opera- 

 tions of grading and working the soil of course bring them up to 

 the surface where they can germinate. 



Some of the most troublesome weeds, however, are fortunately 



