The state herald., 1908-08-14
GRASS SHOULD BE CUT FIRE
QUENTLY AND REMOVED
FROM THE GROUNDS.
FALL MANURING BEST
NEAT APPEARANCE REoUlREs
CAREFUL TRIMMING OF
BORDERS.
By Leslie F. Paul, Colorado Agricul.
tural College.

tural College.
The surroundings of the home gen
orally indicate the artistic ability, or
lack of it, of the dweller. The picture
of the home is spread upon the canvas
of the lawn, and we unconsciously
size up the dweller by his success In
presenting this picture to us. In this
endeavor the care of the lawn plays an
important part.
Leaving, at present, the question of
planting the lawn for consideration at
another time, the following hints re-
garding care of lawns may be helpful:
Lawns in Colorado are best watered
with the hose II water supply of that
character Is available. one of the
many styles Of sprinklers attached to
the end OF the hose is desirable as a
time saver. If there is no hydrant, the
lawn should be flooded every ten days
or two weeks, II rain does not occur
meanwhile. The water In this case
should not be allowed to stay on for
a great while. especially II there Is
much shade. or the grass roots will be
destroyed wholly or in part and yellow
spots will appear here and there in
the sward OF whatever character 1t
is, thorough watering best follows i'm
mediately after moving.
Ordinarily the lawn should be gone
over every week or ten days with the
lawn mower, the shorter period being
better where the water supply is con.
slant The appearance of the sward
iu Urnntl,s tfnnFnUnI alaunTNtnu tho
following points: First. the use Of
the 'grass-catcher" attachment to the
machine for the removal of the cut
grass; second, moving in straight
lines, and. SO far as possible. in the
same direction; third. lapplng the ma.
chine only one-half the width Of the
swath; fourth, trimming out with sick
lie ond sheep shears all grass which
cannot be reached with the mower. The
following comments may be made upon
the preceding statements. In the use
Sf the apron or catcher" II should be
remembered that the removal OF the
grass at every moving means the re-
moval OF fertility which should be re-
stored by late fall manuring. but the
velvety appearance which We so much
admire is secured better than by let.
ting the grass lie where II falls. From
new lawn. however. !. e.. one planted
In the current season, the grass should
not be removed. but allowed TO lie
where II falls for its value as mulch.
The direction of the moving should
be alternated in successive mowings
preferably AT right angles 10 the pre-
vious moving. Trees. buildings. etc.
are left by the machine with an un
slightly fringe OF tall grass. which n
little extra time wit. sickle and scis
sors will vastly improve. The sward
about bed or border should end In
an abrupt edge and this edge should be
trimmed with shears. Pushing the
soil back toward the middle of the bed
gives the edge it's desirable abrupt
ness. Walks should be similarly
edged.
While moving. high and low places
and holes should be noted for subse.
quent correction. The man with the
mower learns one reason why ter,
races and abrupt banks are undesir
able, When these are run over by
the mower the knives bite 80 deeply
that these high points become sore
spots" due to the killing out Of the
too closely shorn grass. Holes may
be filled with prepared soil garden
loan and sand In equal partsl and the
grass will shortly come M through II.
Probably the correction OF high and
low areas may better be deferred un.
I'll spring. Such corrections involve
the lifting Of the sod and the addition
or removal Of soil Occasionally high
places may be corrected by the use OF
heavy roller.
Attention 10 such minute details ns
above described insure that well
groomed appearance In lawns which
everyone admires.