The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-19
THE TIME TO REPAIRLAWNS
Results of Summers Disastrous
Work Now Apparent.
improvements Made by the AppIica-
tion of the MOwer-Steps hccrs-
sary to lie Taken in Order to Have
a BeautifuI Yard Next Spring


About this time Of the year the man.
and sometimes IL is a woman, who s-ts
out in the spring 10 grow a fine lawn IN
front Of his house can contemplate the
result Of his seasons work. Unless ne IS
one out Of thousand he sees instead OF
the green velvet sward Of his dream
ragged surface dotted with weeds and
di-Hgllred by bare patches. If he is Of
h0ueful nature he viii set himself Al work
10 reEair the damage Of the summer and
begin to dream of what the lawn viii
look like in the spring This is the time
when fan Iawu-makiug operations begin.
His hopefulness and his industry are
both praiseworthy- There are in nature
few things more beautiful than perfect
lawn. Yet his discretion IS not altogether
to be commended. While it is true that
grass if left TO itself viii grow within
certain limits almost anywhere, I'm tho
Creyices Of stone Pavemeuts OF wherever
there is a pinch of earth, il is also a fact
that if the object is merely to spread q
carpet pleasing 20 the eye over "a certain
space Of bare earth, one can accomplish
it about as easily by growing flowers as
by growing lawn, and about as cheaply,
toe.
ing Americans who admired their lawns
that anybody could have one as good
merely 10y culuvatiug il for several cen
turtles. The same statement is stIl re-
peated occasionally in the United States.
As matter OF fact. the American lawn
mower is Of vastly greater Importance in
z Jting fine lawn than the cultivation OF
centuries That implement. which has
divided houors with the baby carriage
among the humorists. has enabled IN
Vulnerable beautiful lawns 10 Do, created.
and with its help under ordinary goudI-
tIUus anybody can with car, get as good
q lawn as one could wish. iu much less
than lifetime Nevertheless. flowers
viii D. found easier To- manage than "a
perfect lawn.
II is lack Of appreciation Of this fact
that has filled suburban homes with dis
appointment. People seldom grasp tn,
real difficulties of making two blades OF
grass grow where there was one before.
and, above an, of making that growth
continuous. IL viii be- observed Thar lawn
making IS capable OF moral teaching
People fail also to comprehend IN,
amount OF preparation needed for the
ground and this is the great cause of
lack Of success.
Ia the first place, a moderately rich
soil is essential 10 a good lawn because
grass needs a great deal Of uourishmeut
II the nourisameut is not already in tho
soil II must be supplied in the form of
fertilizers. The proper fertilizer to use is
a study by itself. depending upon the de-
hcieucies Of the soil and various other
conditions. Important AS this food ques-
ti0u is. il receives in most cases only
casual attention That is one reason why
grass does not grow as il is expected t1.
In the second place. The tapsou should
boz broken up so finely that in "a handful
there are Few humps II any size, and the
subsoI should also Doe broken up. This
is chiefly 20 secure perfect drainage for
the grass, and IS "a part Of IawumakiuE
which is almost invariably sighted. As
a rule, the subsou is lea uudisturbrd SO
that water may collect there TO the detri-
meEt Of the tender roots. The treatment
Of the topslI is usually limited to breaE
ing the earth into Jumps by blowing or
spadiug and then raking or narrowing the
surface until il Is fine Unless the tom
soil is made fine 20 depth Of one foot
or fifteen inches AT least. the best results
iu a lawn are scarcely TO De expected. I'm
perfect treatment of the soil Is the sec
ond reason why So many lawns are not
what their owners would ike them To be-
With ordinary worlImen it is almost i'm
possible 20 have the ground properly pre-
pared
The troubles Of lawmakers are caused