The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-05-15
How To Make a Lawn.

In paper read before the Massachu-
sets Horticultural Society, by Henry
w. Wilson, the subject of lawns was
considered. Many of the suggestions
made were opportune and are here pre-
sented in brief. Most | WINS are sur
faced to a true plane and have the APP
pearance of saggng Mt the centre. Thi,
arises from an optical illusion, TO cor
rect which gen lie swell should be
given TO it. The surface, of course.
must be smooth as possible.
An Important point is drainage. III
the land be dry and grayelly it will not
require artificial drainage, but it is more
difficult TO make a good lawn on such
soil. If the subsoil is gravelly clay or
hard pan it must be drained with pipes
laid feet deep and 80 to 40 feet apart.
III the soil is too light it will be greatly
improved by spreading from 200 to 800
loads to the acre of clayey material.
This should be such that the action of
the frost will pulverize it. In the
spring it ought to be ploughed in as
deeply as can be done. A good dress
ing of peaty muck will do much to ina
prove such a soil. To this muck may
of lime TO the cord, the salt being dis
solved and the lime Stacked with it.
The muck will be improved by exposure
to the frost
If the subsoil is clay or hard pan the
best method of loosening it up is by
deep plonghing, running the plough
three tunes in the same furrow. BY
this means depth of two feet or more
c4n be reached, and the grass will he
enabled to stand the drought, more es-
pecially if the land be undetermined as
recommended.
After the surface is well pulverized
seed down with not less than three
bushels of mixed blue grass and white
clover to the acre, say two and one-half
! Bushels of blue grass and the rest
clover, and some fragrant vernal grass.
If the soil is good average land, treated
hs described, no manure or fertilizer
will be needed, but wood ashes, leached
or unleached. and old lime rubbish may
be freely spread on the surface and
carefully mixed with the soil. Sow the
seed just before change of weather
| which indicates rain. After sowing,
| harrow in well and roll with q garden
roller AS soon as the grass Is well
started roll it one day and cut it with n
| lawn-mower the next, and follow this
up every ten days. If the lawn is
! finished in May, by autumn there will
be good velvety turf The thorough
preparation of the soil recommended
will be found more economical, and the
| gr. IS will grow much more vigorously
than if frequently watered with hose.
There is benefit in cutting the grass
as often as possible before anticipated
rain. The cutting should cease early
in September that the growth may form
cover to protect the soil against the
vicissitudes of winter. Blue grass and
white clover both require calcareous
soils, and the only way to meet that re-
quirement in New England is to use
lime freely while making the lawn; 300
bushels per acre would not be too much
when it is trenched or SUBSIDIZED. AT
least two bushels of platter per acre
should be mixed with the annual top
dressing. The lawn NAV be top-dressed
with well-rotted compost, wood ashes,
phosphate or ground plaster, when the
grass seems to require plant-food.-
NeW York World.