CHAPTER VIII 

 The Truth About Lawn Mixtures 



What is a lawn grass? — The purpose of a mixture — Adaptations to 

 various soils — Kentucky blue grass and its merits — Other funda- 

 mental grasses — How to buy the seed — Weights and measures — 

 Prices and qualities — Grasses to avoid. 



Though each of the lawn seed mixtures of 

 the reputable seed stores may be distinct from 

 all the others, yet the differences are those of 

 degree and not kind. In every case the main 

 reliance is the Kentucky blue grass, in a finely 

 recleaned sample, at the rate of four bushels 

 to the acre. The fescues are added to give 

 the quick effect of a turf in the first year, be- 

 cause they make dense tufts of fine low grow- 

 ing leaves; the red top is used for the purpose 

 of securing a stand in places where the soil 

 may be too acid or too sandy for the Kentucky 

 blue grass; the crested dog's tail is a tough 

 grass which makes a low dense growth early 

 and stands hard wear; English rye is added 

 because it germinates very quickly; the wood 

 meadow grass and some others of the fescues 

 are included because they will make a catch 



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