,,making ,a ,,lawn     ,,the ,,house    
,,garden ,,making ,,books   ,it is the  
intention of the publishers to make this
 series of little volumes1 of which     
,making a ,lawn is one1 a complete      
library of authoritative and well       
illustrated handbooks dealing with the  
activities of the home-maker and amateur
 gardener4 ,text1 pictures and diagrams 
will1 in each respective book1 aim to   
make perfectly clear the possibility of 
having1 and the means of having1 some of
 the more important features of a modern
 country or suburban home4 ,among the   
titles already issued or planned for    
early publication are the following3    
,making a ,rose ,garden2 ,making a      
,tennis ,court2 ,making a ,garden ,bloom
 ,this ,year2 ,making a ,fireplace2     
,making ,roads and ,paths2 ,making a    
,poultry ,house2 ,making a ,hotbed and  
,coldframe2 ,making ,built-in           
,bookcases1 ,shelves and ,seats2 ,making
 a ,rock ,garden2 ,making a ,water      
,garden2 ,making a ,perennial ,border2  

,making a ,shrubbery ,group2 ,making a  
,naturalized ,bulb ,garden2 with others 
to be announced later4                  
,illustration3 ,lawn is probably the    
most important element in the setting   
for most country houses1 yet all too    
frequently it is expected to make and   
take care of itself     ,,making ,a 4   
,,lawn 4  ,by ,,luke ,j4 ,,doogue       
,,superintendent ,,of ,,boston ,,public 
,,grounds ,,department  ,decoration     
,,new ,,york ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast      
,,company #aiab     ,copyright1 #aiab1  
by ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast  ,,co4         
,published ,march1 #aiab     ,,contents 
,,page    ,the ,small ,lawn1 ,old and   
,new                #a    ,the          
,treatment of ,large ,areas             
#h    ,grass ,seed                      
#ac    ,sowing the ,seed                
#bd    ,sodding                         
#bh    ,good ,loam and ,fertilizers     
#ca    ,lawn-mower1 ,roller1 and ,hose  
#cg    ,weeds and ,other ,pests         
#df     ,,the ,,illustrations     ,the  

,lawn is an ,important ,element     in  
the ,setting for a ,country ,place      
,frontispiece                           
,,facing                                
,,page    ,a ,path of ,stepping-stones  
,to ,save     ,labor in ,mowing         
#d    ,a ,successful ,covering of a     
,steeply     ,sloping ,bank             
#ad    ,golf ,course and ,putting-green 
#bj    ,the ,result of a ,cheap1        
,ready-made     ,mixture of ,grass ,seed
                   #bh    ,one of the   
,most ,difficult ,places     ,to ,make a
 ,lawn--,under ,large     ,shade ,trees 
#cd    ,the ,necessity for an           
,occasional     ,cleaning of the        
,lawn-mower              #dj    ,the    
,only ,sure ,way ,to ,eradicate         
,weeds                                  
#dh     ,,making ,a ,,lawn     ,making a
 ,lawn  ,,the ,,small ,,lawn1 ,,old     
,,and ,,new   ,to the thousands of      
anxious inquirers1 seeking solution of  
lawn difficulties1 it would be more than
 delightful to say that a fine lawn     

could be had by very hard wishing1 but  
honesty compels one to change the words 
hard wishing to hard work1 in order to  
keep strictly within the truth4 ,a      
well-made lawn is a testimonial to a    
hustler1 whether the area is small or   
large4  ,the majority of inquiries about
 lawn needs come from people having     
small places1 from a few hundred to a   
few thousand feet1 and the symptoms     
described can be divided into two       
classes3 one where they want to make    
grass grow where it has never grown     
before1 and the other where the call is 
for information to assist in restoring  
old lawns that have petered out4 ,let us
 take up the last condition first4      
,where grass has grown for some years it
 is conclusive evidence that there must 
be soil beneath1 which1 perhaps because 
of neglect1 has ceased to supply the    
nourishment necessary to maintain the   
vigor of the sod growing upon it4 ,as a 
consequence1 weeds gradually creep in   
and finally crowd out every blade of    

grass4  ,a condition like this is easily
 remedied and an improvement brought    
about in short order and at very small  
expense4  ,in the first place make a    
general clearing up of the weeds and do 
it as thoroughly as possible4 ,take them
 out with a strong knife1 cutting deep  
into the ground4 ,an asparagus knife is 
the best for this purpose4  ,if the     
place under treatment were to be spaded 
up1 this weed-cleaning with the knife   
would not be necessary1 but the object  
in this instance is to disturb the soil 
as little as possible4  ,with the weeds 
out of the way1 go over the whole place 
with a sharp rake and scratch the earth 
to the depth of half an inch4 ,in doing 
this remember to be not too severe on   
spots where there is any grass growing1 
applying the rake lightly here4 ,after  
the raking1 sow grass seed thickly and  
evenly1 raking it in1 and finish by     
watering and rolling4 ,be sure to roll  
heavily1 water regularly1 and good      
results will surely come4  ,this1 in    

