Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-05-19
Grasses for Lawn and Dooryard.

ton as to the grasses best adapted to
lawns and dooryarlis. What we get
from books 3 f4r from being satisfac-
tory, while the lawns Of the country give
little desired information. This paucity
of accurate knowledge Is, to large ex-
tent, owing to the diversity Of soil and
climate, which affects the character of
the grasses throughout the country, SO
that what applies to one section and to
one kind of soil, will not do equally weE
for another, the different plants requir-
ing different soil and climate Yet in the
older States there ought to be expert
ence enough to afford safe and salts
factory guide for that section.
What is wanted in lawn and dooryard
is perpetual green from early spring
to late fall, and through all the varia-
tons OF the season, not excepting the
great drouths which, instead Of killing
the grass, should only dim its freshness
| and check its growth for the time, to
start again at once after that and rapid
ly assume its wonted verdure. There
is one grass that answers this purpose,
but. unfortunately, It is not otherwise
suitable, as it appears in tussocks. I
refer to orchard grass. For q large
lawn and allowing it to grow, cutting it
just before it puts forth its stalk, it does
very well. Indeed, have never seen a
large lawn in other grasses equal to one
| covered with the heavy, advanced
growth Of this grass, always !uxuriant
on rich ground. Beside, the occasional
| cuttings afford heavy yield of the best
| hay, and the grass rapidly shoots up
again, SO that in a few days the surface
| is green. It's beauty is in the long
leaves it puts forth, shooting up at first,
then bending down, arched over the
ground, its numerous tufts showing with
some distinctness, which gives that
beautiful variety to the surface which
can not be obtained of equal grase and
richness in any other grass. 1t e>,~ads
up to the boles of the trees if the fertili-
| ty is kept up, as it endures shade well.
| would not ad;'ise IL in small lawn
or dooryard, where a closer, finer and
evener green is desirable.
Poa pratensis is recommended as an
| ornamental grass. The fault with it is
weather Of July and August, though ex-
land facing the north, and in places
somewhat Shaded, it does well as a sim
gle grass. and only as such should it be
| used, as, like orchard grass, it grows too
| fast for most other grasses. In few
| days after moving it shoots up above
them, giving provokingly uneven and
ragged appearance to the surface. l
| have had much annoyance in this way.
| This shows the necessity, where more
grasses than one are employed, to have
them of equal size.
Red-top has its advantages. 1t is one
| of the most common native grasses one
meets here, and is pretty sure to work
its way into meadow and pasture if time
| be given it. In moist, rich soil it thrive5
| exceedingly, maintaining itself perma-
| nentlv, and is apt, either alone or in
connection with timothy, to drive out all
| other grasses, growing with density
and luxuriance that have never seen
surpassed. 1t is therefore suited to
dooryards or lawns having moist ground,
if such should occur. 1T will not do for
dry land Although it may maintain
its foothold in the absence of crowd of
other grasses, it will suffer, make slow
progress, is easily checked by heat or
| drouth, and its light green color assumes
dull, pale cast. In a moist season it
will recuperate and show well, but for
general ornamentation it will not do.
White clover, though not a grass, is a
favorite in dooryards, and looks well in
lawn where moist season sometimes
pushes forth, as it is native here,
growing best on our elevated drift or
hemlock soil, and densely, displacng
other small vegetables if the soil is en-
riched, particularly if gypsum is applied.
This, then, is a good fertilizer where it is
desired to introduce white clover, which
makes nice carpet and wristbands heat
49, fry xry0lI hn1V cfspra Inv
plant, like red-top and timothy, over
powering and running out both ordinar-
lily, especially if aided by plaster, which
| favors the clover more and the grass
| less. 1t commenced running over my
| dooryard two years ago, and it will
probably make finish of the grass the
coming season. encouraged it by ir-
| rigation and plaster, as could not rely
upon the grasses, the extreme heat
Iscalding and whitening them, situated
| as the dooryard is, without trees to shade
| it, and favoring the concentration of the
| rays of the sun. l have tried timothy,
but it was injured by heat in conjunction
with drOuth, and the other grasses
speedily drove it out, as the clover in turn
is driving out the grasses.
There are dooryards in the village
here that for many years have produced
| nothing but red-top and the small blue
grass, dense, unfailing growth from year
to year, without manure; the soil a
deep, rich loan, partially shaded by
trees. The fertility is maintained by
the clippings. Whether manlring would
bring in white clover or other grasses,
or whether those now present would
thicken and maintain themselves, is an
interesting question Were the soil
other than it is, there would doubtless
be change, and if clay, the change
would be effected without manure. A
similar effect results by transferring sod
less if the sod is quite thick--for the
subsoil has an important influence upon
grass in our hot, dry and changeable
climate. We see this effect strikingly
in open, permanent grass land, which
always has more or less wet subsoil-'
less and less permanent IS you advance
toward a light, sandy condition. On
such moist, permanent grass land, a va