CHAPTER VII 



Solving the Weed Problem: 

 Insects, Etc. 



No room for weeds on a well kept lawn — Guarding against infection — 

 The commonest pests — Digging out dandelions and plantains — 

 Poisoning the root — Sour grass and moss — Lime the remedy — The 

 pestiferous crab-grass — The friendly frost — Bermuda grass in the 

 North — Fall grasses— Fall weeding best — Poultry manure vs. weeds 

 — ^Ants — The white grub — Earthworms — Moles — Fairy rings and 

 other fungi. 



Unless a lawn is maintained in its highest 

 efficiency, and the growth of the grass con- 

 tinuously stimulated, weeds will creep in. 

 The surest method of keeping out the unde- 

 sirable growths among the grass is by keep- 

 ing the good growth thoroughly occupying 

 the ground. As sure as the desirable lawn 

 grasses are allowed to die out, undesirable, 

 rank growing weeds will immediately occupy 

 the ground — ^nature abhors a blank spot. 



Where such weeds have secured a foothold, 

 they should be dug out by one of the conven- 

 ient hand tools, going over the ground most 

 thoroughly in the spring time and persisting 



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