204 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



Sodding. In general, the best way to secure a 

 lawn is by the sowing of seed (see Lawn], since it is the 

 least expensive way. For small areas, and along the sides 

 of walks and drives, sods may be used. The results are 

 quicker. Unless the sod is of the right kind, however, 

 and very carefully laid, the results are not so good as 

 with seed. 



The sod which is best adapted to the Sodding of lawns 

 is that which comes from an old, closely grazed pasture. 

 Sod from a sheep pasture is supposed to be best. Such 

 sod has been so closely grazed that it has made a very 

 dense mat of roots, and all the weeds have been de- 

 S tr] C fc>V stroyed. The droppings of the animals also make the 

 TodTdJ? ground rich. The sod should be cut in very thin strips. 

 ings It should not be more than an inch and one -half or two 

 inches in thickness. If it is thicker than that, it is heavy and 

 bulky to handle, and is not so easily laid. Ordinarily, the 

 sod is cut in strips ten inches or a foot wide. A board is 

 laid on the sod and the strip is cut along either side of it 

 with a sod cutter or a sharp spade. Two men then roll 

 up the sod. One stands on the strip of sod with his face 

 toward the man who, with the spade, cuts it loose beneath. 

 As it is cut loose, the man on the strip rolls the sod so that 

 the upper surf ace is on the inside of the roll. Strips longer 

 than ten or twelve feet make rolls which 

 are too heavy to handle with ease. 



The soil upon which the sod is to be 

 placed should be very loose, so that the sod 

 can be pounded down firmly. Some heavy 

 pounder should be used, as a block of wood. 

 It is usually impossible to pound down sod with the back of a 

 spade sufficiently firm unless the soil is very loose. The 

 sod should be pounded until the top is about level with the 

 surrounding soil. This insures contact with the soil be- 

 neath, so that there are no air spaces and no likelihood of 

 drying out. Sod pounded down as firmly as this should 



