144 THE BLOSSOM CIRCLE OF THE YEAR 



hence my dependence on the florists for the first blossoms — which 

 I must have for the love I bear for the unexpectedness of the 

 Winter flowers. As to the cultivation of Pansies and Violas in 

 the South, Chapter IX, quoting from ''April Leaves from my 

 Garden Book," covers the subject in detail. 



If you would have green turf that is like a soft rich velvet 

 carpet for the Winter, now is the last minute in which you have 

 to work. Many southern gardeners spade up the lawn as soon 

 as the Summer sun begins to turn it brown, put in fertilizer, and 

 sow the seed. The object here is to secure a deep root system 

 before the cold weather comes, but, on the other hand, if the 

 weather is very dry and hot, the seedlings are apt to burn and 

 the best gardeners wait until October to avoid this probability. 



As much as possible of the work in the border should be done 

 before the lawn is dug up and replanted because, if not, there 

 must be a constant making over of the parts stepped on, or else 

 all plantings must be delayed. 



If the turf is very badly worn, if the lawn needs to be regraded, 

 if the drainage is not what it should be, and it must be made over, 

 the sooner it is done now, the better results you will have. If 

 you have a Bermuda or a Kentucky Blue Grass sod, use bone- 

 meal liberally, reseed thickly with the best grade Italian Rye 

 Grass seed, sowing in one direction and then across at right angles 

 to the first sowing, rake it in carefully, roll it well, or press down 

 with a board if the soil has been dug up and the lawn is being 

 made anew and no roller is at hand, and in a few weeks you will 

 marvel at the freshness and beauty of your turf. You will think 

 Springtime has come to your door again. 



For small plots the rolling that comes with the use of the 

 lawn mower will be sufficient to make the turf firm and solid, 

 but the heavier and oftener the rolling is done the quicker will 

 the lawn become like the velvet carpet you are aiming to make 

 it. The best gardeners do not dig up the lawn each year; they 

 work over the bad spots, root up the weeds, reseed for the Winter 

 greenness and each year the turf becomes firmer and more beau- 

 tiful. 



