170 THE LANDSCAPE GARDENING BOOK 



annuals; if they are not allowed to go to seed, the task of getting 

 rid of them is therefore greatly reduced. But everything that 

 it is possible to get hold of should be pulled up by the roots as 

 well crab grass and caterpillar grass will come out beautifully 

 after a rain, in great thick mats for many times these unde- 

 sirables spread from the roots as well as from their seeds above 

 ground. And some go so far as to take root at the nodes of 

 every branch, too; crab grass is one of these. 



Do not fertilize with manure if you hope ever to get rid of 

 weeds. I have known many lawns to be ruined by one winter 

 mulch. Rag weed and plantain are two of the most persistent 

 of lawn enemies, and seeds of both are present by the million 

 in stable manure. They germinate in a twinkling and crowd 

 everything else off the field with the advent of spring. 



Watering the lawn, and plants generally, is a problem that 

 sometimes gives the planter much concern, if he has not had 

 much experience. Ordinarily it is folly to undertake hand 

 watering or hose watering either, for that matter for it is so 

 nearly a complete failure, as far as actually giving the plants 

 any help is concerned, that it cannot pass as even a fraction of 

 a success. Plants need water where a hose can never put it 

 down at their fine and hair-like feeding roots. A deluge above 

 ground is of no use to them except as it sinks in and reaches these 

 roots. 



It seems at first thought that enough water poured on top of 

 the ground, must sink down to them; but as a matter of fact it 

 sinks in but a very little bit before it is absorbed, by capillary 

 force, through the top soil, spreading out mushroom fashion 

 instead of going down. The grass roots around a tree get the 

 benefit, not the tree; weeds get the benefit not the deep-rooted 

 things that are worth while. 



