LAWNS 45 



To make a good lawn from turf or from seed, 

 the first essential is to give it a foundation of 

 good soil worked to a considerable depth. It 

 is really impossible to get soil too good for a 

 good lawn, and while the cultivation of this soil 

 to a depth of one foot is absolutely necessary, 

 it is far better to work it thoroughly to a depth 

 of two feet. If the ground about the home is 

 good and this good soil runs to a depth of a 

 foot, the first thing to do is to plow or spade 

 it thoroughly. But if the ground be poor the 

 preliminary step must be its improvement. 



When it is considered that the grass of the 

 lawn is a permanent crop, the 'necessity for 

 thorough cultivation at the start is apparent. 

 Go about this by removing, as far as possible, 

 such soil as offers no encouragement to culti- 

 vation and substituting for it soil that is rich 

 and fertile enough to insure a thick heavy crop 

 of grass. The thorough working of all soil 

 which is to be the foundation of the lawn, means 

 first to rid it of foreign substances which are 

 detrimental to plant growth of any sort — split 

 and torn roots, stones, bricks and such rubbish. 

 Then plow or spade, going to a depth of at least 

 one foot, and pulverize the soil by using a 

 spade, hoe or harrow, adding while this last 



