How to Have a 
In the Pacific Northwest about 70% of the 
lawns are sown in the spring (March 
through June), 30% are sown in the fall 
(September, October, November). Whether 
you sow in the spring or fall we recom- 
mend early seeding. This will give the 
seedlings time to establish themselves prior 
to the severe heat of the summer, or win- 
ter's freezing temperatures. 
Good seed and correct seed bed prepara- 
tion are the most important factors in mak- 
ing a beautiful lawn. Too many lawns are 
started on soil removed in basement exca- 
vations. This sub-soil is devoid of humus 
which means lack of nitrogen. It packs hard 
and will not hold moisture. The following 
four steps lay out a program to follow in 
soil preparation: 
l. If your soil is too sandy: Spade in a large 
quantity of water holding peat moss or leaf 
mold to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. If your soil 
is heavy: Use coarse sand or fine ashes in 
equal proportions with peat moss (or leaf 
mold)—about 2 inches of each. Add from 
50 to 100 pounds of a complete fertilizer 
per 1000 square feet and, with the peat 
moss, work these materials into the soil with 
a spading fork. When the roots of the grass 
begin to establish themselves they will 
need the fertilizer well below the surface 
of the soil. 
2. The top two inches of the soil should now 
be sifted through a coarse wire screen to 
remove all roots, rocks, lumps, etc. Spread 
the topsoil, well mixed with compost and 
fertilizer, carefully over the entire area and 
rake it in. There should be a gradual 
blending of sub-soil and top-soil, not two 
distinct layers. 
3. Sprinkle the ground before seeding, and — 
allow the bed to sit for a few weeks to give 
the weed seeds naturally present in the 
soil a chance to germinate. Then destroy 
the weeds before rolling. 
4. Roll the top-soil twice with a heavy 
lawn roller while the ground is dry. If rolled 
when wet it will pack as hard as cement 
when it dries. Roll it the second time at right 
angles to the first. Fill the depressions with 
soil to give a slightly sloped, easy to mow, 
surface. 
[f you purchase top-soil be sure it is weed 
free. 
Cea, LAWN 
SELECTION OF SEED MIXTURES 
Experience has shown that a mixture of sev- 
eral varieties of suitable grasses blended 
in proper proportion makes the best lawns. 
We will be glad to recommend a mixture 
specially suited to your needs if you will 
give us full information about the site, na- 
ture of the soil, and the use for which lawn 
is intended. 
SEEDING 
Select a calm day. Sow at the rate of 1 
pound of seed to each 200 square feet. 
Scatter the seed evenly. It is best to divide 
the seed into two equal parts and go over 
the area to be seeded twice—lengthwise 
and crosswise. Immediately after seeding, 
rake the surface lightly to cover the seed 
(not vigorously enough to move the soil) 
and roll it again to pack the soil around 
the seed, so it can draw moisture. A light 
mulch of peat moss—not over ¥2 inch deep, 
should be scattered over the seed and 
watered with a fine spray, being careful not 
to wash away the seed. Never let the sur- 
face dry out, even for a short time. 
KEEPING THE LAWN BEAUTIFUL 
FERTILIZING ... WATERING ... MOWING 
FEEDING CORRECTLY 
All lawns should be fertilized once, and 
preferably three times, annually (early 
spring, early summer and fall). Whenever 
growth slows down or the lawn becomes 
pale green in color, the grass needs food. 
Watch the grass, not the calendar. A well 
fed lawn will resist summer heat and will 
thicken to a@ heavy sod to choke out weed 
growth. A light, well distributed feeding, 
using a fertilizer spreader, will show the 
best results. Overfeeding is as disastrous as 
no feeding at all. Buy a complete fertilizer. 
The recommended application is at the rate 
of from 25 to 40 pounds per 1000 square 
feet. Make the application as evenly as 
possible while the grass is dry, and follow 
immediately by heavy watering to wash 
the fertilizer off the grass and carry it down 
to the plant roots. 
A word of caution about liming. Lime is not 
a fertilizer but a corrective agent for acid 
soil and, where needed, it aids the assimila- 
tion of the necessary plant foods. The only 
sure determination of an acid condition in 
the soil is by soil tests. Home soil testing 
kits are inexpensive, or soil samples will be 
tested free at the State Agricultural College 
or by your County Agricultural Agent. But 
if a soil test is not made, not over 25 pounds 
of finely ground limestone per 1000 square 
feet should be applied. This soil correction 
is usually effective for several years. 
WATER CAREFULLY 
Soak the lawn twice a week in hot weather, 
rather than sprinkle it daily. Watering, 
when done, should be sufficient to allow the 
moisture to reach 4 to 6 inches below the 
surface. 
MOW HIGH 
For most lawns the mower should be ad- 
justed to not less than 1 ¥2 inches high. Cut- 
ting any shorter exposes the roots to the 
sun, weakens the plant and hastens surface 
evaporation. 
Grass clippings should be caught in a 
catcher, deposited on the compost pile, and 
returned to the lawn or garden when thor- 
oughly decomposed. 
Use a good lawn mower, and keep it sharp. 
PESTS, WEEDS AND DISEASES 
Moles can be killed with a trap, or by fumes 
from an automobile exhaust conveyed into 
the holes by use of old inner tubes. Allow 
the motor to run 20 minutes or more. Mole 
baits are effective when the instructions 
are carefully follewed. 
Brown patch and fairy ring can be con- 
trolled quite easily by applications of or- 
ganic mercurial fungicides. 
Moss, in a lawn, is caused by poor drain- 
age, excessive shade, or the lack of a com- 
plete fertilizer in the soil. Apply about 25 
to 50 pounds of fertilizer per 1000 square 
feet, two or three times during the season. 
Under trees and in other shaded areas an 
extra five pounds of fertilizer per 1000 
square feet should be applied several times 
during the spring. 
Weeds, the robbers of soil moisture and 
plant food, with the introduction of 2-4-D 
weedicides and other chemicals, are no 
longer much of a problem. These weedi- 
cides are capable of nearly magic results. 
Don't let the weeds get a foothold and pro- 
duce seeds. A thick, luxuriant, well fed 
turf is the best weed eliminator known. 
Roll to Pack 
Careful light 
watering 
IO FT. 
38 FOR THE BEST LAWN A MIXTURE DEVELOPED FOR YOUR LOCALITY 
