GRADING, DRAINAGE AND LAWNS 19 



Fig. 8 A good example of latticework augmented with planting 



The work of pulverizing the soil can be combined with the opera- 

 tion of making it level. In large areas leveling is accomplished by 

 rolling with a horse drawn roller and dragging with a light road drag 

 or lapped-plank drag. Hand workers must resort to the common gar- 

 den rake and hand drawn roller. Rolling will indicate the soft places 

 and depressions which can then be filled up and levelled. At this 

 stage attention should be given to the fills to see that there is ample 

 allowance for the settling that is bound to occur. Before the seed is 

 applied the ground should be gone over with a rake or light weight fine- 

 tooth harrow. 



The close even turf desired on lawns is best obtained by using 

 Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis) on account of its creeping root 

 stocks and abundance of long narrow leaves. It also bears repeated 

 clipping with a lawn mower better than any other grass. It is not ad- 

 visable, however, to sow blue grass alone. Blue grass is slow in germ- 

 inating and does not obtain full development until the third year. By 

 using blue grass as a basis of the mixture and adding such grasses as 

 red top (A grostis alba) and Rhode Island bent (Agrostis alba var. 

 vulgaris) a good mixture is obtained. The red top is good on any soil 

 deficient in lime and will germinate quickly, thus enabling the lawn to 

 make a showing while the blue grass is getting established. Rhode 

 Island bent is low and creeping in habit. It is good on sandy soils. 



