The Fall Care of La^^ns 



'HE time is now approaching when 



those who have the care of lawns 



and grass plots in their charge, 



lust consider what is to be done to 



lake them perfect for another season. 



lAs the summer is drawing to a close we 



lUst examine the grass, and make our- 



USelves acquainted with its conditions and 



faults. 



In the first place, be careful about 

 fcweeds. Have all noxious and gross- 

 [growing weeds eradicated. Hand weed- 

 ig will be best, by going on one's knees 

 twith a knife and cutting them out by 

 the root. When this is done fill the 

 boles with fine earth, and drop a pinch 

 |of seed on top, and make firm with your 

 ffoot or a spade. When this work is 

 [completed, roll it well, and make it .solid. 



TREATMENT OF SMALL PLOTS 



To those who have limited space, and 

 jess soil at their command, care should 

 ^be taken to save every little refuse that 

 I'ill turn into mould or manure. The 

 |grass which you cut from your lawns 

 iuring the summer, and placed in a 

 tcorner, will help. The edgings and the 

 rsweepings and the leaves from the shade 

 |trees will help also. The domestic soot 

 fathered from the stove flues makes a 

 Une top dressing, and the wood ashes 

 lade during the summer months will, 

 ifhen blended together, make a fine com- 

 post for the small lawn. This should 

 be applied in the spring, after the fro.st 

 las left the ground, and should be put 

 [)n in as fine a condition as possible, 

 ipreading it evenly, and raking off any 

 parge or stony substance. Be sure and 

 Ffill any small holes previously overlook- 

 fed. Should the lawn be generally un- 

 even, it will be wise to have the turf 

 j|ifted, and the ground underneath lev- 

 felled. Make smooth before placing the 

 turf back again. When once a lawn is 

 ^relaid, whether in the fall or in the 

 Spring, be sure and roll well. 



For my part, I would re-lay all my 

 »:rass in the fall, say, the end of Septem- 

 per, or the beginning of October. By 

 |Ioing it in the, fall, nature assists us, as 

 ve have the rain in abundance to help 

 lie new-laid gra.ss to make sufficient 

 toots to support itself during the coming 

 T^inter. 



TOP DRE.SSING IN .SPRING 



Where the grass is in good condition, 

 simple top dressing of manure will be 

 9f great advantage in the spring, in a.s- 

 isisting the grass to take in fresh food 

 vhen assisted by the rain, the salts and 

 immonia being worked in to the roots, 

 leaving the solid matter on the surface 

 lo be raked and swept off. 



When contemplating making an en- 



R. L. Canning, Earlscourt, Ontario 



tirely new lawn, care and consideration 

 must be given to the project in hand. 

 Not merely sowing of grass seed, and 

 laying new turf, is sufficient. The land 

 should be prepared in the fall. The 



lightly, and then any bare patches can 

 be seeded. These should be made good 

 at once. Scratch with a sharp-pointed 

 rake and sow thickly with grass seed, 

 and sprinkle with some fine soil. Roll 



Victoria Park, Kincardine, Ontario, under care of Local Horticultural Society 



drainage must be in good order. If it 

 is naturally drained so that no surface 

 water remains on top after a storm, all 

 well and g-ood ; but, if it is wet and 

 soggy, put a course of drain pipes in so 

 as to ensure a good drainage, and a dry 

 bottom. It will be more trouble, but it 

 will pay in the long run. A good, green 

 sward will be the reward of your labors. 



VALUE OF FALL PREPARATION 



By preparing the land in the fall, it 

 will ha\c time to settle, and in the spring 

 any little indentations can be made good 

 and levelled. The surface ground will 

 (hen be in a fine, friable condition to be 

 worked at will and ease, and will be fit 

 for the laying of the turf, or for the sow- 

 ing of the seed. 



LAVING SOD 



The former way is the quickest and 

 the best, as the "turf" is there at once. 

 When the sod' is laid, keep the hose-pipe 

 going judiciously, not too much, but suf- 

 ficient to keep the grass moist. The 

 roller must be u.sed often and well to en- 

 sure levelness and solidity. Lay the sod 

 as early as possible, consistent with the 

 weather. *^ 



When the turf has taken root, mow 



in a day or so. Be careful when mow- 

 ing to have the knives raised high for 

 the first fortnight, so as not to pull up 

 the new grass, or destroy that which was 



Winter Protection for Roses 



C. Craig, Ottawa 



The best method of winter protection 

 for roses is a question which has been 

 much discussed by rose growers. From 

 my experience, the most satisfactory way 

 is to lay each plant down and tie it to 

 a stake driven in the ground, afterwards 

 covering with leaves or rough litter to 

 the depth of six to nine inches. In this 

 way, I have never failed to bring through 

 all the varieties I shall mention in this 

 paper. 



Great care must be taken in the spring 

 as to the right time to uncover and 

 prune the bushes. If the sap is alloweH 

 to run freely before uncovering, there is 

 danger of the bark shrivelling and dry- 

 ing up. The plants must be kept as dor- 

 mant as possible until all danger of se- 

 vere frost is past, which should be from 

 the middle of April to the first of May 

 in this locality. 