brief1 is the most practical way to     
treat the conditions described4  ,if1   
however1 you should find that the ground
 shows patches of moss and sorrel1 the  
treatment just suggested will not apply4
 ,the land is probably sour1 and should 
be plowed up1 limed1 and allowed to lay 
rough all winter4 ,use about a bushel   
and a half of air-slaked lime to every  
thousand square feet4  ,when the object 
is to make a lawn where there never has 
been one1 the plow or the spade is the  
most effective weapon4  ,it must be kept
 in mind that grass on a lawn is a great
 feeder1 and no soil can be made too    
rich to supply its food requirements4 ,a
 lawn is a permanent planting1 not      
something that is to last merely for a  
season4  ,illustration3 ,here is an     
interesting and ingenious scheme of     
getting a path over the lawn without    
increasing the labor of cutting4 ,the   
stepping-stones are set flush with the  
ground  ,start this work of preparation 
for a new lawn in the fall4 ,spade the  

land to the depth of two feet1 or1      
better still1 run a plow through it1 if 
the size of the place warrants4 ,work in
 plenty of well-rotted manure1 and      
during the winter the frost and snow    
will greatly improve conditions1 killing
 the weeds1 and mellowing the soil as   
nothing else can4  ,in the spring1      
harrow and cross-harrow the plot1 smooth
 out the surface1 rake fine1 and sow    
your seed4 ,if1 however1 the soil is    
gravelly1 there is no use trying to     
doctor it up with the expectation of    
getting good results4  ,as has been     
said1 you need a good loam in which to  
grow grass1 so that if it is not good   
you must dig out what is there to the   
depth of two feet and replace it with   
suitable soil4  ,there is no short-cut  
for reaching results with the aid of    
fertilizers1 for all the chemicals in   
the land will amount to but little if   
the soil conditions are not proper to   
receive them4  ,it is simply a question 
of supplying the material to get        

results4   ,a ,,new ,,way ,,to          
,,renovate ,a ,,small ,,lawn  ,on a     
small place where the necessity for     
radical treatment is apparent1 yet where
 it is not advisable to upset the       
premises at that particular time1       
results can be reached in a way that    
will be effectual4  ,take a round stick 
about an inch in diameter and three feet
 long1 and sharpen one end of it4 ,at   
frequent intervals about the grounds    
drive the stick to the depth of about   
two feet4 ,make many such holes1 and    
into these ram a mixture of finely      
powdered manure1 hardwood ashes1 and    
bone meal4 ,cover the holes with loam1  
and on the top of each put a piece of   
sod and beat it down with the back of a 
spade4  ,in a short time the good       
effects of this treatment will manifest 
themselves1 and during the subsequent   
season the treatment can be extended to 
the parts not touched before4 ,it       
practically means that the land will be 
as thoroughly renovated as if it had    

been plowed and harrowed4 ,this is no   
fanciful idea1 for the operation        
justifies results whenever tried4 ,it is
 advisable to water liberally and       
regularly for some time4  ,of course    
this applies particularly to very small 
places1 and nothing will be gained by   
treating large areas this way4  ,shrubs 
and trees are greatly benefited by this 
method of administering nourishment1 and
 where old plants have grown for a long 
time and are seemingly stunted1 this    
feeding will stimulate them to immediate
 growth4     ,,the ,,treatment ,,of     
,,large ,,areas   ,while it is a very   
simple matter to shape up a small grass 
plot1 renovating it as to soil and all  
that is necessary to lay the foundation 
of a successful lawn1 it becomes another
 matter when large areas are in         
question4 ,here it requires taste1      
experience1 and familiarity with        
prevailing conditions to enable one     
successfully to get out of the problem  
all that there is in it4 ,if we have not

 had the necessary experience1 it would 
not be safe to venture upon doing the   
work without expert advice4  ,developing
 a large area means the making of a     
picture that1 year in and year out1 is  
to be before our eyes1 and unless there 
is a most harmonious relation of all    
accessories--trees1 contours1 vistas1   
roads1 and so on--there is sure to come 
a time of wearying monotony1 caused by a
 realization of the fact that we had not
 been quite equal1 through our lack of  
experience1 to develop the place as it  
might have been developed4  ,a piece of 
ground in the rough must first be shaped
 up by draining1 removing trees or      
stones1 planning roads and such things1 
before the smoothing process can be     
attempted1 and it is in this            
roughing-out process where the future   
landscape picture is either made or     
destroyed4  ,here is where the          
professional landscape man can save you 
many dollars and much disappointment4 ,i
 have seen so many sad results in cases 

of land development where too much      
confidence has been the stumbling-block 
on the road to success1 that ,i feel    
justified in harping on the necessity of
 asking advice from those who are       
competent to give it4   ,,saving ,,trees
  ,great consideration should be given  
to the matter of saving trees1 whether  
these are large or small4 ,small trees  
can be handled like so much merchandise1
 and successfully moved from place to   
place4 ,it is preferable to move these  
in winter4 ,dig about them so that there
 will be a ball of earth large enough to
 keep intact2 then it is necessary      
merely to allow this ball to freeze up  
hard before tilting it onto a stone     
drag1 shifting it and its fellows to    
positions that will most benefit the    
landscape4  ,large trees can be moved1  
but at considerable expense1 and such   
work should be left to the              
professionals4 ,they have the facilities
 and from experience the knowledge and  
knack of it1 and this means much for    

