PREPARATION OF THE LAND. 33 



MANURING THE LAWN. 



Where the land is free from stumps, stones, or other 

 obstructions, a liberal dressing from 10 to 15 cords per 

 acre of rich compost should be ploughed under as deep as 

 possible. If the land is full of tree-roots and large rocks, 

 this material must be spaded in or worked into the surface 

 in some way. In addition to the above application 2 or 3 

 cords of well-decomposed fine compost, or from J to 1 ton 

 per acre of any of the standard lawn-mixtures, should be 

 thoroughly worked in upon the surface. While commercial 

 fertilizers alone often give good results, the effect of a heavy 

 coating of stable manure is such as to make the land less 

 subject to drouth. More failures in lawn-making come 

 from a scanty supply of plant-food in the soil than from 

 any other reason, and the poorer the soil the more liberal 

 must be the supply of plant-food used. 



MAKING THE SURFACE. 



After the fertilizing-materials have been applied the 

 land should be thoroughly worked and smoothed until a 

 perfect seed-bed is obtained. 



FIG. 12. IMPROPER GRADING ABOUT DWELLING. 



In grading away from buildings a perfect level should be 

 avoided. Fig. 12 illustrates a very unnatural and unsatis- 



