62 LAWNS 



spring, as in that way the full benefit of the 

 nitrogen would be retained, but it may be 

 also used as a fail dressing. The disadvan- 

 tage of using animal manures for top dressing 

 in the spring is that the bright green appear- 

 ance of the lawn which is one of the most 

 pleasing effects of the spring landscape is 

 seriously marred. It is sometimes stated 

 that clover seeds are imported with sheep 

 manure. If this be so it is not a very serious 

 objection. On the other hand it should be 

 remembered that the ordinary commercial 

 sheep manure is what is known as "kiln- 

 dried and pulverised," in which case of course, 

 even if there were live clover seeds in the 

 natural product, they would be destroyed in 

 the preparation and handling. 



SPRING TOP DRESSINGS 



As a spring top dressing finely ground bone 

 meal and sifted wood ashes, in equal parts 

 by weight, should be distributed over the 

 surface of the lawn at the rate of one ton to 

 the acre. This would mean a distribution 

 over the surface about as thick as would give 

 an even covering, leaving the lawn with a 