success4 ,some companies will even give 
a bond to guarantee their work4  ,trees 
about which the grade is to be raised   
should be protected1 so that the soil   
will not come within some distance of   
the trunk4 ,a rough piling of stones    
about the tree1 or a circle of drain    
pipe about it will give the needed      
protection4 ,trees play such a vital    
part in the adornment of a piece of     
land1 whether large or small1 that none 
that is needed should be sacrificed     
until every effort to save it has       
failed4   ,,draining ,,land  ,where the 
soil is soggy and retains too much      
moisture1 this condition must be        
remedied before attempting to make it   
into a lawn4 ,the remedy is found by    
draining1 and this is done by digging   
ditches or laying tiles under ground at 
varying distances apart1 all tending    
towards the lowest part of the land1 to 
which the water must be induced to flow4
 ,the number of drains is to be         
determined by existing conditions4      

,land that could not be used before     
will1 after a system of drainage has    
been installed1 be so benefited that    
most anything can be grown upon it4     
,lawns made on such land are always     
luxuriant and resist the effect of      
drought even of long duration1 drawing  
upon the supply of water that extends   
deep down below the surface4     ,,grass
 ,,seed   ,so much has been written on  
the subject of lawn-making that about   
every one interested in this work is    
fully competent1 theoretically at least1
 to carry through the process of land   
renovation and preparation1 whether it  
be for a small lawn or an area          
consisting of acres4 ,the subject along 
these lines has been exhaustively       
treated1 but1 strange to say1 the       
equally important subject of grass seed 
has been rather neglected4 ,while many  
amateurs can talk freely on the         
preparation of the land1 they are not so
 confident when treating of grass seed4 
,it seems strange that this is the case 

when so much depends on the suitability 
of the grass seed to the land for the   
making of a successful lawn4 ,the only  
reason1 as far as ,i can see1 why people
 are not versed in this matter is that  
they have been frightened by the        
botanical names of grasses1 which seem  
wholly unsuitable and too difficult of  
pronunciation for such commonplace      
things4 ,there is1 however1 just as much
 individuality in a plant produced from 
a grass seed as in the choicest plant in
 a greenhouse4 ,one kind of grass seed  
will produce a low-growing plant while  
another grows high2 one wants a moist   
situation1 another a dry one2 some will 
germinate in the shade1 others will not1
 and so on through the list4 ,if a      
person knows each kind and its          
possibilities and requirements1 he will 
be able to choose the grass best suited 
for his wants1 and by careful trials    
arrange the mixtures with better success
 than the man in the wholesale house who
 is obliged to guess at what is best for

 his wants4 ,start out1 then1 in the    
primer class and tabulate some of the   
best grasses used for lawns1 and tag    
them with both their names1 the         
botanical and the common ones4          
,illustration3 ,for sloping banks and   
terracing1 a mixture of ,kentucky ,blue1
 ,rhode ,island ,bent1 ,creeping ,bent1 
,sheep ,fescue and ,white ,clover1 in   
the proportions given1 will probably    
answer  ,kentucky ,blue ,grass--,poa    
pratensis4 ,fine for lawns2 grows slowly
 but vigorously almost everywhere but on
 an acid soil4  ,red ,top--,agrostis    
vulgaris4 ,shows results more quickly   
than ,blue ,grass2 will thrive on a     
sandy soil2 fine in combination with    
,blue ,grass4  ,english ,rye            
,grass--,lolium perenne4 ,grows quickly 
and shows almost immediate results2 good
 to combine with the slow-growing ,blue 
,grass4  ,various-leaved                
,fescue--,festuca heterophylla4 ,good   
for shady and moist places4  ,rhode     
,island ,bent--,agrostis canina4 ,has a 

creeping habit2 good for putting-greens1
 sandy soils4  ,creeping                
,bent--,agrostis stolonifera4 ,creeping 
habit2 good for sandy places and to bind
 banks or sloping places4 ,combined with
 ,rhode ,island ,bent for               
putting-greens4  ,crested               
,dog's-tail--,cynosurus cristatus4      
,forms a low and compact sward2 good for
 slopes and shady places4  ,wood ,meadow
 ,grass--,poa nemoralis4 ,good for shady
 places2 is very hardy4  ,red           
,fescue--,festuca rubra4 ,thrives on    
poor soils and gravelly banks4  ,white  
,clover--,trifolium repens4 ,good for   
slopes2 not to be recommended for a     
lawn4  ,sheep ,fescue--,festuca ovina4  
,good for light1 dry soils4  ,now1 with 
so much as a reference library1 you will
 have sufficient knowledge of the kinds 
of seeds to draw from to make           
combinations that will fit any          
situation4 ,i would further suggest that
 you go to a wholesale house and get a  
sample of each of these seeds and       

