204 SUBURBAN GARDENS 
cavated from the house cellar and piled upon 
top of the good top soil in grading after build- 
ing operations are completed; on the other 
hand, very rich soil is as likely to be a dis- 
advantage as not, in that it stimulates to so 
rapid a growth that there is not sufficient root 
development to withstand drought. But any 
ordinary, or even a poor soil, offers oppor- 
tunity for as fine a lawn as one could wish, if a 
proper start is made. 
Whatever the conditions, deep working is 
the first step, with an application of lime any- 
where except in a limestone region. Allow 
from sixty to sixty-five pounds to a plot 25 by 
100 feet in size. When the general surface 
has been leveled after working over to a depth 
of eight or ten inches or even more, seed freely, 
using only seed from the highest grade nursery 
or seedman. Buy always by weight, never by 
dry measure; and get the selected, recleaned 
seed. It costs more than the chaff and sweep- 
ings which make up the cheaper grades, but it 
is more than worth the difference. Allow be- 
tween six and seven pounds for a space 25 by 
100 feet. 
The six weeks from the beginning of April 
on are usually the best for sowing a new lawn, 
although fall sowing is a great advantage if 
