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November 2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Strain through a thin cloth. To the juice thus 
obtained, add 234 pounds of sugar and bring again to 
a boil. Seal while hot, in common fruit cans, the 
same as any canned fruit.” 
“I presume,” said she, “that it would do just as 
well to can the pure grape juice and add sugar and 
water to taste when needed for use. That would not 
require so many cans. The main thing is to seal 
while hot, so as to shut out the naughty microbes 
which stand ready to commence putting the devil into 
it as soon as it is cold enough not to scald them.” 
“Well! well!” said he; “that sounds all right. 
Just let me taste it. Splendid ! Splendid !” said he as 
he kept sipping at it. “Why! the young folks can give 
this to their callers, and run no risk of rousing some 
sleeping demon of an appetite as they do with cider 
or ordinary wine. You must send this down to The 
I t. N.-Y.,” said he turning to me. “ How much does 
it cost to make it ?” 
“Well,” said I; “most farmers have imperfect 
clusters of grapes not fit for market, which can be 
used as well as any. Counting such grapes at a cent 
a pound, and sugar at five cents per pound, you have 
2234 cents for that recipe which makes about eight 
quarts, or a little less than three cents per quart— 
about the price of milk.” 
“ You give that recipe to The R. N.-Y. readers,” 
said the Deacon, “and tell them that it is our temper¬ 
ance lecture.” _ o. w. mates. 
A NEW LAWN WITHOUT PLOWING. 
To Give It a New Start; Winter Care. 
WHAT FRANTS BESIDES GRASSES ? 
How can we most economically restore an impoverished lawn 
without plowing or turning the sod under ? What is the best 
plant to employ upo i banks or in poor soil where the grasses will 
not thrive ? 
Rules for a Massachusetts Lawn. 
My plan would be this : In August, I would sow a 
liberal quantity of Red-top and June grass seed, one 
bushel of each and five pounds of White clover to the 
acre, and then spread on a good dressing of fine, rich 
manure, raking it in with a wooden-tooth lawn rake. 
Again in the fall, just before the ground freezes, I 
would sow a little more seed and put on another dress¬ 
ing of fine manure. In the spring before much growth 
is made, sow more grass seed and give a light dress¬ 
ing of sulphate of ammonia, 200 pounds to the acre. 
During the summer, I would keep the lawn well 
clipped, and not allow the cuttings to remain on the 
ground unless very short. The prepared lawn dress¬ 
ings used with the seed may give good results if we 
have an abundance of moisture ; but the fine manure 
will serve as a mulch and shade the setting grasses 
until they are well rooted. I would not advise the 
use of coarse manure on the lawn during the winter ; 
it is unnecessary, and unsightly and offensive. To 
cover slopes and banks on poor soils, I have seen 
Lonicera Ilalleana and other forms of running shrubs 
used with good effect, the result being a bright 
green color, and more or less beautiful and fragrant 
flowers. Some of the many roses would also do well 
in such places. Annual clipping of the ends of the 
vines would be necessary to keep the growth fresh 
and vigorous. [prof.] s. t. maynard 
Massachusetts Agricultural College. 
How Grass Lives and Grows. 
The soil of a lawn or meadow, or other grass land, 
does not become impoverished so long as the leaves 
and other aerial growths, or their equivalent, remain 
annually upon the soil, to form, by degrees, the car¬ 
bonaceous surface coating of humus. On the con¬ 
trary, the ground improves in available fertility, 
if all this yield is so retained. It is the same 
with forest land, or any sort of growth, and the 
more full and complete the growth—the longer the 
roots and the larger the leaf expansion—the more 
the soil is benefited. Grain crops would not reduce 
the soil’s fertility if we did not carry off the stems, 
blades and seeds, usually without returning any 
equivalent to the surface where it does the most 
good. If we attempt improvement by turning the 
sod under and bringing often a raw subsoil to the 
surface, we oblige ourselves to incur the further 
labor and expense of spreading over the whole surface 
an inch or two of good carbonaceous mold before we 
can expect a handsome and permanent new sod. 
Even though the old sod is infested with weeds, it is 
cheaper and speedier on a lawn, to cut these out 
than to overturn all with the plow, unless the grass 
is some unfit, coarse sort, and the weeds very numer¬ 
ous and hard to kill out. 