examine them4 ,get just a little of each
 in an envelope4 ,make a comparative    
examination of the seeds1 holding a     
little in the palm of the hand4 ,as you 
look at each seed repeat its name a few 
times and recall its characteristics1   
and you will be surprised to find that  
on the second or third trial every name 
will suggest itself the moment your eyes
 rest on the seed4 ,with a knowledge of 
the seeds you can then go to your dealer
 and tell him what you want--not        
necessarily what he thinks you want4    
,you are then a better judge than he is4
  ,it is worth while following the      
subject farther1 for the results will   
more than repay the trouble4 ,test the  
seeds4 ,make shallow boxes and fill them
 with loam1 and sow each kind of seed   
just as you would on a lawn4 ,put a     
label at the head of the box and on it  
the time of sowing the seed4 ,do this   
with as many as you can4 ,then watch and
 make notes of the time it takes for    
germination4 ,note also the character of

 the blades4 ,having finished this you  
will have a very liberal education in   
the subject of grass4  ,should you not  
care to do as suggested above1 you will 
be dependent on others to get what you  
most need4 ,if you should go to a dozen 
people and ask them to suggest a        
combination of seeds1 they would all    
give them readily to you1 but no two    
proportions would be alike4 ,if you     
should ask for a single grass1 the      
majority would suggest ,kentucky ,blue  
,grass4 ,for a single grass there is    
nothing better suited for all           
conditions4 ,there is this objection to 
it1 however3 it is not a nervous man's  
grass4 ,you cannot plant it to-day and  
have a lawn next month4 ,if you can     
afford to wait1 sow ,kentucky ,blue and 
your patience will be well rewarded4 ,it
 makes a permanent lawn4  ,to introduce 
the ready-made lawn1 use a combination  
of ,kentucky ,blue1 ,red ,top1 and      
,english ,rye4 ,the ,blue ,grass is     
slow1 but the ,rye and ,red ,top produce

 speedier results4 ,the first month will
 see the newly seeded space a carpet of 
green4 ,in time the ,rye passes1 the    
,red ,top continues to cover1 while the 
,blue ,grass grows sturdier each day    
until it crowds everything out by virtue
 of its own strength4 ,use #ab lbs4 of  
,kentucky ,blue ,grass1 #e lbs4 of ,red 
,top and #c lbs4 of ,english ,rye ,grass
 to the bushel1 and sow #c-a_/b to #d   
bushels to the acre4 ,this makes a      
reliable combination4 ,it is common to  
hear people asking for grass that will  
grow in shady places1 but it is always  
difficult to determine the degree of    
shade4 ,a place may be shaded and yet   
suitable for growing grass1 or it may be
 so shaded that no grass known could be 
made to germinate there4 ,in places     
where there is no heavy dripping and    
where the ground is not absolutely dark1
 use the following3  ,kentucky ,blue    
,grass1 ,wood ,meadow ,grass1           
,various-leaved ,fescue1 and ,crested   
,dog's-tail4 ,use #ce per cent4 of the  

first two and #ae per cent4 of the last 
two4  ,for conditions that require a    
quick-growing grass1 and something that 
will bind and make a holding upon slopes
 under difficult conditions1 the        
following is recommended3 ,kentucky     
,blue ,grass1 #cj per cent42 ,r4 ,i4    
,bent1 #cj per cent42 ,creeping ,bent1  
#be per cent42 ,sheep ,fescue1 #aj per  
cent41 and ,white ,clover1 #e per cent4 
,this is one of the places where ,white 
,clover is an essential4 ,under these   
conditions it fulfils its mission       
perfectly4 ,while all the named kinds   
may not flourish1 there will be enough  
to make the work successful4            
,illustration3 ,the turf on a           
putting-green or tennis court must be   
dense and low1 as well as tough4 ,rhode 
,island ,bent and ,creeping ,bent in    
combination are frequently used on a    
sandy soil to stunt the growth  ,the    
turf on a putting-green must be dense   
and low1 and tough enough to stand a lot
 of rough usage4 ,a combination of      

,rhode ,island ,bent and ,creeping ,bent
 is about the best thing for this       
purpose4 ,to check up1 just refer back  
to your schedule and see what it says   
regarding the qualities of these        
grasses4  ,the soil on a putting-green  
should be of a sandy nature4 ,this keeps
 the grass stunted through lack of much 
food1 and consequently better fits it   
for its purpose4  ,never buy grass seed 
by the bushel4 ,buy it by weight1 or    
stipulate that there shall be so many   
pounds to the bushel4 ,it will cost you 
a high price1 but it will be far cheaper
 in the end than to buy something       
inexpensive that has more than a third  
of sweepings and useless bulk4 ,you     
certainly lose nothing by buying the    
very best seed that your dealer can     
offer you4  ,do not be ashamed to ask   
for samples before buying1 and also get 
samples from a number of places and     
compare the different seeds4 ,spread    
them out in your hand and see if they   
are clean and without chaff4 ,a seed    

