April, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



163 



in with new soil sufficient to hold the turf at 

 the desired level. Withdrawing the spade 

 after distributing the soil, the piece of 

 loosened turf should be firmly beaten into 

 contact with the new soil, so that the growth 

 may be renewed immediately. 



A heavy roller, let it be as heavy as 

 you can possibly work, can be used on grass 

 to very great advantage after the growth has 

 once thoroughly started. 



The cause of all the trouble with most 

 lawns is that the ground has not been suffi- 

 ciently prepared; that it has not been fertil- 

 ized, and that it has not been trenched to 

 sufficient depth to give the roots of the grass 

 all the chances they need to grow. Under 

 these conditions, feeding by top dressing 

 becomes imperative. Where the preliminary 

 preparation has been properly attended to, 

 subsequent surface feeding becomes a matter 

 of very small moment for a great many years. 



FEEDING AND NURSING 



For surface feeding, chemical fertilizers 

 are generally to be preferred to the natural 

 manures. Unless the manures are fairly 

 well-rotted or otherwise specially treated, 

 there is always the danger of carrying in 

 weed seeds. Dried pulverized sheep manure 

 is the best of the natural manures, because 

 there is no danger of importing weeds as a 

 result of its use. Top dressings of soluble 

 chemical fertilizers have the special advan- 

 tage that they are quickly washed down to 

 the roots and become immediately valuable 

 to the growing plants. For this reason, 

 nitrate of soda, applied early in the year at 

 the rate of 200 pounds to the acre, will give 

 remarkable results. Indeed, you can almost 

 "see the grass grow," if applied just at the 

 time when active growth is beginning, and it 

 will give an added intensity of color that is 

 most refreshing to the eye. This should 

 be scattered on the surface of the lawn just 

 in advance of a rain storm. 



Much damage can be done to the grass by 

 the application of chemical fertilizers during 

 dry weather. They will absorb the moisture 

 from the soil or from the tissues of the plants 

 themselves and the result is "burning" of 

 the foliage and an unsightly disfigurement 

 of the lawn. 



Of course, this damage is only temporary, 

 and the growth which will be immediately 

 started as a result of the dressing will quickly 

 improve the general appearance. On the 

 other hand, damage may be done to the roots 

 themselves. In dry weather, therefore, chem- 

 ical fertilizers should be applied in the 

 liquid form, and the solution of nitrate, 

 one pint in forty gallons of water, will be 

 the proper strength. Commercial kiln-dried 

 sheep manure may also be used as a top 



Reseed bare or worn patches in April. Let the 

 seed drain from the lower part of the fist, which is 

 moving in a circular manner, over the surface to be 

 seeded 



When cutting turf for repairs, use a board to 

 guide the cutting knife to insure perfectly true edges. 

 Make all cuts at right angles 



dressing up to as heavy a quantity as one 

 ton to the acre. 



The most commonly used spring top dress- 

 ing for lawns is a mixture of finely ground 

 bone meal and sifted wood ashes in equal 

 parts by weight, which is broadcasted at the 

 rate of 500 pounds to the acre. There is no 

 need to be exact in these quantities, as the 

 eye can be relied upon as an efficient guide 

 in the use of this mixture. Scatter it over 

 the surface of the grass as evenly as possible 

 and in sufficient quantity to give the surface 

 a perceptible, but slightly grayish tinge. 



There is not the same danger of burning 

 from the use of these materials as there is from 

 the nitrate of soda, and it can be scattered on 

 the lawn much more heavily than most people 

 would imagine before having tried it. As the 

 wood ashes and the bone meal are not so 

 quickly available to the plants, being less 

 soluble than nitrate of soda, a full dressing 

 can be given with advantage at one time, 

 whereas with the soda, the greatest efficiency 

 will be had by distributing the full quantity 

 in two or three dressings at different times. 

 The results from nitrate of soda will be more 

 apparent on light soils than on heavy ones. 



At any time during the season, when 



Some patching of a worn lawn is best done by turf. 

 Beat it into close contact. Water thoroughly 



growth seems to become unduly slack or 

 where bare spots have appeared on the sur- 

 face, top dressings of nitrate of soda will often 

 do wonders in starting a fresh growth and 

 usually will give better results than reseeding 

 late in the season. 



On sandy soils, where, in all probability, 

 there is some acidity (and this is usually 

 the case on the seaboard) excellent results 

 will follow top dressings of lime. A mixture 

 may be prepared with wood ashes, in equal 

 parts, and may be used as indicated for the 

 other mixture. Lime is, however, better 

 applied as a winter dressing. It is especially 

 beneficial to Kentucky blue grass, which will 

 absolutely refuse to grow in a very acid soil. 

 Don't use quick-lime on the lawn. Be sure 

 that the lime is air-slaked. Lime applied to 

 the soil during winter will help to kill moss 

 and sorrel, two characteristic weeds of sour 

 soil. 



WEEDS THE WORST ENEMY 



Don't let the weeds get ahead of you in the 

 early spring. They will start into growth 

 about the same time as the grasses and it will 

 pay you to make sure that they are not per- 

 mitted to seed at any time. Don't even 

 allow them to flower. If sorrel and moss are 

 present, winter dressings of lime should be 

 given, or lime and wood ashes may be applied 

 in the very early spring. Better still, how- 

 ever, put in tiled drains where it is possible 

 and so drain off the unnecessary moisture. 



In spring time, if moss is present, rake the 

 surface of the lawn and don't be afraid of 

 cutting too deeply. You may sacrifice some 

 grass plants but you will kill the moss also 

 and a dressing of grass seed, which will 

 increase the stand, will largely crowd out 

 the moss. 



The best way to keep weeds out of the 

 lawn is to keep the grass in. In other words, 

 never leave a bare patch to itself, but as soon 

 as it is noticed top dress it with fine soil and 

 scatter grass seed on it. 



The most troublesome weeds to be sought 

 in early spring are dandelions and plantains, 

 or rib grass. There are two of these rib 

 grasses, one having long, narrow leaves and 

 the other having broad, oval leaves. Re- 

 garded as weeds on the lawn, there is not 

 much to choose between them, except that 

 the broad form is more of an eye-sore. These 

 weeds should be cut out by inserting a sharp 

 knife well below the crown, severing the root. 

 If a small crystal of sulphate of copper is 



