From PETER HEMDERSOM m. COo, MEW YORH 



55 



HOW TO MAKE A LAWN— Continued 



FERTILIZING. 



stones, roots, etc., should be removed, so that a smooth surface 

 may be obtained. We have used, with great effect and saving 

 of labor the Imported Scotch Chain Harrow, which fines 

 and levels the land equal to a steel rake: and wherever large 

 areas are in preparation for lawns, or in fact for any field culture, 

 requiring a fine smooth surface, this implement will be found to 

 he of great value. 



For small plots, of course, digging, trenching and raking 

 must be done instead of plowing, subsoiling and harrowing, 

 and the surface after sowing should be patted down with the 

 back of a spade or rolled with a roller. 



The question of fertilizers for the lawn is 

 an important one. Perhaps the best way 

 to apply well-rotted stable manure is to spread it thick enough 

 to cover the ground after plowing or digging, and then harrow 

 or rake it in. Though a little more costly, the best plan to in- 

 sure permanency for the lawn is to use from 1,500 to 2,000 

 lbs. per acre of coarse Ground Bone or better still, about the 

 half the above quantity of bone and the other half of the Hen- 

 derson Lawn Enricher, or in that proportion over lesser areas. 

 The bone decomposes slowly, giving lasting enrichment; while 

 the Lawn Enricher gives immediate results, the combination 

 of these two fertilizers is perfect in effect, insuring a "velvet 

 lawn," under ordinary circumstances, for several years without 

 further application of manure. To insure even distribution, the 

 fertilizers could be applied in the manner recommended for 

 sowing lawn seed on this page. The quantity of fertilizer re- 

 quired for each 8 ft. x 8 ft. square is 2^ lbs., or 25 lbs. for 

 10 squares. 



When the land has not been fertilized before sowing, it is 

 necessary to use top-dressing of manure each season to keep 

 up the fertility of the lawn, and nothing is better for this pur- 

 pose than well-rotted short stable manure to spread over it late 

 in the fall (November or December) enough to partially cover 

 the surface. On no account should fresh stable manure be used, 

 or the lawn will be very apt to be ruined by the introduction 

 of weed seeds. This should be allowed to remain on until such 

 time as the grass shows signs of starting in the Spring, when 

 the rough portion should be raked off and a heavy roller applied, 

 so that the surface of the lawn be rendered smooth and firm 

 for the mower. If the top-dressing of well-rotted stable manure 

 has been omitted in the Fall, fine bone dust mixed with finely 

 sifted wood ashes, in equal parts may be sown on the lawn 

 about as thick as sand is usually strewn on the floor, and rolled 

 down, and we advise that the lawn be rolled several times 

 during the Spring. 



In the latitude of New York the seed 

 may be sown any time from March 

 20th to June 20th. If the ground has been well pre- 

 pared, and the weather is not too dry, a good lawn 

 will be in evidence in 6 to 10 weeks 

 time. Under very congenial condi- 

 tions, new lawns are often ready for 

 mowing in 6 weeks from sowing, and 

 we have received hundreds 

 of letters from customers 

 announcing that 4 weeks 

 from sowing their lawn was 

 ready for mowing. When 

 seed is sown during the hot 

 months of June and July a 

 sprinkling of oats may be 

 sown at the same time to 



SEEDING. 



protect the young grass from the sun, but water must be used 

 copiously or failure is likely to result. Lawns are also sown 

 during the fall months from August 20th to October 15th with 

 excellent results. 



Sow the seed on the newly raked or harrowed surface, but do 

 not sow on a windy day or much of the seed will be lost. Also 

 do not sow seed when the soil is wet, or much is lost during the 

 necessary rolling, and besides the perfect level desirable will be 

 destroyed. 



THE BEST METHOD OF SOWING. We illustrate on 



this page a 

 method of sowing which will enable the operator to avoid sowing 

 the same place twice and also prevent him missing any part of 

 the ground. 



The two garden lines A and B are stretched across the plot — 

 the ends being attached to stakes. The lines are placed 8 feet 

 apart. Then the rods C and D are laid across, these also being 

 8 feet apart. The space thus enclosed 8 x feet is then sown with 

 seed, and the rod D is lifted and placed 8 feet in advance of C, 

 and that space is also sown. The rod C is lifted and placed 8 

 feet in advance of D and so on until the entire width has been 

 sown. Then line A is lifted and placed 8 feet the other side of 

 line B, the rods are again placed in position another strip is sown, 

 and so on until the lawn is completed. For each square about a 

 pint of seed should be used, if quick results are desired. Less 

 than this is usually allowed viz. 1 quart to 300 square feet, or 

 5 bushels to the acre, but there is no arbitrary rule. After all 

 the seed is sown cover with soil about \ in. deep. This may be 

 accomplished by raking the surface first in one direction and 

 then in an opposite one. Do not bury the teeth of the rake 

 too deeply. When the raking is finished roll the ground thor- 

 oughly with a heavy iron roller, also in two opposite directions. 



For seeding lawns of large area we advise the use of the Velvet- 

 Lawn" Seeders. These valuable machines, of recent invention, 

 greatly facilitate the seeding of extensive grounds, such as Golf 

 Courses, Tennis Courts, Putting Greens, etc. There is also the 

 "Velvet-Lawn" hand-power for use on smaller places, which is 

 wonderfully efficient, putting the seeds into old sod or newly 

 prepared ground with great eveness whether the day be windy or 

 not. 



QUANTITY OF SEED REQUIRED. p^.^JquantTty'of 



seed required to form a perfect lawn, we may state that one 

 quart of Lawn Grass mixture is sufficient to sow an area of 20 

 feet by 15 feet — 300 square feet — or to cover an acre five bushels 

 will be required. It should be borne in mind that in order to 

 produce the best results, grass seed for lawns should be sown 

 thickly. In a lawn of about an acre in extent, 

 which we made, six bushels of the "Henderson" 

 mixture were sown on the 25th of April harrowed 

 well in, then rolled firmly with a heavy iron roller 

 — the result was that by July 1st, 

 or about sixty days from the date of 

 sowing — a perfect lawn was obtained, 

 having had to be twice mowed pre- 

 vious to that date. 



MOWING. 



The young 

 grass will be 

 up in about a week if sown 

 in the fall, and in about 

 two weeks if sown in the 

 spring, depending of course 

 upon the prevailing weather. 

 When the grass is nearly 



