The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-06-27
FOR A GOOD LAWN.
-Four Essentials to Establish One and In
sure Its Pcrmanense.

sure Its Pcrmanenee.
This is the season when VIC are often
asked how to establish a good lawn
and insure it's permanence. Downing
names three essential requisites: /.
Deep soil. 2. Proper kinds of grass.
3. Frequent moving. For this climate
] would add fourth--that is, plenty OF
water.
If the subsoil is hard and tenacious it
should be we'll unGerdrained and
trenched, or subsoiled to a depth of 16
or Is inches, so as to create a reservoir
for holding moisture which may be
drawn upon hy the plants as needed
during the dry times. This matter OF
subsoling does not receive the atten-
ton it deserves in our climate. Many
persons seem to think that if the sur
face soil is in good condition nothing
further is needed Such persons should
bear in mind that it is a deep soil only
which will furnish moisture for grass
roots through continued drought, so
that the lawn will remain green during
the entire summer and autumn.
Again, too much attention cannot be
given to the preparation of the soil be-
fore the seed is sown. 1t should be
plowed and replowed, cultivated, har-
rowed and rolled until the whole is
thoroughly pulverized and mixed to a
depth of ten inches. This work should
be done in the fall, and then the plot
should be left to settle all winter be-
fore the seed is sown. The foundation
will then be firm. This not only makes
a compact bed which the tender grass
roots need, but it will insure the lawn
against those little knobs and hollows
which are so Objectionable in appear
ance and do so much to obstruct the
use of the mower.
Only two kinds of grass are really
worthy of consideration for this eli
mate. These are the Kentucky blue
grass (poa pratensis) and red top
(agrostis vulgaris). There are few
others, such as Rhode Island bent grass,
a finer kind of agrostis, which may be
sown, but it is more expensive and
little superior to good strain of red
top. A little sweet vernal grass or
white clover may be added, but neither
is essential. The coarser grasses, such
as timothy, orchard grass or meadow
fescul, should never be sown in lawn.
They are short-lived and too coarse and
stiff to make a soft, velvety carpet.
There are many lawn mixtures adver-
tised and sold at high prices; some OF
them are good and will make excellent
lawns, but, if analysed, the best of
them will be found to consist mainly of
blue grass and red top, which may be
bought in the market for from $3.50 to
$2.50 a bushel.
TO seed properly, from two to three
bushels will be required to the acre,
owing in some measure to the amount
of chaff mixed with the seed. This
should be sown as early in the spring as
possible, so that the young plants may
become well established before the hot,
dry weather of midsummer. The SOW.
ing of oats with the seed has been rec
commended as protection to the
young grass plants, but | have never
y
plant like the oat would furnish pro
lection to delicate, slowgrowing one.
On the contrary, the so-ealled protector
will rob the weaker plant of its nourish'
ment, Red top terminates much more
quickly than blue grass, and will fur
nish all the protection necessary be-
sides covering the surface with green
coat almost as quickly as oats will.
After the blue grass gets its root well
established in deep, rich soil it will
need no further protection, but will as.
sumo entire control in a very short
time.
The third essential is early and fire.
quent moving. If the grass is allowed
to get too large before being cut the
stubble will be too stiff, and we lose
that soft, velvety character which is
only produced by frequent moving.
Water must be kept in constant sup
ply to feed the grass. The deep-soil
preparation will help to do this, but
he is fortunate who can draw on some
reservoir for occasional irrigation
Where water is always abundant less
care need be given to fertilization, 9th.
erwise it will be well to top dress the
lawn early every spring with 30 or 20
bushels of unleached ashes and 300 OF
400 pounds of bone meal or superphos.
phate to the acre. This will keep the
grass in thriving condition. Barn
manure is too unsightly, and should
not be used except in localities where
snow covers the ground all winter, and
then it should be ralied off as early as
possible in the spring. BY following
out the suggestions given here in pro.
viding the four essentials we may have
as fine lawns in this country as they dc
in England; lawns watch will last life.
time and be a continual source of pleas.
ure to all who see them.-Garden and
Forest
New Table Linen.
Round and oblong cloths with cir
cular borders come in various sizes for
dining tables so shaped. Floral designs
predominant largely in these, the clover
loaf nanSv and phrVyant hpp1nu TAXI mr.