with a large proportion of dust and     
chaff is not worth buying4 ,it should be
 your consideration to see whether you  
are getting what you pay for4 ,if you   
show evidences of knowing the proper    
seeds you will receive a most respectful
 hearing from the tradesman4 ,do not    
balk at the price of re-cleaned seed4   
,it means that you are going to get     
something for your money4 ,it is worth  
much more than the seed sold in bulk    
that is not re-cleaned4     ,,sowing    
,,the ,,seed   ,the nearest thing1 by   
way of comparison1 to a lawn is a bed of
 plants that you set out in your garden 
every spring4 ,when you think it is     
planting time you go to this bed with   
spade or fork and turn the earth up from
 the deep bottom1 putting in plenty of  
well-rotted manure1 thus ministering to 
the soil according to its needs4 ,then  
you set out the plants1 and if weeds    
grow up you dig them out1 after which   
you water the spot intelligently4 ,for  
this labor your reward comes to you in  

the shape of an abundance of bloom and  
foliage4  ,just as truly is a lawn a bed
 of plants needing an equal amount of   
treatment4 ,grass is nothing but a      
collection of thousands of little plants
 crowded together1 which must have      
nourishment1 and from which the weeds   
must be taken4 ,likewise the soil must  
be given water as it is needed and the  
earth must be made mellow for the roots1
 to a good depth4 ,it makes no          
difference how much you pay for your    
grass seed1 how good or bad it is1 or   
what kind of fertilizers you use1 if the
 bed is not properly prepared in the    
first place4 ,without this fundamental  
preparation1 grass plants will not grow1
 or if they do1 will not thrive4  ,it is
 quite a trick to sow grass seed evenly 
so that it will germinate without giving
 the plot a spotty effect4 ,it should be
 spread at the rate of about three      
bushels to the acre1 and this sowing can
 be successfully done only on a quiet   
day4 ,even a very light wind is liable  

to pile up your seed on your neighbor's 
lot or on your own in places not wanted4
 ,keep the seed in a pail while sowing1 
and1 after taking a handful1 bend close 
to the soil and let the seed feed       
through the fingers as the arm swings   
back and forth in a semicircle4 ,this is
 very much easier to say than to do1 but
 a little experience will make one quite
 proficient4 ,to help still more1 sow   
the seed two ways1 one at right angles  
to the other4 ,after sowing1 rake       
lightly and then finish the work by     
putting a heavy roller over it4  ,while 
thick sowing has the advantage of       
discouraging a growth of weeds1 there is
 a limit that cannot be safely passed4  
,seed too thickly sown will mat and damp
 out1 leaving great patches on the lawn4
 ,do not exceed the quantity suggested  
above4  ,spring sowing should be done   
just as soon as the frost is out of the 
ground4 ,this early sowing gives the    
young grass a chance to establish itself
 before the severe summer heat comes on4

 ,careful watering is necessary1 with a 
fine spray1 and if regularly done will  
induce rapid germination4 ,in watering  
do not wash out the seed by too heavy a 
stream4     ,,sodding   ,like seeding1  
sodding should be done in the early     
spring or fall to get the best results4 
,oftentimes it is necessary to do the   
work in midsummer and this1 while not   
advisable1 can be successfully          
accomplished if the sods are laid soon  
after they are cut and then copiously   
watered every day until all danger of   
drying out has passed4  ,in butting the 
sods together1 use a wooden mallet1 and 
pound the sod into close contact with   
the loam beneath1 flattening all joints 
so that the growth will be uniform4     
,illustration3 ,the inevitable result of
 sowing a cheap1 ready-made mixture of  
grass seed4 ,it is worth while studying 
the qualities of the various elements   
and making your own mixture  ,on large  
seeded areas outline these with a border
 of sods1 which gives a well-defined    

edge and trim appearance to the work4   
,if you should know of a place where    
there is a particularly fine growth of  
grass1 it would be a paying proposition 
to buy sufficient sods from it to answer
 your needs4 ,sods1 cut and delivered1  
will cost about eight cents per square  
foot4 ,this price may be shaded somewhat
 if the sods are bought in bulk and the 
cutting and carting is done by yourself4
 ,under any circumstances the work will 
be expensive4  ,on banks and terraces it
 is preferable to use sods rather than  
seeding4 ,the sods can be held in place 
with wooden pegs driven through them    
seven or eight inches into the bank4    
,over this work scatter some seed and   
give a light dressing of loam2 then     
pound the whole to an even surface4     
,when the bank is too steep to hold the 
sods pegged in this way1 they should be 
piled upon each other horizontally1 so  
that the ends will form the surface of  
the bank4 ,this effects the double      
purpose of creating a permanent sward   

