LAWN 



I.AWSOXIA 



893 



^et^ complete root-hold, wlu-n, in the .strii{:!:g^le for life, 

 the earlier growths of grass, being weaker, go to tlie 

 wall and are crowded out of existence. How tine tliis 

 lihie-grass may become under favorable conditiuns it 

 will be needless to point out to those who have seen thi- 

 grass meadows of Kentucky. 



."). On a quiet daj' the weed sliould be sown evenly 

 over the Lawn surface — a task which can be well doin^ 

 niily by much skill and experience. The ground \vill 

 then need careful raking with a tine-toothed iron rake, 



1247, An easy erade for a steep lawn. 



and rolling with an iron roller, the heavier the better. 

 In very dry and windy weather it is hardly worth while 

 to sow grass seed. 



G. As soon as the grass has grown rj or 4 inches, cut it 

 first with a scythe and afterwards with the Lawn mower, 

 in order to secure a good, thick-set turf. Every spring, 

 and oftener if wet weather prevails, a compacting with 

 the iron roller will serve a good purpose. Fertilizing on 

 tlie top of the Lawn in the wintei" is always in order, 

 provided the remainders of rubbish from the stable 

 maniire that may be used be removed early in spring 

 l>efore the grass starts. 



7. The last and perhaps the most important care to br 

 ^^iven the Lawn in the process of its establishment is 

 the weeding of the first summer. The next is the weed- 

 ing of the second summer— and the third is the weeding 

 at any time it may need it, no matter how many years 

 may have elapsed since its construction. The onion 

 patch and the flower garden need no more weeding than 

 the Lawn, if for no other reason than because the use 

 and beauty of either onion patch or tiower garden can 

 never, combined, equal those of the home Lawn. In it. 

 skill and patience and the love of beauty find abimdant 

 ^■^'ward. Samuel Parsons, Jr. 



Lawns for the South. — The scarcity of handsome 

 Lawns throughout the South often leads to the impres- 

 sion that the cause is from a lack of proper grasses pos- 

 sessing sutfieient resisting power to withstand the long, 

 warm summers. This idea is, unfortunately, widely en- 

 tertained, and, as a consequence, one of the most pleas- 

 ing features of landscape gardening is lost. The princi- 

 pal cause which has led to this opinion is fi-om the 

 endeavor, in the formation of Lawns, to use the many 

 kinds of grass seeds which are so successful in the 

 northern states and which are unsuited tor southern 

 soils and climate, unless in a few exceptional localities. 



Sown during the fail months in properly ]>repared 

 land, a very good stand can be had during winter and 

 early summer, hut unless there is sufficient moisture, 

 either from copious rains or liberal irrigation, most of 

 tliose otherwise excellent gr.isses fail and die out dur- 

 ing a protracted drought. Lawns of an extensive aren, 

 when formed with northern an<l European grasses, an- 

 therefijre unadvisable South, but where the extent is 

 limited, the soil deeply dug, well fertilized and artiti- 

 cial irrigation available, then a very satisfactory result 

 may be expected. Several Lawn grass mixtures are rec- 

 ommended, but the best that has come under our (diser- 

 vation is the formula known in Philadelphia as "Ever- 

 green Lawn Mixture." 



There are, however, several native and exotic grasses. 

 which not only resist the long summer heat, but, if 

 properly treated, afford most excellent Lawn-making 

 material. First of all is the Bermuda grass (C>/vodon 



or Capriola), a plant of trailing and stoloniferous habit. 

 Although it is known throughout the southern states 

 under the name of Bermuda, it is, however, n native 

 grass of l^engal and other sections of India, and found, 

 also, in Corea. In Bengal it is known as "Doob grass," 

 auil there highly prized for its vigorous growth of a 

 soft, dark hue, and tliriving where scarcely any other 

 kind will. This grass has become widely disseminated 

 tlir(.ughout the South, where it has received both the 

 harshest possible reputation as a nuisance when allowed 

 to take a foothold in cultivated fields and gar- 

 dens as well as unstinted praise from those 

 who have learned its great value as a ]>asture, 

 hai, or Lawn grass. 



