Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-26
F. L. Milford, Landscape
Gardener, Gives Directions
for Their Treatment.
PREPARATION OF SOIL
BEFORE PLANTING SEED
Advice Given Regarding Use Of Fer
tilizer-Address Before Y. M. C.. A.
Educational Department.

Detailed directions for making and car
ing for lawns were given by F. L. Null
ford. landscape gardener Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. in an address before
the educational department of the Y. M.
c. A. last evening. The theme Of Mr..
Mulfords lecture was Developing and
Caring for the Lawns" He illustrated
his talk by display OF lantern slides.
about half Of which were taken in and
around this city The others were taken
at Dayton. Ohio. and Harrisburg, Pa.
In starting new lawn Mr. Milford
urged the careful preparation Of the soil
before the seed was planted. The sown
seed should. then be worked into the
ground by means of a roller, or, IL the
plot We're but a small one. by a tamper,
he said. In no case, he advised, should
the ground be raked after the seed SOW
ing. Any bare spots should be resown
and resown. he said, until they were fully
covered.
He pointed out that in some instances
grass could not be used advantageously,
but that other plants could be. Espe-
cially was this true in the case of steep
entertainments and entertainments border
ing streams. he said. In place of grass
for such places he advised the planting
OF nnoneywort. honeysuckle, coral berry
and other similar vines.
Treatment Of the Grass Plot.
Speaking of the treatment of the
grass plot, Mr.. Milford urged: Roll
the lawn early in the spring. Start
your lawn mower early and run it
often.
Don't water the lawn unless it is
absolutely necessary, and in that case
water 1t for several hours continu-
ously. Be sure the ground is well
soaked for two or three inches. until
it is muddy. not alone for half an inch
or SO. If you water the lawn every
evening you simply wet 1T and let 1t
dry alternately. The crust hardens
You want to get the water into the
dry spells will hurt the grass.
Fall is the best time in my judg-
ment," he said. for using fertilizer"
Mr.. Milford then discussed the kinds
of fertilizer best adapted to lawns
he continued. They will usually dis
appear. however, il the grass is kept
well cut and bare spots are constantly
reseeded.
Grass plots should be reseeded once a
year.
Several designs Of grounds about homes
as we'll as photographs of places were
shown on the screen and criticised by
Mr.. Milford. He pointed out how these
grounds might be made more beautiful
by the planting of additional shrubbery
in some instances, in taking it away in
others. in changing the positions Of drive
ways and in numerous other manners.
Disapproves Steps in Lawn.
Steps in lawns before q row of houses
| were commented on adversely because
| they showed from a side view. The speak
er said IL the lawns had been made
| right and the steps put in right they
would not be visible from this point. In
stead of steep terraces and entertainments
Mr.. Milford advised "ogeesy't a. more
gentle slope starting with a convex sur
face and becoming concave toward the
lower part; somewhat similar, he said. to
some picture holdings.
Views Of houses should be broken by
| shrubs or trees, he said. The added at
Effectiveness of houses having plants of
suitable character about their foundations
was pointed out
Several questions concerning specific
cases and dealing with other details were
asked by members Of the audience during
the lecture.
Mr.. Milford was applauded at the con-
cluSion of his talk