The Garden Magazine, January, 1922 



255 



heavy, it should be under-drained from three to five feet deep 

 with tile drains approximately from ten to thirty feet apart 

 according to the nature of the drainage. The heavier and 

 more impervious the soil, the more tile 

 must be used. 



PROPER grading is the one detail of 

 lawn construction that must be un- 

 dertaken with deliberation and a deter- 

 mination for thoroughness, since its correct 

 handling goes so very far in determining 

 the appearance of the place. The mak- 

 ing of a surface of a lawn that is unob- 

 trusive, easy to maintain, free from bumps 

 and hollows is no easy task ; but, although it 

 requires some skill, it can be accomplished 

 by the layman with home-made devices. 



If the lawn area is large enough, it is 

 first plowed and cross-plowed and disc- 

 harrowed repeatedly; but on areas that 

 are too small or where such working is 

 otherwise impracticable (especially around 

 the roots of trees, where the utmost care 

 is to be exercised to prevent injury) hand- 

 trenching and raking will take the place of 

 all plowing and harrowing. After the soil 

 has been plowed and harrowed or otherwise 

 adequately prepared, the surface should 

 then be shaped by either the use of an old 

 rim of a cart wheel or two pieces of 2 in. 

 by 6 in. board, or the equivalent, placed 

 one behind the other about 18 in. apart as 

 shown in the accompanying sketch. As 

 they are being dragged over the surface of 

 the lawn, these devices will break down the 

 high places and fill in the hollows and to a 

 great extent break up the clods of earth 

 with which they come in contact. 



When the rough grading has been handled 

 in this manner, the surface is ready to be 

 raked by hand, going over it thoroughly in 

 one direction at a time and placing the 

 gathered rough material in convenient piles 

 to be carried away later. The amount of 

 raking will depend to a great extent upon 

 the condition of the soil, but a good safe 

 rule is to go over the surface at least three 

 times or as often as needs be until the largest 

 particles that remain are not more than f in. 



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in diameter. Such thorough preparation insures an even sur- 

 face to receive the seed which is to be sown in such uniform 

 manner as to insure success through a uniform stand of grass. 

 The lawn should now be smoothed into 

 proper shape ready to receive the seed. 



IT MAY be stated as a general principle 

 of grading that all surfaces immediately 

 about the house should be as smooth, level, 

 and well-kept as possible, and as the lawn 

 recedes from the house the surface may be- 

 come more broken and less smooth, merging 

 gradually into the irregularities of the nat- 

 uralistic surroundings of pasture, meadow, 

 or woodland. The grounds skirting drives 

 and walks should in most cases be level for 

 a width of a few feet, beyond which they 

 may slope up or down. If these slopes 

 are less abrupt at their bases than at 

 their tops they appear less harsh and are 

 more easily kept up. A convex surface 

 tends to give the effect of increased area, 

 while a concave surface seemingly shortens 

 the distance. 



The ideal soil for a lawn is one moder- 

 ately moist and containing a considerable 

 amount of clay; a soil retentive of mois- 

 ture but never becoming exceedingly wet; 

 inclined to be heavy and compact rather 

 than loose and sandy. The application of 

 good organic manure, liming, and drainage 

 are the most potent factors in promoting 

 proper soil conditions. 



To insure a good stand of grass that 

 will endure dry spells and remain green 

 throughout the summer, the topsoil or 

 loam must be uniform to a depth of at 

 least ten inches. 



After the first plowing is the time to add 

 any desired fertilizers, such as well-rotted, 

 broken-up, barnyard manure and bone 

 meal which should be spread evenly over 

 the area and plowed or dug in immediately. 

 After this scatter pulverized limestone on 

 the areas and harrow or rake at once below 

 the surface of the soil, being careful at the 

 same time to secure a finely pulverized and 

 smoothed surface which should then be 

 rolled. 



ON READING A SEED CATALOGUE 



HILDA MORRIS 



While yet I sit before my fire 

 Your pages lead through garden rows, 

 Into a land of bright desire, 

 Where ecstasy with dreaming grows. 



No garden wrought of poesy 



And flowery words that waft perfume 



Can make a vision real to me 



As do your promises of bloom. 



Blown buds that long for me have lain 

 In memory's quiet close are here. 

 Upon your pictured page again 

 Glow roses of a bygone year. 



Oh words and wonder tell but half 

 The beauty you invoke for me — 

 You are my garden's epitaph, 

 You are my garden's prophecy! 



