204 THE PLAN OF THE PLACE 



and grass seed are now sown liberally, and the 

 area is perhaps dragged again, although this is not 

 always essential; and then the roller is applied to 

 bring the surface into a smooth condition. To 

 plow up these poor lawns is to renew all the battle 

 with weeds, and really to make no progress; for, 

 so long as the contour is correct, the lawn may be 

 repaired by these surface applications. If lawns 

 are to be kept in the very best condition it is 

 usually necessary, in this country, to patch them 

 every year by this method of re -seeding. 



The mowing of the lawn should begin as soon 

 as the grass is tall enough in the spring, and con- 

 tinue at the necessary intervals throughout the 

 summer. The most frequent mowings are needed 

 early in the season, when the grass is growing 

 rapidly. If it is mown frequently say once or 

 twice a week in the periods of most vigorous 

 growth, it will not be necessary to rake off the 

 mowings. In fact, it is preferable to leave the 

 grass upon the lawn, to be driven into the surface 

 by the rains and to afford a mulch. It is only 

 when the lawn has been neglected and the grass 

 has got so high that it becomes unsightly upon the 

 lawn, that it is necessary to take it off. The grass 

 should be rather long when it goes into the winter.. 

 The last two months of open weather are times in 

 which the grass makes comparatively small growth, 

 and it tends to lop down and to cover the surface 

 densely, which it should be allowed to do. The 