and also a depth of ten inches of loam  
upon which it can feed4     ,,good      
,,loam ,,and ,,fertilizers   ,loam is   
scarce2 that is1 good loam is scarce4   
,to help make up the deficiency1 every  
one should form a compost heap1 and into
 it pile leaves1 lawn rakings1 pieces of
 sod1 and all such matter1 all of which 
will be reduced in time by decomposition
 to the much-desired humus4 ,a small    
quantity of this humus1 mixed with      
fairly good loam1 will make good loam of
 it all1 and suitable for sustaining    
plant life4  ,in the fall1 when the     
leaves are falling from the trees1 it is
 a good idea to gather up from the      
gutters the accumulated leaves and put  
them in the compost heap4 ,there may be 
a little expense and trouble to it1 but 
there is no question as to the fact that
 you will be fully repaid when you find 
the necessity for some real loam4  ,near
 cities loam of very inferior quality   
will cost at least #b per cubic yard1   
and if one has a quantity of leaf-mould1

 made as suggested1 and will mix it with
 this loam1 a very desirable quality can
 be produced4 ,the leaf-mould is the    
life of the soil and absolutely         
essential to satisfactory results4      
,,spring ,,top-,,dressing  ,a lawn that 
has been properly made will not suffer  
if it is not given a yearly dressing1   
for it will have sufficient food supply 
in the ground to keep it going for      
years4  ,strange as it may seem1 many   
good lawns have been ruined by being    
given a heavy application of manure year
 after year4 ,when a top-dressing is    
necessary on soil that is good1 ,canada 
hardwood ashes and bone meal will supply
 all the nourishment that is necessary4 
,spread the ashes thickly on the lawn   
until they show white on the grass1 and 
do the work preferably before a rain1 so
 that the nourishment may be washed into
 the soil4  ,the ,canada hardwood ashes1
 as usually found in the market1 contain
 from one to five per cent4 of potash1  
but to get the results you are looking  

for1 the ashes should contain from seven
 to nine per cent4 of potash4 ,in       
purchasing this fertilizer in large     
quantities demand a guaranteed analysis1
 otherwise you are liable to get        
something little better than what you   
take out of your stove1 and wholly      
useless for lawn purposes4 ,there are   
good ashes on the market and they can be
 had if one goes after them vigorously  
enough and gives some indication of a   
knowledge of what good ashes are4  ,when
 it is not possible to get what you are 
looking for1 ,i would recommend mixing  
muriate of potash with finely sifted    
loam1 and spreading it broadcast over   
the grass4 ,this treatment is always    
efficacious1 as you are absolutely sure 
of getting what is necessary for the    
land4   ,,manure ,,top-,,dressing  ,many
 prefer to use a top-dressing of manure1
 regardless of conditions4 ,it is sure  
to bring more or less weeds4 ,if you    
decide to use it1 however1 get the      
thoroughly decomposed kind1 as this     

means a minimum of weeds4 ,i do not want
 to create the impression that ,i am    
trying to belittle the fertilizing value
 of manure4 ,i believe in having a      
liberal quantity of it incorporated with
 the soil when the lawn is made1 and ,i 
also believe that on such a soil ,canada
 ashes and bone meal are very much more 
suitable to keep it up to pitch than is 
a top-dressing of manure4               
,illustration3 ,one of the most         
difficult places in which to make a lawn
 is under large shade trees4 ,a         
combination of ,kentucky ,blue1 ,wood   
,meadow1 ,various-leaved ,fescue and    
,crested ,dog's-tail is usually         
successful  ,when manure is used for a  
top-dressing1 do not get it on too      
thick1 and do not leave it too long on  
the grass in the spring4 ,nothing is to 
be gained by either of these mistakes   
and much killing out is apt to result4  
,there was a time1 some years ago1 when 
it was possible to buy sheep manure that
 was worth something1 but at the present

 time it is sold in powder form1 and    
invites a strong suspicion of           
adulteration and of containing very much
 more than what is being paid for4 ,if  
it is possible for you to get good sheep
 manure1 use that by all means4 ,it is  
efficient1 cleanly1 and produces very   
few weeds4 ,it is best used at the rate 
of about a ton to the acre4  ,nitrate of
 soda is a very vigorous stimulant and  
produces quick results4 ,it is          
economical1 requiring but small         
quantities to cover large areas4 ,spread
 broadcast1 about #age lbs4 to the acre2
 or1 dissolved1 #c lbs4 to every #ajj   
gals4 of water4 ,the dry application    
should be made always before a          
rainstorm1 otherwise much burning is apt
 to result to the grass4 ,for an        
occasional application it is all right  
to use this1 but for                    
year-in-and-year-out fertilizer1 it     
should be alternated with other things4 
,,lawn-,,mower1 ,,roller1 ,,and ,,hose  
,after you have your ground made1 your  

seed sown and germinated1 your trouble  
is not all over1 for it is a critical   
period through which to carry the tender
 grass to a hardy condition4  ,young    
grass should not be cut before it is    
three inches high1 and this means that a
 scythe should be used in preference to 
a lawn-mower1 as it is difficult to get 
the blades high enough to allow this    
length4 ,in cutting for the first time1 
try to do it on a cloudy day1 as this   
will prevent any possibility of         
scorching or burning4 ,after a few weeks
 the grass will have so toughened that  
it will be benefited by frequent        
cuttings--even twice a week4  ,the      
roller should be used after every       
cutting1 and although it may seemingly  
be working injury by crushing down the  
tender grass1 it is in reality making   
sure a solid and compact sod4 ,in the   
middle of the summer when the weather is
 very hot1 be careful not to crop too   
close1 as the roots are liable to be    
killed out by the sun4  ,when cutting   

