THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF THE TENNIS COURT 



ing good turf. One to two bushels of good lawn 

 seed to the acre will be sufficient for sowing. 



It is a wise plan to lay some sort of drainage ditch 

 or trench in the centre of the court beneath the net. 

 This precaution is advisable no matter how carefully 

 the court has been built, to avoid large puddles, which 

 are apt to stretch away from the net after heavy 

 rains. Layers of ashes, straw apd broken stone may 

 prove sufficient. When pipes are required, the com- 

 mon two-inch land-draining pipes may be used, laid 

 an inch or two apart, so that the water seeping down 

 through the layers of cinders and straw may enter 

 the pipes and find an outlet. The drainage trench 

 should be filled up nearly even with the surface of the 

 court, leaving only a slight depression its entire 

 length beneath the net. It should have a fine broken 

 stone or gravel instead of clay surface to quickly 

 absorb all rain water. 



It is a mistake to build the tennis court in a prom- 

 inent position, either on the front or back lawn. It 

 will quickly spoil the decorative features of a smooth 

 stretch of lawn no matter how attractive it may be in 

 itself. Where there is a bit of woodland, or garden 

 grove, near the house or a secluded section of the gar- 

 den, this will be the best place for the court. A 

 level section of a broad terrace will also prove a 

 pleasing location. Instead of the usual judge's stand, 



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