144 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



be pulled, for whenever one is pulled out of the ground, 

 many grass plants are rooted up and the surface is made 

 uneven. The only way in which to keep down weeds is to 

 mow them frequently with a Lawn mower. They will not 

 appear in any great numbers the second year, unless there 

 should be some perennial weeds, like dandelion or dock; and 

 these may be pulled out the first fall or the following spring. 

 It is rare that one secures a perfectly good and uniform 

 sod from one sowing of seed ; especially is this true if the 

 soil varies in different parts of the area. If the surface 

 contour is satisfactory, it is unwise to dig up the areas 

 on which the seed has not caught. It is best to rake them 

 over with a steel rake in fall or spring, sowing on a little 

 commercial fertilizer rather rich in nitrogen, and sow more 

 seed. Nearly every Lawn will need patching in this way 

 from year to year. If the Lawn is attended to in fall and 

 spring by sowing grass seed, the weeds will rarely do seri- 

 ous mischief. When weeds are troublesome on the Lawn, 

 it means that there is not sufficient grass, and every 

 effort should be made to get more grass. Therefore, when 

 the perennial weeds are pulled out, sow more grass seed. 

 When narrow -leaved plantain bothers, it is an indication 

 that the land is too poor and dry for grass. 

 In such cases, the land usually lacks humus 

 or vegetable matter ; and in various severe 

 incursions of the plantain, it may be neces- 

 sary to spade up the weedy areas and to work 

 rotted manure into the soil. Usually, how- 

 ever, the plantain can be killed out by en- 

 riching the soil and sowing more grass seed. 

 The common practice of sprinkling Lawns is 

 nearly always pernicious, since the water is not 

 v ^ r ^- supplied in sufficient amount to wet down very far, 

 and the grass tends to make surface roots. When the 

 . . .,, watering is omitted the plants suffer. The more a 



A picturesque rill 



on the lawn Lawn is sprinkled, the more the grass depends upon 