M hen required frtr Lawns, the roots shf.mld 

 be ( ut in short lengths, —passing them through 

 1 hi} cutter is the most expeditious. Let the 

 _iound be well and deeply plowed or dug, well 

 ni inured, and after sowing the pieces of grass 

 I Hits they must be either raked or harrowed 

 in then the surfa<'e mailo perfectly level l)y 

 I Ihng; or, where the area is limited, tlie roots 

 ni cv be planted 6 inches apart. Plant at any 

 time during February or March, or in the fall 

 if preferred. If during the spring the soil 

 should become very dry, an occasional watering, 

 where this is practicable, should be attended to 

 until the grass is well established. Neither ex- 

 cessive heat or cold will kill the roots if left 

 undisturbed, but plowing uji during warm weather will 

 soon rid the ground of the roots if this is desired. As 

 the new growth attains a few inches in height, use tim 

 ijawn mower every week or ten days during moist 

 weather, but even during dry weatiier the grass must lie 

 kept occasionally clipped to prevent flowering. If the 

 growth is not vigorous, apply a top-dressing of bonn 

 meal. In the fall a coat of well-rotted stable numni-n 

 should be given ; this may tie raked oft" early in the 

 sjiring, previously running a sharpi-toothed harrow over 

 tlie Lawn, and finally rolling it well. In tliis way a pier- 

 manent and good Lawn may be secured with very littlr 

 additional expense. Any soil, unless naturally very wet. 

 will suit Bermuda grass. 



/''tspahitii disticJiuni , or "doint .^n-ass," is native of 

 the southern states, and usually found in moist or low- 

 grounds. It can be utilized in soils whirh are too Wft 

 t(t suit the Bermuda, but at best makes an iiulitferent 

 Lawn, as it is of low-creeping and not sufficiently 

 dense habit. 



Jt'offlKi'IUa rugosa, known on the coast belt and 

 Florida as "Goose grass" (St. Augustine grass), is an 

 erect-growing perennial plant, with flat or channelled 

 leaves. It is found in pine-barren swamps and jionds 

 from Florida to North (.'arolina, and being well a<lapted 

 to the sandy soils (.-f tlie coast, even those whi<-h arc 

 commoidy termed salt-water lands, it is thereforo valu- 

 alde for such localities. As for the Bermuda, the soil 

 should be well fertilized and prepared. The rootlets 

 are planted in rows a few inches apart. As the growth 

 begins, repeated cli])pings are required. Wliiie it maki's 

 a foarse sod. still its bright green color and adaptal)ility 

 to soils where few other grasses of low growth are pos- 

 sible, makes it a valuable plant for Lawns. 



Many Lawns arc injured by allowing other grasses to 

 take a foothold. Spnrol>r>1ns I)iilirns, or "Smut grass," 

 was originally introiinced from the West Indies. It 

 soon forms large tufts, with tall, wiry stems, whose 

 panicles are usually covered witli a black fungous 

 growth. A-risfida }inrpuriisri'}i><, or "Broom Sedge," 

 will soon deface a Lawn if left undisturbed. Both 

 should be eradicated as soon as they appear. 



P. J. Bekokmans. 

 LAWSONIA I after Dr. Lawson, who published in 170!), 

 at London, an account of his botanical journey in (.'aro- 

 lina I. Liithrdve(-p. This genus includes a tropical shrub, 

 cult, in Europe under glass for ornament and outdoors 

 in the tropics throughout the world. Its fragrant while 

 fls. produce the henna or alhenna of the Arabs (Cyprus 

 of the ancients), which is used in Egypt and elsewhere 

 by women to color their nails, and by men to dyf their 

 l)eards. In America it seems to be cult, only in S. Calif. 

 and S. Fla. 



Lawsouia is a genus with ])erhaps only on.- sjiecies, a 



