50 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



September, 1914 



pounds is regarded as standard bushel, al- 

 though good clean seed, containing no chaff, 

 may weigh twenty or twenty-five pounds to 

 the bushel. Lawn grass should form a firm, 

 thick sod, which will lie close to the ground, 

 spread rapidly, and throw out many creep- 

 ing stems and leaves, so that it will stand 

 close and frequent clipping. 



In a general way I advise as the basis of 

 all mixtures: Kentucky bluegrass in the 

 Middle and Eastern states, with its Cana- 

 dian variety in the North; Bermuda grass 

 in South; and the several varieties of 

 buffalo grass in the Western Plains where 

 water is somewhat scant. Of course there 

 are particular sections where certain special 

 varieties have proven better, and one can 

 readily find them out by noting what his 

 successful neighbors use. 



Personally, for this section of the country 

 at least, I prefer not to plant complex 

 mixtures, as I believe Kentucky 

 bluegrass with a one-eighth mix- 

 ture of white clover does better 

 in the long run. There are many 

 people, however, especially in other 

 parts of the country, who prefer 

 to plant the mixtures, with a view 

 to getting quicker results and be- 

 cause of the varied conditions of 

 shade and moisture existing upon 

 the lawn because of trees, shrubs 

 and architectural objects. Some 

 of the various other grasses used 

 in combination are red top, Rhode 

 Island bent, creeping bent, the 

 fescues, etc. The leading seeds- 

 men have special lawn mixtures 

 put up for special purposes, and 

 their use saves bother. 



Where Kentucky bluegrass and 

 white clover only are sown they 

 may be used at the rate of four 

 bushels of bluegrass and two pecks 

 of white clover to the acre, or one 

 quart of bluegrass and one-fourth 

 pint clover to each 300 square feet. 

 Bermuda grass is generally pro- 

 pagated by cuttings or small roots 

 placed in rows several inches 

 apart, which finally grow together. 

 Buffalo grass seed is not now avail- 

 able on the market in commercial quanti- 

 ties and it is necessary to establish a lawn 

 by turfing. 



Mixtures may be sown generally at the 

 rate of 3 to 5 bushels to the acre. For 

 sunny areas some people recommend the 

 sowing of two parts (by weight) Kentucky 

 bluegrass to one part red top, and add a peck 

 of white clover to this combination. Others 

 substitute Rhode Island bent or creeping 

 bent grass in place of the red top. Rhode 

 Island bent, creeping bent, red fescue and 

 sheep fescue are said to be desirable as 

 shade grasses. A general mixture for all 

 purposes, which is well recommended, con- 

 sists of "one-third Kentucky bluegrass, 

 almost as much red top, with Rhode Island 

 bent, creeping bent, sheep fescue, red fescue, 

 and a little sweet vernal grass to give the 

 lawn a pleasant odor when cut." 



A still day is best for sowing as one can 



more easily place the seed where it is in- 

 tended to go. Divide your seed in half 

 and sow in swaths, first in one direction 

 and then at right angles to the first sowing. 

 This will help to avoid leaving bare spots. 

 Take your time, swinging the hand low 

 in a semi-circular motion and allowing the 

 seed to escape rather freely between the 

 slightly separated fingers, principally from 

 the upper portion of the hand. Now rake 

 it in very, very lightly. Remember that 

 grass seed is small and has a very low per- 

 centage of germination as it is, and that if 

 covered too deeply it will rot in the ground. 

 After raking give a good rolling. 



While turfing is not often the best way to 

 establish a lawn it is desirable on banks or 

 terraces. It is merely the transplanting of 

 old sod from one place to another. Cut the 

 edges of pieces about a foot wide by three or 

 four feet long, run a spade underneath the 











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It is worth while taking pains to get a good lawn because it is the basis of 

 the garden picture. Keep the centre open to get distance 



pieces and roll them up. Transport them 

 to the place it is intended to turf and hold 

 in position with pegs. The soil below should 

 be loose and the turf laid evenly and thor- 

 oughly tamped and pounded into contact 

 with it. Watering often is a necessity. 



I am never in a hurry to make the first 

 cutting of newly sown grass, and like to 

 wait until it has grown to a height of, say, 

 six inches. Usually, when fall sown, it is 

 better not cut until the following spring. 

 For the first cutting, instead of a regular 

 mower, use a scythe or sickle and cut it to a 

 height of about two inches. After that, 

 every week or ten days, or longer in drouthy 

 weather, mow it again — often enough to 

 keep it at a height of about two inches. 

 After the first cutting allow the clippings 

 to lie where they fall, unless they are un- 

 usually long and unsightly. A dull cloudy 

 day is best for mowing. 



Persistent rolling, especially in the early 

 spring, is good for the lawn. It firms the 

 grass plants into the soil, makes a smooth 

 even surface and tends to make a larger 

 supply of water available to the plants 

 through capillarity. There are not many 

 times during the year when watering must 

 be resorted to with a properly prepared 

 lawn, but in times of extended drouth, or on 

 porous, quickly drained or sandy soils it 

 may be well to give waterings as often as 

 once a week. When you water, water 

 right. Frequent and light surface sprink- 

 lings are of little value, for they cause the 

 roots to habitually seek the surface few 

 inches for moisture rather than go down to 

 the lower layers of soil. Lay the hose on 

 the ground and let the water flow from it 

 on one spot for an hour or more, and then 

 move to another spot. Do this continually, 

 day or night, cloud or sunshine, until the 

 whole lawn has been covered. 



Grass, like all other plants, takes 

 fertility from the soil, and eventu- 

 ally it is desirable to give old lawns 

 a dressing of some fertilizer. Well- 

 rotted stable manure is effective 

 though unsightly. It may be ap- 

 plied in the fall after the ground 

 freezes, allowed to lie all winter, 

 and the coarse material raked off 

 in the spring. Finely ground bone 

 meal and sifted wood ashes of 

 equal parts in weight applied to the 

 lawn in the spring at the rate of 

 one ton to the acre is another good 

 dressing. Sometimes nitrate of 

 soda in solution is used, applied 

 at the rate of 500 pounds to the 

 acre, each pound dissolved in forty 

 gallons of water. It is better to 

 make several applications of this 

 at short intervals rather than put 

 it all on at once. 



To keep up a fine uniform texture 

 it is often necessary to reseed parts 

 of a lawn. This may be done by 

 simply sowing the seed on the spot 

 to be repaired, lightly raking it in, 

 and rolling. If a blank develops 

 weeds will creep in, and they are 

 often troublesome to get rid of. 

 Dandelions, dock, plantain and crab grass 

 ought to be dug up root and all. This and 

 the regular clipping should keep the lawn 

 fairly clear of weeds. Ants and grubs 

 usually fight shy of a lawn that is frequently 

 rolled. Neither does the mole delight in 

 a tightly packed soil, although if he gives 

 trouble the trap is the only ready means 

 of control. 



The essential tools required in maintain- 

 ing a lawn are the mower, roller, rake and 

 hand sickle to get in the corners, around 

 trees and the edges. It is good policy to 

 buy a hand mower that will cut at least a 

 sixteen-inch swath, while those for large 

 areas may be run by horse or steam power 

 and have a much wider swath. Three hun- 

 dred pounds is all one man wants to handle 

 in a roller. Do not use the ordinary steel 

 pronged garden rake to tear up the grass. 

 Buy a lawn rake, one with arched teeth. 



