FLOWER GARDEN TRIALS AND TROUBLES 55 



turning the grass brown for a time, but it quickly recovers. Or 

 you might dig up the roots with an old knife, and if necessary sow 

 fresh seed. 



How to Look After a Lawn 



Q. I have recently sown down a lawn. Please give me a few 

 hints on how to attend to it during the season. M. T. E., 

 Hampstead. 



A. Protecting the seeds until they have taken root is important, 

 for if left unprotected birds will destroy more than half of them. 

 Black thread stretched across the ground helps to keep them away. 

 The young grass as soon as it starts grows rapidly at this time of the 

 year (April), and at the end of three weeks after sowing it will have 

 made sufficient progress to be safe from further molestation. Other 

 means adopted for keeping birds away are netting, and setting up 

 scarecrows with old clothes, etc. The young grass should be rolled 

 as soon as it has attained the height of 2 inches. This consolidates 

 the soil round the roots, and causes them to spread more freely. 

 For the first three times the young grass is best cut with a scythe. 

 It should be cut the first time as soon as it is 6 inches long and 

 afterwards every three weeks, when for the rest of the season the 

 lawn mower may be used, but the knives of the machine must not 

 be set lower than ^ inch from the surface for the first month, and 

 not at any time to cut so low as to injure the heart of the young 

 grass plants. If all has gone on well, the lawn may be lightly used 

 for play at the end of the summer, but it would be better to defer 

 doing so until the following season. Should the spring and summer 

 prove to be exceptionally dry, the grass, especially in the early 

 stages of growth, should receive copious waterings. 



Renovating the Lawn 



Q. Is the present (October) a good time to set about improving 

 a lawn. If so, what should be done? Anxious, Stockport. 



A. One may do a great deal towards ensuring a good sward 

 by attending to the lawn in the autumn. Now that the lawn mower 

 may almost be discontinued, large weeds should be dug out, the 

 holes filled with soil, and the lawn well rolled indeed, rolling in 

 the autumn has a very beneficial effect, as it keeps the worms down 

 and makes the green firm. Late in the autumn is the time to spread 

 over the grass a light dressing of old manure and soot. It may not 

 be very sightly, but it does improve the grass, and one can afford to 

 put up with a little unsightliness during the winter months 



