Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-01

len or fifteen years The lawn can now be kepe
at lees cost than any other portion OF The
pleasure ground or garden, and one Of the bf,sf
qualities OF Q lawn mower IL Its incapacItv for
cutting long grass, thus compelling ffcoueut
moving. which Ii the great point in keep,ns =
superior lawn.
IL often happens that lawns are injured NV pct
cutting them soon enough In spring. This h
fault TO which We all liable; we like to see the
grass growing az soon as We feel the Influence
Of the season. aud before we are aware IL
becomes thick and long, too long IL NAV be tor
the moving machine. when II either has to hs
cut with scythe or imperfectly shorn by going
over 1t several times with the mower: in eithe,
case 1t is likely to expose q yellowish surfsc.
when Is Drowned by the exposure. and NAV
take weeks before il assumes it's normal Color
NOW EARLY AND OFTEN
Is good rule. Even on newly seeded lswns
the mower should be passed over il as soon AZ
any portion OF the grasses become long enough
to be caught 10y the machine; this will prevent
the stronger plants from undue vigor and tend
to thicken the sward. In the case of neviv
made lawns, it may be necessary to 60 over
them occasionally the first summer and cradl-
cate docks. dandelons. and other weeds Of
like character, but this Will seldom be necessary
after the first summer.
1t has been advised to leave the grass cuttings
on the lawn TO wither up and act as a mulch or
fertilizer to the roots of the plants During the
first year. when the toppings are not very heavy
this practice may be allowed, and during the
hottest and drieSt portion OF the summer IL may
be practiced without injury on old lawns;
but my experience convinces me that il il not A
good plan to follow, as il soon becomes 40
matted as 10 injure the grasses very materially
In this locality our lawns are subject to great
injury from annual grasses which oFerspread
them in summer, during rainy periods or where
irrigation Is practiced. These grasses COM
petely smother out the lawn grasses In a few
weeks. and when frosts occur they are entirely
destroyed, .eaying patches. more or less extern
siNe. of bare surface. The only remedy il to
throw some loose soil over these patches after
raking OF the dead grass. and reseed early in
spring.
TOP DRESSING.
Most lawns will be the better with ton Dress
ing once In three or four years. The best appn-
cation Is compost Of rotted stable manure
mixed with any good surface soil If stable
manure alone is used, II should be specially pre-
pared by tuHng and breaking until it can be
spread evenly without throwing il into Jumps.
Nothing disfgures lawn more than throwing
over it an unsightly covering of strawy litter In
the fall. which remains all winter like barn
yard When properly rotted manure IL used
1t should be spread over the grass after the
frost has hardened the surface Ii should be
raked in among the roots, taking advantage OF
frost TO assist In the work OF dslntegration and
1t will soon disappear. Next to manure We
have found the greatest benefit from a sprnk-
ling of fine earth applied any time during
winter.
THE PAPER DISCUSSED.
In the discussion which followed the reading
OF the paper Mr.. Saul remarked that twenty
years ago it was said that there could be no
such lawn grown in this country as in Europe,
but he had seen some which were fully equal TO
any English lawns Mr.. Robinson, of the Lon
con Gardener. who was here few wears ago. In
August. commented on the beauty OF some or
the lawns here which he said were greener than
those of London.
Mr.. L. l.. Riggs said that promiscuous manur-
ing will Nil any lawn, and he referred TO La
fayette square, which few years ago was Q
mass of velvet and now has large bare splotches
which he thought was owing to the inJudicious
use of manure.
Mr.. j. T. c. Clark said 1t would be well to fol-
low the admonition OF MIR. Saunders against
sowing oats with grass seed for about two thirds
OF the lawns here were composed largely Of
oats. He thought that as much OF the manure
used in public parks was composed OF the
sweepings of the streets. there was enough Of
the asphalt dust in it to make the bare spots
spoken Of