THE LAWN 



a slope from the house on all sides, by filling in 

 about the building with the soil thrown up from 

 the cellar or in making excavation for the walls. 

 If no excavation of any kind has been made — and 

 quite often, nowadays, foundation walls are 

 built on the ground instead of starting a foot or 

 two below the surface, — a method never to be 

 advised because of the risk of injury to the build- 

 ing from the action of frost in the soil, — ^it may be 

 necessary to make the lot evenly level, unless one 

 goes to the expense of filling in. A slight slope 

 away from the house- walls is always desirable, as 

 it adds vastly to the general effect. Enough soil 

 to secure this slope will not cost a great deal, if 

 it does not happen to be at hand, and one will 

 never regret the outlay. 



If the ground is very uneven, it is well to have 

 it ploughed, and afterward harrowed to pulverize 

 the soil and secure a comparatively level surface. 

 Do not be satisfied with one harrowing. Go over 

 it again and again until not a lump or clod re- 

 mains in it. The finer the soil is before seed is 

 sown the better will be the sward you grow 

 on it. 



If the surface of the yard is not uneven, all the 

 grading necessary can be done by spading up the 

 soil to the depth of a foot, and then working it 



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