62 YARD AND GARDEN 



This is iimcli better than mowing it at inter- 

 vals of two weeks with the knives set low. Still 

 it must not be considered that any regular in- 

 terval can be designated for the mowing pro- 

 cess; conditions must govern the cutting. If 

 the growth is rapid, mowing may be necessary 

 oftener than once a week, but where the lawn 

 can be gone over with the machine at least 

 once every six or seven days, the knives on the 

 mower should not be set closer than two inches 

 to the ground. In cases where the grass has 

 been allowed to get unusually long, the knives 

 should be set even higher for the first two or 

 three mowings and then brought gradually 

 lower until the proper distance from the 

 ground is obtained. 



It is often a question whether the clippings 

 resulting from the use of the mower should be 

 left on the lawn or removed. If, however, the 

 lawn is mowed frequently and the grass is kept 

 at a uniform height of about two inches the 

 clippings if left on the lawn will do no harm, 

 but, on the contrary, very often will prove a 

 benefit inasmuch as they will act, in some de- 

 gree at least, as mulch and protect the roots, 

 especially in the early spring, from the scorch- 

 ing rays of the sun. But if the grass has been 