your grass you will find it a great     
saving to have some sort of a           
grass-catcher on your lawn-mower4 ,one  
can be made easily1 but very handy ones 
are sold at a small price4 ,they prevent
 the wear and tear to a lawn that       
results from the hard raking necessary  
when not used4  ,there is a good        
grass-catcher that fits into the back of
 all machines2 it is very effective and 
costs about fifty cents4 ,it so         
effectively catches all the grass that  
comes from the machine that little      
raking is afterwards necessary4 ,if you 
prefer the rake it is best to use a     
wooden one1 as iron teeth do great      
damage to a heavy sod4  ,where the grass
 is cut frequently the clippings may    
safely be left on the ground1 but heavy 
grass should be always gathered up4     
,,the ,,lawn-,,mower  ,there are        
hundreds of makes of lawn-mowers on the 
market1 but of these very few will stand
 the test of a season's hard usage4     
,these few will be found to be the      

standard makes of good design1 and      
costing a seemingly high price4 ,when   
you can get a lawn-mower with a pound of
 tea you may be sure that it is time to 
be suspicious1 regardless of the pretty 
paint and ornamentation that makes it a 
symphony of colors4 ,a good mower means 
that your lawn will look well after     
being cut with it1 and it also means    
that the first seemingly high cost will 
be all that you will be called upon to  
expend in years to come4 ,such a mower  
is practically indestructible4  ,once or
 twice during the season1 give it an    
overhauling4 ,grass and grit will creep 
in1 and unless it is removed the        
efficiency of the machine will be       
greatly reduced4  ,it sounds like       
automobile parlance to say ,use good    
oil1 but this really applies equally as 
strongly to a lawn-mower4 ,cheap oil is 
expensive in the long run1 as it        
thickens up and clogs the bearings1 and 
makes it impossible for the mower to do 
its best work4  ,illustration3 ,it is   

surprising what a lot of grass and dirt 
finds its way into the lawn-mower4 ,take
 it apart once a season to clean and oil
  ,this may seem like straining a point 
to get down to such trivial details1 but
 it is just these little things that go 
to make up the getting and keeping of a 
lawn4   ,,the ,,roller  ,next to having 
good seed to sow1 on properly prepared  
ground1 the great essential in          
lawn-making is a proper kind of roller  
to use as occasion requires4 ,few people
 realize just how important a part a    
roller plays in the upkeep of any grass 
area1 but it is no exaggeration to say  
that without one1 successful results    
will be difficult if not impossible of  
achievement4 ,use a roller--a heavy     
roller--on your lawn early in the spring
 to repair the damage that the freezing 
and thawing has caused in the winter4   
,the early rolling levels the surface1  
packs the earth about the grass roots   
and makes it possible for them to draw  
the moisture from deep down in the      

ground4 ,a roller is to be used often1  
not once each season4 ,its consistent   
use means that you will have fewer      
weeds1 thicker and better colored grass2
 the disfiguring moles will find the    
ground too difficult to burrow through1 
moisture will be retained longer1 and a 
noticeably better condition will be     
noted throughout the whole lawn4  ,the  
old-time stone roller was an instrument 
of torture1 and almost wholly unsuited  
for lawn work as suggested4 ,there are  
now on the market dozens of ball-bearing
 rollers that are very easily handled4  
,the adjustable kind1 in which there are
 compartments to hold either sand or    
water to vary the weight1 is the kind   
that should be purchased4 ,with it you  
have a roller light enough to use for   
seeding1 or heavy enough for road work1 
and the prices are not prohibitive4     
,,the ,,hose  ,the hose is a subject to 
which very little attention is given4   
,paradoxical as it may seem1 all rubber 
hose is not rubber hose1 and because of 

this many lawns suffer from want of     
water1 because the supposedly rubber    
hose has proved1 when most needed1 to be
 a combination of paper and scrap4 ,a   
first-quality hose will cost from twenty
 to thirty cents a foot--a frightful    
price when comparison is made to the    
bargain price of four cents a foot4 ,the
 expensive kind will last for years1 and
 even after it begins to show signs of  
wear it can be used many years longer by
 proper repairing4 ,the cheap hose      
bursts once1 and its usefulness is at an
 end1 as the first burst is only a      
preliminary of total dissolution4  ,when
 a good hose bursts it is best repaired 
by cutting entirely through it and      
removing the damaged part1 and then     
joining the ends with a little brass    
sleeve that is easily inserted into each
 of the severed ends and which has      
reversed prongs to prevent its slipping 
out4 ,this is one of the best ready-made
 menders on the market1 and it prolongs 
the life of a hose for years4  ,keep    

