142 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



gradually away from the foundations and the steps. If the 

 land is very hard clay, or if the place is rather low, it is 

 always well to lay tile under-drains at frequent intervals. 

 Everything should be done to cause the land to be deep 

 and loose, so that the grass roots will run far into the soil 

 | ( and not be pressed for lack of moisture in a dry time. If 

 the land has not had applications of manure in 

 recent years, it is well to plow in, or to spade 

 in, a liberal quantity of well-rotted litter from 

 the barnyard. Work this into the soil as deeply 

 as possible. If the hardpan is rather high, it is 

 V*^ ^^s^aSUf^ well to subsoil the area or to trench it (that is, 

 it is fun to make a garden to spade it up two or three spades deep ) . If the 

 land is apparently not fertile in plant- food, it is well to 

 add a dressing of some commercial fertilizer to the surface 

 when the grass seed is sown. This will start the grass 

 quickly and allow it to get a foothold before the severe 

 weather of midsummer comes. 



The kind of grass seed to sow will depend upon the re- 

 gion and also upon the personal tastes of the owner. The 

 one standard Lawn grass is June grass or blue grass (Poa 

 pratensis). The seeds of this grass are sold in 

 the hulls, and therefore the bushel weighs only 

 fourteen pounds. Not less than two and one- 

 half to three bushels should be sown to the acre. 

 In the southern states, June grass will not hold, 

 and Bermuda grass is used, being sown about as 

 thick as recommended for the June grass. 

 There are various prepared Lawn grass 

 mixtures which are excellent, but the June 

 grass alone will give a very excellent Lawn 

 in a short time. Whether one shall sow 

 white clover in his Lawn depends mostly 

 upon his personal taste. If he likes the 

 white clover, it is well to put in a quart or 

 two of seed to the acre, sowing it separately A garden comer 



