445 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
? I WANT TO KNOW ? 
Keeping Grass Short on Large Lawns 
Answering query of G. A. F., in 
December Park and Cemetery, on 
keeping grass short on large park 
areas: 
You will find that the lawns on 
large park areas will produce better 
and healthier sod, and cause you far 
less trouble in the end if you use the 
ordinary hay-cutting machine. The 
hand and horse-lawn mowers make a 
cleaner and closer cut, but this will 
eventually weaken and ruin your lawn. 
We believe that if the hay-cutting 
machine is carefully used, and the 
lawns kept in good grass, the advan- 
tage of vigorous growth will more 
than offset the disadvantages of a 
cut not so clean. On large areas, 
where it is impossible to water the 
lawns, a close cut by a lawn mower 
wdl result in the sod dying in very 
warm weather. More fine lawns are 
ruined by close cutting than from any 
other cause. Of course, on golf links, 
it is necessary to use a lawn mower, 
but elsewhere we find that a rougher 
cut produces better results. 
Robt. Campbell, 
Supt. Cave Hill Cemetery. 
Ifcuisville, Ky. 
* -ii jjc 
In answer to G. A. F.’s query in 
December Park and Cemetery as to 
“best method of keeping grass short 
on large park areas’’: G. A. F. says 
he has tried hay-cutting machinery, 
motor mowers, etc., and found them 
too expensive. Why not try sheep 
farming."' About the only expense 
would be some one to herd them; an 
old man or a boy would fill the bill. 
A good-sized flock of sheep grazing 
on the lawns of a large rural park 
would be a novel sight and would 
lend to the scene a touch of reality 
that would be pleasing. And then, 
sheep farming would be a paying 
proposition, the only drawback, im- 
mediately in sight would be housing 
them during our long winters. 
As an alternative, ploughing and 
planting with potatoes, or sowing 
down to hay; the hay preferably. 
There is less work and expense in 
cultivating hay, and at present prices 
is a very profitable crop. 
J. E. D. 
Ottawa, Canada. 
Keeping People Off the Edge of Lawns 
Regarding the trouble of “Cana- 
da’s,” mentioned in the December 
Park and Cemetery, with people 
walking continually along the edge 
of lawns, I can sympathize with him, 
for where persisted in it is bound to 
wear out the sod and mar the ap- 
pearance of any well kept grounds. 
I ^would suggest pickets, and chains. 
Pickets made from l^^-in. pipe, cut 
into lengths of 5 ft. Thread one end 
and put a cap on. Heat and ham- 
mer the other to a point so that it will 
drive; drill a hole through about 1 in. 
below the cap, for a ring of 4^-in. 
iron; connect pickets with a strong 
chain, heavy enough that it cannot 
Ije easily broken. Paint pickets, and 
chains a dark green, so that they 
will be in keeping with the grass, etc. 
Drive pickets in firmly with a 
wooden mallet, driving them firm 
enough, so that they cannot be 
pulled out by band without using a 
mallet to tap them around and loosen 
them. Place each pair of pickets 
across the trodden path, having the 
chains not quite taut, at intervals of 
30 to 40 ft. 
The effect of the pickets is to turn 
people on to a new track, or keep 
them off the old one. Then get busy 
with a steel rake, give the bare spots 
a good tearing of the surface, and 
sow in some clean lawn seed and a 
sprinkling of bone meal, and keep 
same well watered, which treatment 
will bring grass on the bare portions 
in a short time. 
As fencing is out of the question, 
for several reasons, T cannot see that 
anything better can be done to pre- 
vent the nuisance. 
There are people who will persist 
in walking on the grass: it does not 
matter how good the walks are, and 
that vvhen they can plainly see that 
they and others have been the means 
of making unsightly tracks along the 
edges of the lawns. 
If you speak to them ever so kind- 
ly, drawing their attention to what 
harm they are doing, they will in- 
form you in no uncertain tone that 
they pay taxes towards the upkeep 
of the grounds, and of course have a 
right in walking over the grass, and 
that there will be grass when you 
have left for the hot place, or some 
other place where the gardening fra- 
ternity go to when they shake off 
the worries of running a public 
ground. There is no disputing that 
there will be grass after we have 
gone, but in the meantime it is a 
question of how best to educate peo- 
ple to respect and take a pride in 
seeing the grounds kept in a good 
condition. 
I am not one who believes that 
grass is only to look at, not by 
any means. Lawns can be used lots, 
but short-cuts must be avoided, as 
well as walking along the edge of 
lawns. The only way to prevent this 
is by the use of the pickets and 
chains. 
J. E. D. 
Ottawa, Canada. 
Flooring a Small Artificial Lake 
Referring to inquiry of “G. A. F.” 
as to suggestions for “flooring of an 
artificial lake” other than concrete. 
If the lake is found in a loose for- 
mation, that is, anything but a heavy 
clay or rock, that a stiff blue clay 
be used, the same to be free of any 
gravel. 
A layer of 6-in. -8-in. depth well 
puddled or pounded with heavy wood- 
en pounders. 
Over this place a layer of sand 
and gravel 4 in. to 6 in. or more in 
depth, which should be free, as much 
as possible of any soluble matter. 
Blue clay under water will retain 
its tenacious nature, being covered 
with gravel and water there will be 
no chance of it becoming affected by 
frost, etc. 
The layer of gravel and sand will 
keep the water free of any muddy 
coloring. The gravel will be more in 
keeping if the lake is to be an imita- 
tion of a piece of natural water, with 
natural planting in the surroundings. 
The cost of clay will depend on the 
distance in hauling, and should not 
cost more than the expense of haul- 
ing gravel the same. 
Providing the right clay is got, and 
the work property done, it will an- 
.‘^wer the purpose as well as concrete, 
and should not cost half as much as 
the latter. 
J. E. D. 
Ottawa, Canada. 
* * * 
We notice in the '“Query” in your 
December issue the trouble- “M. P.” 
had with the bottom of a small lake. 
Several years ago we had the same 
problem with a lake of about 60,000 
square feet area in Cave Hill Ceme- 
