FOR FARM AND HOME PLANTING 15 



If the land has been allowed to remain over winter in a rough condi- 

 tion, the soil will have become well settled by spring and will be ready for 

 the final work before seeding. Pick off all the stones which have come to 

 the surface during the winter and then go over the land with a shallow 

 harrowing or raking. If it can then be rolled, the small uneven spots 

 will become very apparent and they can then be leveled off with a hand 

 rake. By re-rolling and re-raking the land in this way, the surface can 

 be made as smooth and even as desired. 



Fertilizers. Well decomposed stable manure is the best general purpose 

 fertilizer for lawns. It contains all the chemical elements essential for 

 plant growth and adds humus to the soil, thus making it more retentive of 

 moisture and also improving its texture. If this can be used, a heavy 

 dressing should be applied. A ton to two thousand square feet would not 

 be too heavy. 



Chemical fertilizers may be used to advantage after the grass is well 

 started but should never be applied at the seeding time as they may kill the 

 young roots which come in contact with them during germination. It must 

 be remembered also, in using commercial fertilizers that they never 

 improve the physical condition of the soil. There is no humus added to 

 the soil by their use and hence the soil texture is not improved. It is 

 simply an addition of the essential food elements and should always be 

 regarded as such. They are easily applied, contain no weed seeds and may 

 be readily obtained. 



Some of the most desirable forms of chemical fertilizers for lawns are fine 

 ground bone, wood ashes, and the high grade forms of complete fertilizers. 

 Ground bone is a very good form of fertilizer for lawns and although it 

 contains principally phosphoric acid, it furnishes some nitrogen and lime. 

 Unleached hardwood ashes are used as a source of potash and if applied 

 each spring soon after growth begins, will generally prove very beneficial. 

 Complete high grade fertilizers for lawns may be obtained from almost 

 any fertilizer dealer and, while more expensive than the other forms, they 

 are often quite efficient in maintaining the lawn. 



Although the amount of fertilizer advisable to apply will depend much 

 upon the condition of the soil as well as upon the form and strength of the 

 fertilizer to be used, a dressing of about 2.5 pounds per hundred square 

 feet would be a moderate application under average conditions. 



Varieties of Grass for Lawns. The best variety of grass for lawns, 

 under general conditions in Michigan, is Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa prat- 

 ensis). While it is rather slow in starting, it produces a permanent lawn 

 of fine texture and of a rich green color. The crown of the plant sets very 

 close to the ground thus permitting close clipping and the plant, after 

 becoming established, spreads rapidly by underground roots. 



Although a permanent bluegrass lawn may be desired, it is often advis- 

 able to sow other varieties with the bluegrass seed. Of the rapid growing 

 grasses that may be used for this purpose, the English rye grass (Lolium 

 perenne var. tenue) is one of the best. It is an annual grass and a little 

 coarse in leaf, but starts rapidly, produces a very early effect and covers 

 the ground which might otherwise be occupied by weeds. Do not use 

 oats, rye or timothy for this purpose. 



