Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-12
How to wake a Lawn.

The preparation of the soil for lawn can
hardly be too elaborate. 1t is cheapest to
do the work thoroughly at the outset, to
KaYe edisaDpointmenta and expense hereafter.
If the ground is inclined to be wet we
should say draining was essential. If 1T is
FraTelly or. sandy, that is a soil that does
not suffer from standing water, that ex-
pense might safely be omitted. Next we
should say trenching would be very 1mpor-
tant, and, if that amount of labor and ex-
pense seems too great. possibly the suosoil4
blow might be substituted. though trench
5np thoroughly would be most efectual.
Before beginning either of these operations
we would cart on a, liberal supply, say not
less than four cords of the best manure per
acre, spread it as it is dug or ploughed in,
and at the same time put on plaster of Par
Is at the rate of five. hundred pounds to the
acre We would trench fifteen to eighteen
inches deep. To do this rightly a trench
should be opened on one side of the pro-
posed lawn, say two feet wide and a foot
md ii half deep. Wheel the soil thrown
out of this trench to the farther side and
dump it along where the, last trench will
come; it will be needed to fiji that up with
when y0u get to it. Then open another
trench alongside of the first of the same
width and depth, throwing the earth into
the first trench, and at the same time mix
ing it we'll with manure and plaster, and
SO continue with the whole lawn.
TeThat is the true and lasting method to
90 TO work to make permanent and sat
fsfactory lawn, and it will leave the soil in
3 condition to Withstand the effects of our
terrible drouths, as no other mode will.
Now Won have smooth and even surface,
with your corn stumps all buried in the
trenches, together with all sods and coarse
Jumps of earth; the stones, If any, having
been left on the surface and removed. The
manure which was trenched in may have
been common barnyard or stable manure.
If the soil is naturally stiff we would not
be particular to get it into finely rotted
condition, as the coarseness of it would
help the mechanical condition OF the
ground. If, on the other hand, the soil is.
light and open enough already, we should
nrefer to have fine and rotted manure.
Now you want, also, some manure near
the surface. You may use either Peruvian,
Quano, spread on at the rate of loo or 200.
bounds per acre, and Immediately har-;
foWed in, or good super phosphate at the
same rate, mixed with an equal amount of
plaster. These manures may be spread
and worked in with the grass seed, If pre-
ferred, though we would put them on first.
The work might be done, and the manure
applied, ,as soon as the ground is fit to work
10 the spring. -. f.sfi.f
You are now ready for the seed, and it is,
important to get the right kinds. You
want no coarse herbage, nothing that will
not endure close and repeated cropping,
The perfection of a lawn Is to have fine,l
Velyety, close, and soft turf, and the object
is to attain that end as soon as possible, and
have it last when you get it. 2
If it were August OF, september. Wnen
YOU were proposing to SOW the seed, In
stead offspring, we should say use no grain
with it. Success would be more sure with
out it. But with our annual liability to
droughts, we should not venture to sow in
spring without, at the same time, provfd-
ing some protection which some grain
crop saffoFds.osX0u may SOW a0Out three
fourths of a bushel of barley, orspring rye.
Either would be better than oats; or you
NAV sow millet at the rate of ten to fifteen
quarts of seed to an acre along with the
grass seed. You want to SOW the grass
Seed q good deal thicker than you would
for an ordinary seeding down. u& s.s
Now as to the kinds and quantities. Get
half q bushel of Kentucky Blue Grass, half
orhnshei of Sweet Scented Vernal, one
hUisheI of Red Top or Fine Top, and about
six pounds of White Clover. If You don't
mind little expense, you have time to
aend by your scotsman and get some crest
al DoS's-tail and some Sleeps Fescue or
Hard Feseue; both are excellent. You
will find various mixtures for lawns rec
ommended in FIint's Grasses and Forage
Plants. the only trouble being to get some
oF the kinds best adapted to this purpose
without ordering them from abroad. We
xvOuld EXCLUDE 11nOlIly DOCduSO 10 ~OCo hOU
endure close shaving, and is coarse. Com
mon clover is coarse, and is annual.
Sow as evenly as possible, and rake IN
With a short toothed iron rake, and roll
c.rafnIly. with heavy roller, if the land
is light. The grain will be thin, of course,
and will not interfere much with the young
o-sss In about four or five weeks, or
SSrhen the grain is foot high, cut it not
verv close, or say three inches from the
rroy1d II will start again and grow rap
;ciIy. If YOU didu't let it stand too long be-
tore cutting the first time. In three or
1onr weeks it should be cut again, and In
Auoust or September third time.
After once fairly started it will De man
aood hv top dressing, rolling and frequent
cnttin4 The proper top-dressing for a
lawn is old. finely rotted manure, spread on
evenIv and raked in with fine toothed
Inn yake. working the rake back and forth,
60 o. to oct the fine manure down around
fHe GRASS roots, and all the coarse parts Of
the manure taken off again directly ana
removed from, the lawn. No coarse ma
,,1,,sa should remain on the lawn, and no
-,,zl,,,re should remain to make coarse and
,,nevev,f matches. Finely rotted manure,
,.,orlsed In as indicated, viii give you
w soff as velvet in two or three years,
aa nnd one that will be beautiful from the
Srst s,. Then. after a, turf is formed, shave
r. With lawn mower once week. OF zen
days, during the summerTM0ss' fs0EVs.
man.