GRASSES FOR THE LAWN. 815 



mixed, a little perennial rye j,'rass, which is no benefit to it, and 

 a very little Timothy, which would be better to omit, and a 

 small amount of sweet vernal, which apparently is the annual 

 variety and of no value. The three leading ingredients are the 

 June grass, bent grass, and white clover. 



It was the freest from weeds of any mixture examined. It is 

 sold for as cents per quart or i{!5.50 per bushel. The same house 

 sells Juno grass for ^2.25 per bushel, bent grass for !|4.00 per 

 bushel, white clover for 40 cents per pound. 



The preceding tables and the remarks below each should be 

 studied in connection with what follows. 



At the Agricultural College, numerous plats in various sea- 

 sons and soils, mixed and separate, have been tried, and those 

 grasses of most value are June grass and a small red top. White 

 clover often thrives well with these, but it varies much with the 

 change of seasons. Sod taken from a rich old pasture or the 

 roadside usually makes excellent lawn as soon as laid, but it is 

 too expensive for a large plat. The main grasses making such a 

 turf are those last mentioned, June grass and red top, with per- 

 haps some white clover. 



In making a lawn too little stress is usually placed on thor- 

 ough trenching or subsoiling aiul enriching the land. The sur- 

 face should be harrowed and hand-raked till it is in the finest 

 condition. 



With the writer's experience, having tested for some years 

 ■over two hundred kinds of grasses and clovers, both native and 

 foreign, for ]\[icliigan and places with similar climates, lie would 

 sow about two bushels of seeds (in the chaff) of June grass, Poa 

 pratemis, L., and two bushels of some small bent grass, known 

 as Rhode Island Bent, Brown Bent, or Creeping Bent, or as red 

 top. Th(j latter grasses vary much and are usually much mixedj 

 as they were in all the samples above examined. 



A few ounces of white clover may be added, if the owner pre- 



