Preparation of the Land 37 



SETTLING THE SOIL 



To obtain a perfectly even, smooth surface, the land 

 should be raked, then rolled, the depressions made by the 

 roller filled up, then raked again, and this work repeated 

 until a satisfactory surface and a good seed-bed are obtained. 



All trees and shrubs should, if possible, be planted before 

 the grass-seed is sown. If planting cannot be done at this 

 time, it should be delayed until the grass has become well 

 established; otherwise the lawn will be very much cut up 

 in the process of planting. 



LAWN GRASSES 



Only those grasses that make a fine spreading growth, 

 i.e., tiller or spread by underground stems, give good results 

 in lawn-making. The best kinds for general purposes are 

 the bent grasses or redtop (Agrostis alba, A. mdgaris, and 

 A. stolonifera) and June-grass or Kentucky blue-grass (Poa 

 pratensis), all of which spread rapidly by underground stems, 

 that quickly fill up any vacant spaces between the grass- 

 plants and thus prevent the growth of weeds. They also 

 succeed on a greater variety of soils than almost any other 

 varieties. On very light land and under shade of trees there 

 might be added to the above the wire-grass (Poa compressa) 

 and sheep's fescue-grass (Festuca ovina) and its varieties, 

 although the latter grows somewhat in tufts. White clover 

 (Trifolium repens) is generally used in making a lawn, as it 

 grows close to the ground and fills up all spaces not occupied 

 by the grassroots, thus preventing the growth of weeds. 

 None of the coarser grasses, like timothy (Phleum pratense), 

 orchard-grass (Dactylis glomerata), tall fescue (Festuca 

 elatior), and rye-grass (Lolium perenne), have been found 

 satisfactory by the author except where immediate effect 

 is of more importance than a permanent and fine lawn. 



