LAWNS 69 



by means of this tear up the creeping stems of 

 the weed, lifting them clear from the soil and 

 with a lawn-mower — after setting the knives 

 very low — run over the grass, cutting off the 

 flowering heads of the intruder to prevent its 

 seeding itself. 



If this operation is performed persistently 

 for one or two seasons it is possible that the 

 crab-grass can be eliminated. It is, as already 

 said, an annual and, of course, is killed by the 

 first heavy frost. If by the process outlined 

 it is prevented from seeding itself, it is likely 

 that the lawn will subsequently be free of it, 

 but it must be remembered that it is utterly 

 futile to run the mower over the grass with- 

 out first destroying the hold of the creeping 

 stems on the surface soil and lifting them 

 within the reach of the blades of the machine. 



Other weed grasses which prove annoying 

 are the well-known orchard grass and Ber- 

 muda grass and occasionally timothy. The 

 Bermuda grass is chiefly objectionable because 

 it is discolored by the first touch of frost and 

 leaves the lawn that it has invaded with brown 

 patches on its surface which continue to be un- 

 sightly until winter's snow spreads a conceal- 

 ing mantle over the surface. In the South, 



