The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-10-03
HOW TO START
A cool. LAWN

Every uoihc hiuy ho'o y io"hs ~
need not be a large one. 1t need not
be an expensive one. But an expanse
of greensward between the house and
road is a sign that prevents intrus-
ion on the sacredness and privacy Of
the family. It is the line Of separa-
ton between the home life and the
world Of business.
Many a home is without lawn be-
cause the lot Is 80 small. But the
tiniest lawn is, like the small gar.
den, a great deal better than no lawn
at all.
But, the amateur gardener or the
home maker may say, we don't know
anything about lawnmaking, and we
cannot afford to hire professional.
You don't need to. You can do the
work for yourself. 1t will not be hard
work II you go at 1t in the right way
and take your time for 1t. And you
will find 1t pleasant work, as every
thing that tends to make home at
tractive always is to the home lover.
The first thing to do is to look the
place over carefully. Very likely you
will find humps and hollows, perhaps
a stump or two. Or the ground may
have an unpleasant slope In the
wrong direction. These are condi.
tons which must be corrected.
After you have got rid of every.
thing that encumbers the soil and the
space Is clear for work set about re-
ducing 1t to either level or Q slope
from the house to the road. A slop.
ing lawn is always more pleasing
than a level one. but 1t is not 80 easy
to make because It necessitates I'LL
ing in near the house with soil. ..
Go over the ground with a sharp
hoe and cut off the top Of every hum
mock, and with the soil thus secured
fill every hollow and depression.
Pound 1t down well, that there may
be no settling. When the entire sur
face has been reduced to level or
to an even slop, go over 1t with an
iron toothed rake. and scrape the soil
well to the depth of an inch or two,
more II the soil has come from exca-
vations
Before seed Is sown the ground
should be well fertilized. An impress
sion seems to prevail that lawn
does not require fertilizing for the
grass Of the roadside looks fresh and
green, and 1t gets little food except
that which Is furnished by the soil
It grows in. You cannot secure a
fine sward on the home lawn unless
you make the soil quite rich. Much
depends on the start the grass gets,
and 1t will get a very poor start If
the soil is lacking in proper food :.
The ideal fertilizer would be old, well
rotted manure from the cow yard If
It were obtainable, were 1t not for
the fact that it is sure to be full OF
weed seeds. Well rotted stable ma.
nure, worked over by composing, has
the weed seed terminated and is good
lawn dressing. Commercial fertilizer
IL secured from a thoroughly reliable
dealer in agricultural goods will sup
ply just what your soil needs. The
dealer should be able to advise you
as to what quantity to make use Of.
Scatter this evenly over the ground
and rake it into the soil before seed
il sown.
Use only the very best kind OF
lawngrass mixture In seeding your
| lawn. A fine, deep, rich sward can
| not be secured from poor seed. In
looking over the seedsman's cataloe
| you will find table telling you no"
much seed will be required for the
lawn, but l would advise you to dou
BILE the quantity specified. At least
this is true II you buy prepared mix
lures. BY thick seeding You will gel
a deep velvety sward by the middle
of the first season.
Choose damp day for sowing th'
seed, and a still day II possible, fol
the seed is so light that the slightest
wind will blow 1t away. Scatter Il
broadcast, holding the hand close t.
the ground to make sure OF the seet
falling where 1t ought to. 1t is
good plan to SOW from north to soutf
and then from east to west. By COINS
over the ground twice in different di
rections you are likely to get an even
catch"
Moving should not be begun unit
the grass has grown to be two oil
three inches tall. Then just clip the
top of It. Close cutting will injurs
the crown, and 1t will also give the
lawn the appearance of being shear
ed and prevent 1t from having thai
velvety look which is one OF the chiei
charna nj tho saticfactorv lawn