IN CALIFORNIA 27 



on and weed the grass or whatever soil cover you 

 have sown. Better use two wide boards, one to kneel 

 on and the other for your feet, or the toes of your 

 shoes will spoil much new lawn. 



When the young grass becomes tall enough to 

 make the least cutting possible, get at it with a sharp 

 mower and cut thereafter as often as growth makes 

 it possible, for only by so doing will you quickly get 

 a perfect carpet of living green. Either mow the 

 first time from boards or tread very carefully flat- 

 footed while doing the work or you will either 

 seriously tear up the surface or make it full of ugly 

 indentations. To overcome this trouble it is advis- 

 able to roll the new lawn several times with a light 

 roller just as soon as the grass is well up ; certainly 

 not later than immediately after the first mowing. 

 One pound of blue grass seed will sow 200 square 

 feet, or an area of 10x20 feet. One pound of white 

 clover seed will sow 300 square feet, or an area of 

 10x30 feet. 



CARE OF LAWNS 



During even the hottest weather the average 

 lawn is injudiciously watered. Few home owners 

 begin the care of lawns properly or methodically. 

 From the time the young grass appears the inch or 

 two of top soil is given light sprinklings daily, with 

 the result that all roots remain near the surface. 

 If such a lawn goes unsprinkled for even one day 

 during hot weather, it shows distress. After a lawn 

 is well established water only when the grass needs 

 it and then do it most thoroughly. Then, when the 

 surface supply is exhausted, the roots will go down 

 into the moist subsoil in search of water. So treated 

 the grass will finally reach such a condition that if 



