86 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



thin layer of well-decayed short stable manure over the surface 

 of the lawn, afterwards using an old hard broom to induce an even 

 distribution. The rains of winter wash the nutritive qualities 

 of the manure into the soil, and supply the necessary food to the 

 roots. An objection to this method is that for several months 

 of the year the lawn looks unsightly ; but the cost is slight, and 

 the result is satisfactory when growth starts again. Failing the 

 use of manure in autumn, it is advisable to stimulate growth in 

 Marchpr April by means of one of the many fertilising prepara- 

 tions that are on the market. First of all go carefully over the 

 lawn and remove all weeds such as plantains, dandelions, daisies, 

 and knot-grass with a pointed knife ; tjjeji^apply some lawn- 

 sand, and after a time the weeds will, in most cases, have dis- 

 appeared entirely. The lawn-sand can be purchased at a small 

 cost from most seedsmen. Weeds, if left unchecked, spread with 

 amazing rapidity. They speedily impoverish the ground and 

 oust the true grasses. Where the trouble has not become ex- 

 cessive, hand-weeding may be resorted to. It is not sufficient to 

 cut the weeds off at the top, for those I have mentioned are 

 perennials, and some of them have long tap roots, which must 

 be taken right out of the ground. Fill up the holes caused by 

 the removal of the weeds with fine soil, and beat it in firmly. 

 Sow on top of each patch a little fine grass-seed, and in a few 

 weeks the bare places will be covered with growth. An excellent 

 dressing may be made of powdered basic slag and bone meal 

 mixed with many times their bulk of fine loamy soil. But what- 

 ever may be the fertiliser used, it should be brought into opera- 

 tion when the ground is in a moist condition. 



Thin growth may be renovated in spring or early autumn by 

 sowing grass-seed. The process is a simple one if a few simple 

 rules be observed. It is obvious that it will be waste of effort 

 to sow new seed on a hard surface. Therefore before starting 

 operations it will be wise to wait until the ground has been thor- 

 oughly softened by a few heavy showers. The grass should be 

 cut as short as possible, and all moss and weeds be torn out by 

 the roots and burned. The bare patches must then be raked 