The best grasses for a lawn are those which spread 
beneath the surface, where their runners (stolons) are 
safe from injury by shoes or hoofs. Those which 
grow in tufts have all their buds in the exposed crowns 
where they are liable to fatal bruises. The blades of 
a good lawn grass should be fine, slender, rather firm, 
of a lively green, even in^the heat'of summer, if 
sufficiently watered ; and, perhaps, no grass meets 
these conditions better, on the whole, than the com¬ 
mon June grass (called also Spear grass and Kentucky 
Blue grass) Poa pratensis. Grass cannot endure 
shade ; its blades must have free exposure to full 
light; broad-leafed weeds are intolerable. And as 
most grasses root very shallow, their feeding roots 
being just beneath the surface coat of humus, they 
soon suffer from drought, and some means of water¬ 
ing in dry weather are essential to the luxuriance 
and verdancy of a lawn. Strength of root is essen¬ 
tial for vigorous, healthy growth ; but the roots 
are strong in proportion as the blades are long 
and large and of a healthy green. Close clipping 
of a lawn is, therefore, a harm to it, and the 
mower should be laid aside early in September 
and free growth allowed. There will then be 
strong roots to start the next season’s growth. Early 
in spring the long blades so permitted should be 
mowed off close and a coating of fine compost or rich 
mold spread on, well distributed by a rake, and the 
whole then well rolled. The new blades will readily 
pierce this friable coating while it will lie heavy and 
suppressive on all broader leafed competitor plants, 
such as the plantains or the troublesome creeping ver¬ 
onicas (speedwell) ground ivy, annual grasses, etc. 
We have almost wholly cleared a large lawn of these, 
which was thickly set with them, but is now thick 
and green with June grass blades, by applying these 
measures, using a light pick made of a large flat file, 
the chisel-shaped end filed sharp, weight about three 
pounds, to cut out the plantains, etc. Of course not one 
of these deleterious weeds should ever be allowed to 
flower and seed upon the lawn. 
The grasses are the most general occupants of the soil 
in Northern latitudes wherever the soil is unshaded, 
and if grass will not thrive upon any particular piece 
of soil, the ground must contain some caustic or acrid 
element which kills off the roots or prevents their 
due extension. Stirring such ground often to give 
free access to the air or its oxygen, will, in time, alle¬ 
viate this difficulty. Dressings of lime or ashes, or 
both, will help, and if a surfacing of an inch deep 
of good vegetable mold can be laid on, and water 
used as required, grass of some good native sort will 
not fail to make growth. I know of no plant that 
can satisfactorily take the place of grass as a lawn 
carpet. The common Goose grass, or Knot grass 
(Polygonum aviculare) makes a carpet in the fall 
months, and seems capable of growth in any soil ; 
but, like most of the members of its big family— The 
R. N.-Y.’s Saghalin, etc., for instance—notable for 
vigorous strength and forwardness in offering of their 
services, it is an annual, and so only an autumnal pro¬ 
duction. 
Frequent bruising, as with the shoes of passers, will 
check and stop the growth of the blades of any grass, 
and very quickly tarnish its color and break up its 
form. When a lawn declines, and there is a desire to 
restore its beauty, the rule, “ Keep off of the grass,” 
should be put in force along with other means. 
w. a. w. 
Doesn’t Object to Well Rotted-Manure. 
I would exterminate all weeds, root and branch, in 
order that none of my efforts at fertilization of the 
soil should be wasted. The most effectual way to get 
rid of them is to pull them out. This is a laborious 
job, I know, but where one cannot smother or eradi¬ 
cate them by plowing or turning them under, it is the 
only sure way. During the past season, I have been 
very successful with a small lawn by keeping it closely 
clipped with a lawn mower in spite of the recent 
notion that close clipping is favorable to the increase 
of weeds. It has certainly worked otherwise with me 
the past season, for I have killed plantain, daisies and 
other weeds in that way. After all, the best lawn 
grasses seem to thrive better under frequent clipping 
than by any other plan, as though they were de¬ 
signed for this very purpose. Of course, the supply 
of moisture must be kept up. Next I would rake 
over the surface thoroughly with a steel rake having 
moderately sharp teeth to loosen the surface soil, but 
not enough to mutilate the roots materially. This is 
best done either early in autumn or early in spring. 
If the lawn is large, it would be better to use a fine¬ 
toothed harrow for this purpose. Then I would sow 
it over carefully with a liberal quantity of new seed, 
Kentucky Blue Grass and Red-top mixed, not “ Lawn 
Grass Seed,” so called. Then give a liberal applica¬ 
tion of some complete commercial fertilizer contain¬ 
ing the proper proportion of phosphate, potash and 
nitrogen, raking over very lightly. If this can be 
done just before a rain, so much the better. Then 
late in November or early in December, I would 
spread over that lawn a liberal dose of fine, well- 
rotted stable manure if I could get it free from weed 
seeds. The following spring I would expect to see 
that lawn come out green and beautiful. 
