Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-08-09
SUGGESTIONS FOR USE OF WA
TER IN sPRINkLiNG LAWNS

phlet issued by the Water Depart
ment of st. Paul, Minnesota, are
reprinted in the belief that they con-
tain much instructive matter that VIII
be Of interest to our readers.
The Care Of Lawns
The most opportune time for the
renourishing Of lawns is in the fall
during October and November. Ihis
can be accomplished by applying com
mercial fertilizer, such as bone meal
etc. or we'll rotted COW manure or
better still, with well prepared com
post. This latter is the best and
almost a necessity for over watered
lawns, where the roots OF the grass
have been exposed to the sun and air
by too much sprinkling. 1t Is great
mistake to imagine that luxuriant
green's ward can be maintained by a
continued application Of water to the
grass. II the sod Is properly prepared
to grow the grass, sprinkling with wa
ter need only be resorted to twice a
week in very dry weather. The lawn
then should be showered so that the
moisture penetrates one-half inch.
| These artificial showers should De ap'
plied during the evening after sunset
because no moisture is lost during
lthis time by rapid evaporation as
| is the case during the heated part on
the day. A we'll made lawn Is easy
Kept and the less sprinkling is done
To the grass during the heat OF the
day, the better will be the color OF
the lawn. Water is no nourishment
for the grass and should only be ap'
piled as a necessary stimulant to bal
ance evaporation. It should be appll'
ed in a way as near as possible, lm'
itating natural conditions OF sunshine
ana rain. Too much OF each at time
ia harmful to all vegetation.
Those qualities Of soil which make
flor excellence Of growth OF grasses
often vary to so marked a degree IN
the different secttns Of city thai
a hard and fast rule. applicable to al
parts of city cannot be laid down
as a guide for the use Of water In
producing lawns.
! It should be remembered that NJ
lawn can be Pre- duced BY water alone
and II proper attcnt. Oh has been pait
to plac mg food for grass in the sol
for less water is necessary for the ma
king Of a rich and veivety lawn. II
should not he expected that grass
which Is naturally deep-rooted piar''
4 Will thrive and grow luxuriantly upo1
water and a few inches Of soil con
tanning only a limited amount O
plant food. In lie ions run, the prop
erty owner will find it cheaper t.
prepare his ground with depth o
!, soil Of at least twelve inches.
j Lawns become worn out In thu
course of time. Each cutting o
grass takes from the soil every atom
n Of elements which urited IN produ
cling the removed grass Use OF fer
tiiizers-such as bone mead, WOO
! ashes or manure (if 1t is free from
the seed of weeds), will supply YOU
] lawn with plant food which all thu
! water in creation cannot supply.
The most beneficial sprinkling o
lawns is that done after shutdown
when the rate Of evaporation from
the surface is decreasing, becaus'
then the grass, shrubs, trees ant
earth. get nearly all the water, an<
the volume which is most effectiv'
and productive OF the best results II
that which approaches gentle show
er In its nature; and when the tota
amount thrown upon the lawn does no
exceed more than one-quarter of al
inch deep. If this amount be applied
twice each week, or, better still, b.
spread in q shower aggregating one
eighth Of IN inch in depth four time
each week, it will be more than am
pie to keep the average lawn in thu
best condition, especially If 1t b.
properly moved and rolled.
j A lawn sprinkled during the morn
Ing, or during the heat Of the day, II
but slightly improved,s because tn
increasing heat OF the sun promotes
4 rapid evaporation to It's detriment
and causes waste Of the water and o
J, the time expended in sprinkling
Where water is allowed to run for I
long time upon the lawn in one spot
, 1t naturally tends to soften the eartl
and causes it to become DOGGY ant
rough, producing coarse and uneven
grass.
i This use OF water-that Is, TOT
much In one spot-reacts and defeats
the consumers wishes. 1t also is APP
to wash the soil from the roots ant
!, expose them to the air.
I DO not over-water. This process