MOWING, ROLLING, AND WATERING 49 



But frequent mowing is necessary owing 

 to the vigorous growth that the grass will 

 make, and it is generally better to mow 

 often, say once a week, with the knives 

 set high, than it is to allow the grass to attain 

 several inches and then with a low set mower, 

 to cut it right down close to the ground. It 

 is a mistake to set apart a definite day for 

 mowing, and then do the work because it is 

 on the schedule. One must be guided by 

 conditions, and if growth is very rapid mow- 

 ing becomes necessary at very short intervals. 



In general the knives should not be set 

 less than two inches high, especially on lawns 

 which are subject to traffic or usage of any 

 sort. But if the grass has been allowed to get 

 very long, the cutting should not be so close 

 at first, and it would be better to use a scythe. 



On areas of grass close around the house, 

 on tennis lawns, and as edgings to flower beds 

 or shrubbery groups bordering walks and 

 drive ways, persistent cutting, and main- 

 taining the grass as near as possible at one 

 uniform height throughout the year, con- 

 duces immensely to the general tone of neat- 

 ness of the entire establishment. A garden 

 where these features receive attention only 



