Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
TO HAVE A GOOD LAWN
Perfect Ones Cannot Be Made
on All Kinds of Land.
THE TREATMENT NEEDED
Perennial Weeds May Sometimes Be
Smothered by Grass.
USE OF SPRING DRESSINGS
Mower Is Generally Much Abused
Careful Adjustment of the
Blades is Essential.
THE TREATMENT NEEDED
USE OF SPRING DRESSINGS


The lawn is to the home picture what
background. foreground and surroundings
are 10 be painting or photograph. A perfect
lawn cannot be made upon all kinds of
land, but one may succeed In making a
fairly satisfactory lawn and keeping it in
good condition upon unfavorable soils by
proper treatment. If the sail is thin. with
a graveliy subsoil. work deeply into it as
much organic matter as possible, and apply
more fertihzing clements and grass seed
during the season than If the soil were
heavy or moist. Always apply enough water
to soak deeply into the soil A light water
ing OF the surface often onl- bakes the soil
60 that the moisture escapes the more
rapidly, and, in the end, does more harm
than good. Upon thin soils clipping should
be frequent and the clippings should be
allowed to remain ON the lawn, to serve as
a mulch.
In the spring the lawns will be found in
Fl variety of conditions, according TO the
nature of the soil and the fan treatment
which they received. At the north when
the frost works out of the ground the
young plants and the roots of older ones
will be found thrown out of the soil more
or less. When severe freezing is over u
heavy roller should be used TO press them
into place
The annual weeds of last summer and fall
have died and left vacant spaces about the
LAWN WIllC!, II not Nlled ny perennial
grasses. Will again grow to weeds the COM
Ing summer. liberal supply of good lawn
grass seed should be sown as early as pos
sible. and be lightly raked in that the
roots of the permanent grasses will not be
injured A light covering of fine manure or
fine rich soil. and light rolling will cause
the seed to terminate quickly and become
well rooted before hot weather comes on.
II there IS considerable freezing and thaw-
ing after the seed is sOwn it will settle into
the soil and no rolling will be needed.
Such perennial weeds as the d1nde1on,
spcedweu pldntain. dock. money plant. etc,
can sometimes be smothored by sowing an
abundance of grass seed and making the
soil Sc rich that the grasses will choke
them out; but if they have obtained
stronE 'roOthold. II viii be cheaper in the
end To pull them out and then put on the
grass seed and fertilizers. If the lawn was
covered over winter with coarse manure, It
should Ue Taked over leaving as much of
the fine material possible on the land. to
supply summer food for the grasses. If a
heavy growth of grass leaves was left on
the lawn last fall. it should be raked with
an iron-tooth rake, to straighten out the
leaves, and then the lawn-mower run and
the clipping removed before grass seed and
manure or fertilizers are applied.
II one has no fine stable manure for
spring dressing one may use fine ground
bone and wood ashes a little muriaJe
q. potash. The lawn mixtures put up by
manufacturers and seed dealers make 5000
d. cSSlngS, but they more expensive.
If the grass starts slowly and Is of poor
coiCr-Ngnt gTcen-a little nitrate of soda,
lpi TO 800 pounds an acre, will give the
plants better color and a rapid start.
! heSe uiNTureS should be put on as early
IN the spring as possible and be raked
little into the grass roots, 10 prevent the
loss OF nitrogen from the decomposing
bone. il is better to apply bone and ashes
separately, and. If the former Is applied
week or two before the latter there VIII
be little loss Of nitrogen.
After the spring raking, fertilzing clip
Emo gr.l liz.
should not be run until the ground has be-
come settled, that the grass roots may be.
{, me well rooted. If heavy rains rollow
tbs work It may be only few weeks bur
II there are no rains II may be a month or
mere.
Lawn Mower Generally Abused.
The lawn mower IS generally much abused
by the majority OF those who use It. When
nicely adjusted and In good working order
II may be kept so by a hairs breadth
turn OF the adjusting screws or bolts and
no one should be allowed to NEEDLE with
these Parts unless he fully understands
them. The blades Of the lawn mower
strike the cutting bar in such a manner
as 10 be largely self-sharpenng. and no
machine II well oiled and adjusted will
need sharpening unless it is run into stones
or other hard substances that may dull or
bend he knives.
The ordinary machine oil used upon
larger machines than the lawn mower oil
wagons etc. is too heavy for the lawn
mower except In very hot weather and
should DE thlnned with an equal amount
OF kerosene. No machine Will keep In per-
feet working order for a great length or
time without cleaning. and the lawn NOW
or. which Is run through so much dust and
dirt, should be taken apart once or twice
every season, each part carefully cleaned
and wiped. and then freshly oiled. The
machines with large wheels and baH-bear-
inEs run more easily than many of the older
patterns, but the latter If kept In perfect
order, viii run with comparative ease ana
win do good service for many years
When the lawn clippings are short not
over az inch IN length they Will settle
down among the grass stems and decay:
but II they are too long. or are wet. -sey
viii bunch and In very warm weather VIII
smother the grass stalks and roots under
them In most cases II VIII require less
time and effort 20 NOW twice a week ana
let the clippings drop on the ground ana
remain there than 10 cut but once a week
and rake up the clippings, as must often
be done