10 THE LA WN. 



repeated plowing, harrowing, and raking. The supply seems 

 in many soils unlimited. As I have said, however, already, 

 thoroughness in such work is of vital importance to the 

 success of the lawn. The raking is of importance, more- 

 over, to secure fine pulverizing of the top soil intended to 

 receive the grass seed. 



But the question that now arises is, what kind of grass 

 seed shall be used ? The seedsman will give you a mixture 

 of lawn grass seed, and if the business firm be reputable, it 

 will doubtless produce fair results. Let us, however, look 

 a little closer into the matter. I have said that very little 

 conception generally exists of the actual appearance of any 

 lawn that is in process of construction, that is, that has been 

 recently sown. And in considering this question of the 

 best kind of grass seed, we begin to realize the truth of this 

 assertion. 



In the first place, grass seed of any kind can be seldom 

 secured reasonably pure. Any seedsman, if he be candid, 

 will tell you that. He will, doubtless, say in addition, what 

 is true, that grass seed is a great deal cleaner now than it 

 was a few years ago. Better methods of cleaning grass 

 seed have been devised, and more pains are taken to secure 

 this desirable result. But the question still remains, what 

 kind of grass seed shall we use ? There are, as all persons 

 at all acquainted with grasses know, hundreds of varieties, 

 many, very many that are not named in the catalogues of 

 seedsmen. 



Of these, one perhaps is best suited to this particular 

 soil, and on the next field another is required. This one 

 does well here, that kind dies out there. What are we to 



