44 



THE SMALL NX^RSERY 



To such a green sward you will often be called and, 

 unless you are wary, you will accept an order to plant 

 something in the camouflaged dump. Then, unless you 

 do the job right and fill in each hole with good soil (which 

 will cost money), you will be doing a job that will be to 

 the credit of no one, for plants cannot thrive under such 

 conditions. 



Mention is made of this matter under the head of 

 grading because the rough grading is usually finished 

 when the landscaper is called in and it is up to you to 

 probe around and see how much of this ''brick-bat" 

 filling has been used, before you can intelligently estimate. 



Perhaps you feel that you can't undertake the matter 

 of grading and putting grounds in shape. All right, then, 

 don't take any order for planting at that place. For no 

 planting can succeed in such conditions. 



If grading must be done, go into all conditions carefully 

 and make no estimates unless you have consulted some 

 teamster and arrived at an agreement as to the cost of 

 good soil. 



LAWN MAKING 



Don't make the mistake of thinking that your estimate 

 on grading covers the cost of making the lawn, not unless 

 the soil you grade with is super-excellent. xAmple allow- 

 ance should be made for fertilizers and seed and for the 

 labor of spading, raking, rolling and for sodding if neces- 

 sary. Don't use sod except on terraces and similar places. 

 The cost of sodding is determined by finding the number 

 of square feet of sod required, and multiplying it by the 

 cost per square foot, which varies with conditions, but 

 generally runs around five cents per foot. So much for 

 estimating suggestions on lawn-making. If you would 

 know more about the mechanics of the work, write to 



