206 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAKING THE LAWN 
The greatest of care is necessary in preparing the 
seed-bed. The ideal condition for the successful grow- 
ing of fine lawn grass is a deep, rich, friable, loamy 
soil. Too much emphasis can not be laid on the im- 
portance of good soil and thorough preparation. Deep 
plowing of larger areas and deep spading or trenching 
of small plats is required to a depth of at least ten- 
or twelve inches. Where the fertile surface soil is but 
a few inches in depth it should be turned so as to 
leave the good soil still at the surface. 
While the plowing or spading is being done is the time 
to enrich the land for years of future productiveness. 
Well rotted barnyard manure, free from weeds and in 
good condition for mixing with the soil, is probably 
the best fertilizer that can be used. It is often difficult 
to obtain manure of this quality. Where used its fer- 
tilizing effe¢t may be increased and prolonged by add- 
ing also some commercial fertilizers. In preparing 
land for a lawn, manure may profitably be applied at 
the rate of from thirty to fifty tons per acre. It is 
desirable to add phosphoric acid and potash in larger 
quantities than are supplied by the manure. Using 
bone meal at the rate of from three hundred to six 
, hundred pounds per acre, or superphosphate of lime, 
commonly called acid phosphate, in smaller quantities, 
will supply the needed phosphoric acid. 
Potash may be had in the form of wood ashes, which 
should be applied at the rate of five to ten tons per acre. 
Ashes contain also much lime, which is helpful to the 
growth of clovers and most ef the grasses, except the 
