120 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS 



Another grass which comes easily and is used considerably for areas 

 partly shaded by trees, is Orchard grass. Its coarseness and bad habits are 

 those belonging to Rye grass, but, like that grass, it is also easy. 



The grass which is surest to catch in a place and surest to hold on ig 

 Bermuda grass, but it can hardly be mentioned in a garden connection 

 because it invades all areas not intended for it and is practically impossible 

 to dislodge. And yet Bermuda grass is an exceedingly grateful plant and 

 will give more verdure for less care than any other plant grown for lawn 

 purposes. It is also very tolerant of alkali soils and will grow with little 

 or no watering, even in our hottest, driest places. It does become stemmy 

 and rubbishy, however, and it loses its whole top growth by frost, so that it 

 cannot be depended upon for verdure. In summer, however, it is turfy and 

 cushiony, and one can get much joy from it, if near the close of the frosty 

 season all the rubbish is sharply raked off and burned for fear of spread- 

 ing by root or seed. After raking one can shave off the whole surface 

 with a sharp spade and in this way a softer growith will be secured from 

 the roots. A start can be made either from the seed or by tearing up and 

 chopping the roots into small pieces for every inch or so of the root will 

 make a plant and raking these root-pieces into the soil. Bermuda grass 

 will grow in all parts of the State except at elevations where there may be 

 monthly frosts or deep ground-freezing in winter. Its usefulness, however, 

 is greatest in the interior valleys. The late Mrs. Sherman of Fresno once 

 said of it : "The center of attraction in the garden is the lawn, and with 

 the despised Bermuda grass anyone can make one one the babies can roll 

 on, the older children play tag on, and the family all have their rocking 

 chairs out there without fear of spoiling the grass; indeed, this grass rather 

 enjoys being abused, for it gives it a chance to show how it can rise to 

 meet hardship." 



Alfalfa can hardly be said to make a lawn, although it does produce 

 verdure which is very grateful to the eye and vegetation acceptable to the 

 cow and the fowls during the dry season, and it can be had with little cost 

 or effort. 



WHAT OTHER CALIFORNIANS SAY OF LAWNS. 



To broaden this discussion of so important a matter as a California 

 lawn beyond the writer's experience and observation, welcome is given to a 

 few paragraphs which may be helpful to readers : 



Why Seed Heavily. Charles Winsell of Los Angeles argues for 

 plenty of seed in this way : "One pound of grass seed should be used for 

 every 200 square feet. The best lawns in our vicinity are made of Kentucky 

 blue grass and white clover. These should be used in equal proportions. 

 This amount of seed may seem heavy, but there are several reasons for it, 

 as well as mixing the blue grass and clover. Much soil has not been 

 intensively cultivated nor watered until the lawn is made, consequently this 



