THE LAWN 



a sharp-bladed mower. Just cut away the top of 

 the grass. To mow close, while the grass is get- 

 ting a start, is the worst thing you can do. When 

 it begins to thicken up by stooling out, then, and 

 not till then, will you be warranted in setting the 

 mower so that it will cut closely. But never 

 shear the sward, as some do. You will never have 

 a turf like velvet if you do that. Let there be an 

 inch and a half or two inches of the grass-blade 

 left. 



The importance of having good tools to work 

 with, in taking care of the lawn, ought not to be 

 overlooked. A mower whose blades are dull will 

 tear the grass off, and make it look ragged, as if 

 gnawed away by animals feeding on it, while the 

 mower whose blades are of the proper sharpness 

 will cut it as evenly and as neatly as if a razor 

 had been applied to it. You cannot appreciate 

 the difference until you have seen a specimen of 

 each, and compared them. 



Some persons advocate raking the lawn after 

 each mowing. Others advise leaving the clip- 

 pings to act as a sort of mulch. If the clippings 

 are allowed to remain, they wilt, and this will 

 detract from the appearance of the sward for a 

 short time, but by the next day they will not be 

 noticeable. Raking as soon as mowed makes the 



27 