your hose on a reel4 ,empty it of water 
before winding up1 and never allow it to
 lie baking in the sun4 ,this latter is 
a very common fault and is the cause of 
much good hose being spoiled4  ,another 
seemingly trivial yet important thing is
 to caution against so fastening the    
hose to the tap that it pulls away from 
it at right-angles4  ,for ordinary      
purposes the half-inch size of hose is  
the best4 ,it costs less in the first   
place1 is more easily handled1 and the  
wear and tear is much less than on the  
larger sizes4  ,you never see a gardener
 using any spraying contrivance on the  
end of a hose4 ,in his thumb and        
forefinger1 which he skillfully moves   
over the flowing stream1 he has a       
combination of sprayers that can produce
 the heaviest stream or the finest mist 
at will4 ,this is to be recommended1 but
 few will care to follow the course of  
training necessary to acquire the       
efficiency of the gardener4     ,,weeds 
,,and ,,other ,,pests   ,even if you    

paid a thousand dollars a bushel for    
your grass seed1 and then spent as much 
more on the preparation of your land1   
you could not1 ,i am sorry to say1      
escape having weeds4  ,the thing to do  
when you have them is to get rid of     
them1 and this is accomplished only by  
getting right after them with a         
persistence proportionate to the        
abundance of the weeds4 ,the knife is   
the only real weapon for this4 ,after   
digging out your weeds1 sow in grass    
seed with the idea of making the grass  
grow so thick that there will be no     
place for the weeds to creep in4        
,dandelions and plantains are simple    
matters that can be handled easily1 but 
where ,crab ,grass shows up1 there is   
certainly work ahead to get the best of 
it4 ,it is a destroyer of the first     
rank1 a veritable pest4 ,it is an annual
 that seeds itself each year and kills  
out under the first frost1 leaving great
 bald spaces in the lawn to show where  
it has been4 ,even after it has been    

killed by the frost its baneful         
influence is not ended1 for it has      
spread broadcast its seeds for the next 
year's crop4  ,when you find it1 dig it 
out4 ,it means work and lots of it1 but 
it is the only way to conquer it4 ,set  
the blades of the mower low1 and after  
dragging the grass up with a rake1 run  
the machine over it2 and this should be 
done early in the year1 before ,july4   
,there is no weed to equal this as a    
nuisance4  ,on newly-made lawns the     
weeds are easily removed1 and they      
should be carefully watched so as not to
 allow them to get too far ahead4       
,chickweed is almost as bad as ,crab    
,grass1 and when you find the           
combination1 ,crab ,grass and           
,chickweed1 the simplest solution is to 
spade or plow the place up in the fall  
and leave it exposed for the winter4    
,for the broad-leaved varieties of weeds
 there is a preparation of what is      
called sand on the market that ,i have  
tried with very good success4 ,i        

sprinkle it on the weeds and within an  
hour afterwards they have shriveled and 
turned black4  ,while it doubtless is   
very efficient in destroying the top    
growth1 ,i am unable to say that it is  
at all injurious to the roots1 and may1 
perhaps1 even stimulate them to renewed 
growth the following season4 ,however1  
my experience with it was a happy one1  
for just as soon as the weeds died down 
,i sowed in grass seed1 which quickly   
germinated4  ,illustration3 ,there is   
only one sure way of eradicating weeds1 
and that is by cutting them out with a  
knife as soon as they appear4 ,delay in 
the attack will give them time to bring 
up heavy reinforcements   ,,worms1      
,,ants1 ,,and ,,moles  ,very often      
earthworms become very disfiguring on a 
grass plot4 ,where there are many       
present it is an indication that the    
earth is in poor condition1 compacted1  
and needing humus4 ,an application of   
strong lime-water will drive many to the
 surface1 where they can be swept up2 or

 a heavy rolling with a #a1ejj-lb4      
roller will do much to discourage them4 
,it is surprising how much damage a     
colony of ants can do on a lawn4 ,they  
should be looked after the first time   
they are noticed1 for they work rapidly1
 and the longer neglected the more      
difficult it is to eradicate them4      
,there are many remedies recommended1   
but the best one lies in the use of     
bisulphide of carbon4 ,this is very     
effective1 but it has come into such    
common use that a word of caution should
 be given as to its handling4 ,it is    
very volatile and1 when near flame1     
powerfully explosive1 and should be     
handled with great care4 ,pour it into  
the runways of the ants1 and then throw 
over these a mat4 ,the fumes will       
speedily kill all the ants4 ,a better   
way1 however1 is to drive a stick into  
the ground in several places where the  
colony is located1 and in these holes   
pour the carbon1 afterwards plugging the
 holes up tightly4  ,moles are          

frequently found on lawns1 but they are 
not serious because they can be easily  
controlled by heavily rolling or by     
traps made to catch them4 ,where there  
is a suspicion of the presence of moles1
 no time should be lost in getting after
 them4 ,they sometimes work for a long  
time before their destructive borings   
are evident1 and then it will take much 
labor to get ahead of them4 ,keep the   
heavy roller going as an excellent      
preventive4