The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-04-03
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.
How IL Make and Keep a Lawn.

The first REQUISITE to a good lawn is we'll
graded even and thoroughly drained soil.
When practicable the growing of hoed crops,
as corn ard potatoes, on the land designed for
q lawn Is an excellent preparation. without
this the ground should be plowed or dug to an
equal depth to prevent unequal settlement
after which must follow narrowing, levellng
and rolling until firm and uniform surface
mas been obtained. As has already been stated,
It is necessary that the soil be drained, either
naturally or artihcialy; therefore, unless the
subsoil is porous alluvial gravel, drain at the
formation of the lawn.
Lawns may be seeded down in spring or fall,
but sowing during warm weather is not ad.
visable, for the young grass is liable to suffer
from the effects Of the heat and drought For
the formation Of new lawns seeds should be
literally applied; the expense is slight com
pared with the disappointment of n poor
catch" Another advantage OF thick seeding
IS the avoidance Of weeds, which are more
likely to thrive on Il sparegrowlng lawn. For
new lawns three bushels of seed per acre or
about four quarts to SIX rods of land are ad-
vised The seed should be regularly and even
~ distributed; therefore it is unwise to attempt
sowing it broadcast on windy day.
In selecting the seed tse kind of grass adapt
cd not only to the purpose but the soil ought
10 receive the preference. y mixture OF grass
cs serves best for lawns, all things considered;
;eedsmen, therefore, in different sections Of
the country offer mixtures suited to various
soils and situations. In applying to them for
seed it is tae best plan always to state any pc
cullarities of land or climate, that these may
be provided for Among varieties popular for
lawn mixtures in tins section Of country are
creeping bent grass, Rhode Island bent, dor
mel spiked fesCue, hard ftsCue grass, crested
dog's-tail and wood meadow grass. Rhode
Island bent grass is used alone by some of the
New York farmers on their lawns. Little June
grass, pOa Compresa, is much esteemed in vi
entities where il thrives WELL but as its roots
are small and grow near the surface, 1t suffers
IN times of drought. Kentucky blue grass
and orchard grass, with their long roots, are
counted among the enduring kinds. The lat
ter does well in the shade, but requires rich
soil IN which to thlcken and hold its own. A
mixture of red-tep and white clover forms in
TWO or three years Il thick, velvet turf, and is a
popular combination IN many sections. Ken
lucky blue grass, with white clover and red
TOD grass, Is generally recommended for lawns
IN the south Where these grasses do not
thrive well, the despised Bermuda grass will
grow and cover the ground even under most
dlsadvantageous circumstances.
All lawns to be successful must be regularly
mown-not too close-and rolled A mixture
provides an excellent application for lawns,
old and new The mixture sown broadcast
over all lawns early in the spring greatly I'M
proves them; the same may be said OF dress
ing of guano mixed with two or three times
its bulk of earth. The frequent cutting of a
lawn previous to midsummer days assists IN
thickenlng the turf but as the d:oughts come
on it should not be mOwn so often.
In laying out walks on a lawn cxcavate the
width desired to foot in depth, more or less,
according to the drainage required. Full 1t up
twothirds of the way with small stones; next
spread finer gravel and coat Of gravel and
coal tar, finishing off the whole with fine gray
ell evenly spread and rolled smooth. When
the walks are laid at the time the lawns are
seeded, it is well to place a strip of sod a foot
or more wide on either side of the paths, being
careful to so place it that when the newly.
seeded lawn settles the sod along the border
will be the highest. The easier plan Is per
haps to postpone digging out the full width OF
the paths until the new sod is sufficiently
grown to trim and make even marglns.-N
+. WOrR.