The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-03
Care Of Lawns.

If the surface is rough, there are two
ways for making it smooth and even. The
first is by breaking up the whole ground,
working and re-working till fine and mel
low, and then re>eed ng or returning. III
the ground is re seeded, sow at the rate Of
at least two bushels Of grass seed per
acre, and roll or brush it in. Red-top,
white clover and Kentucky blue grass will
give a good green carpet. If re-turfed.
make the bare surface perfectly even and
level; cut the turf from an old, even pas
ture, with straight edges by means OF
stretched line, and then invert the pieces
or blocks on broad board, and scrape the
earth side perfectly even by means OF a
sharp hoe. They will thus form an even
surface when laid. and rolling will make
the whole as smooth as floor.
The second mode of making an even
surface is to apply sand or fine sandy loam
to the surface, and rake it level, by which
it will fill up all hollows or depressions,
and the grass will grow through the sand.
This is we'll adapted to lawns which have
but slight inequalities of surface.
II the defect consists in the gr'ss being
too thin or sparse on the lawn, the whole
surface may be loesened with sharp steel
rake Tor fine sharp harrow on a larger
scale), and grass seed sOwn as already dl-
rected; and its germination and growth
will he greatly assisted if the whole sur
face is dressed with fine compost before
sowing and raking. In some instances,
better seeding will be effected by breaking
up. as already described.
IL the lawn is defective from the growth
of coarse grass or weeds, there are two
modes of treatment. One is to pull up all
the weeds immediately after long rain,
when the ground is soft, or to cut them
out with a spud; and the other is to sum-
mer fallow the whole ground for one sea-
son, keeping the surface stirred and clean
all the time, which will kill nearly all the
weeds. This is to be resorted to only in
case the lawn is full of weeds AMI in ra-
ther desperate condition to warrant it.
To keep lawn in good condition, ap-
ply top-dressiDg of some fertilizer late in
autumn, spreading it perfectly even.
! Coarse manure is Objectionable for two
reasons, namely: its repulsive character
all winter whenever the ground is bare OF
snow and the liabiiity to scatter foul seed
i'm this way. But if nothing better can be
had, be careful to spread it perfectly even,
and not leave it in Jumps, as well as to
rake off all the fibrous material left on the
ground, early in the spring.
Finely puIverized compost answers
well, or compost made OF guan0, or OF
hen manure. The latter may be undiluted,
provided it is in fine powder, or it may bs
made into fine compost with road dust.
On some soils. superphosphate answers
well on others it has no effect. The ma
nure or compOsts may be applied in au-
tumn; the more concentrated fertilizers
early in spring.
The surface having been already made
perfectly even, will require no more roll
ing Than is given to it by the lawn-mow-
ers, When the whole lawn is not more
than an aero or SO, it may be kept cut
short in perfect condition by means OF
h nd machine, and at trifling expense. In
early summer, when the grass grows rap
idly, it should be cut as often as every tive
days, later in the season, not so often.
This will enable you always to ''tread on
velvet. Country Gentleman.