Much has been said of late in opposition to this prac¬ 
tice of coating lawns with stable manure because of 
its unsightly and disagreeable appearance during the 
winter. But this objection may be almost entirely 
obviated by having the manure fine and well-rotted, 
without straw or other litter. Under the action of 
the rains and frost, the active fertilizing properties of 
the manure are carried to the roots of the grasses 
which are thus teeming with business life when the 
growing season opens, and in addition to this, partial 
winter protection is afforded which is also desirable. 
I have not found any commercial fertilizer so effectual 
for this purpose. For these reasons I am not yet pre¬ 
pared to give up this old plan. Early in spring, the 
lawn may be raked clean. Then once or twice during 
the summer I would sow it over with finely ground 
bone just before a heavy rain. 
As to the best plan for steep banks or poor soil, 
where a grass turf cannot be maintained, what is the 
matter with Ampelopsis Veitchii or Boston ivy ? If 
the object be merely to cover such a slope with con¬ 
tinuous green, I think that this plant would answer 
nicely after it became thoroughly started. Periwinkle 
is another trailing plant that would thrive well and 
form a dense green mat quickly on poor soil. Either 
Vinca minor, pale blue, or V. lutea, yellow, may be 
used. This would give a pretty slope of bloom in ad¬ 
dition to the graceful verdure, and go it alone with¬ 
out nursing. But why not feed the soil systematically, 
or replace it with better material in which grass 
would grow ° It ought not to be very difficult to 
maintain a sloping bank under proper conditions. 
Ulster County, N. Y. h. Hendricks. 
Scratch the Surface and Add Food. 
A poor lawn may be best restored by tearing up the 
old sod with a sharp harrow well weighted. A com¬ 
post of good soil free from weeds and mixed with one- 
fifth wood ashes, one-fifth bone meal, if for heavy 
soil, one-tenth of air-slaked lime, spead evenly to the 
depth of the opening which the harrow has just 
made, is quite sufficient for ordinarily good land. But 
for poor land, a covering of, at least, one-fourth of 
an inch over the entire surface, is required. The best 
grass seed for sandy soil, is two-thirds Kentucky 
Blue grass, one-third Red-top, and three pounds of 
White clover to the acre. For heavy land, one-third 
Kentucky Blue, one-third Red-top, one-tliird Rhode 
Island, are best. The grass seed may be sown right 
after the compost is put on, and rolled in. The best 
time to do this is in the early spring or early autumn; 
thus the grass that is there now will be saved and fed, 
and a lot of new grass is assured. The quantity of 
seed should be in the proportion of four bushels to 
the acre, if for a new lawn. 
For beautifying a bank, Sedum cordatum, Phlox sub- 
ulatum, also Lysimachia numularia a urea, and other 
varieties of Loosestrife, also Rosa Wichuraiana (creep¬ 
ing), are capital plants for banks in sunny places. In 
shady positions, Vinca minor, Linarium repens, and 
Veronica prostrata. If for utilitarian purposes, other 
larger growing plants and shrubs can be used in both 
sunny and shady positions to hold banks, etc. Many 
useful plants for fodder may be used. h. a. s. 
Seeding, Top-Dressing and Watering. 
A lawn may be satisfactorily and economically re¬ 
stored by regularly top-dressing and watering (where 
necessary) the sward. In addition to this, fresh seed 
of either Red-top, Kentucky Blue grass, Rhode Island 
Bent, or, in exceptional cases, Timothy, depending 
upon the locality, etc., should be sown each spring 
and fall on the thin spots. If coarse perennial weeds 
such as plantains, dandelions, daisies or docks are 
present, they should be cut out as clean as possible 
each fall and spring, and at such other times as neces¬ 
sary to prevent them from defacing the sward. The 
best top-dressing to use from an economical stand¬ 
point, at least, is decomposed stable manure, and the 
finer it is the better. A covering of one inch or about 
one-eighth of a cord for each square rod, is a good 
ration. One-half of this amount should be applied 
early in the fall, and the remainder before the 
ground freezes. In order to distribute the fertilizer 
evenly after it has been spread upon the lawn, it 
should be worked in around the roots with a garden 
rake. The operation is especially important after the 
first application. Frequent mowing with a lawn 
mower makes a firm and fine turf. Ampelopsis 
Veitchii or Royalii may be used on banks and, some¬ 
times with excellent effect, when a low, close growth 
is wanted. The plants are easily grown from seed, 
and if they receive a little care until they are fairly 
established, they are but little trouble afterwards. 
Lonicera Halleana is also good. It grows higher 
than the ivy, but stands clipping well. The soil 
should be fertilized a little when the plants are set, 
and if the location is a particularly dry one, the 
plants should be mulched each spring with some 
coarse material, until they become firmly rooted. The 
profusion of fragrant flowers which these plants pro¬ 
duce in sunny locations makes them especially desir¬ 
able in some places. Berberis Thunbergii is a valu- 
