Arizona republican., 1915-09-05

A iilOlOllSl1 Sluuy Ol lle DIIIICIpstls'
 of landscape gardening in the Salt River Valley would be of measurable
 benefit to ali classes, for there are
 wonderful opportunities open to our
 residents in the way of home beau
 tification. most of which are lost or
 only half realized, because few un- to be employed in soil preparation, etc, and I dare say not fifty per cent are familiar with the planting
 seasons. It is common occurrence for one to rush to the seed store for sweet pea seed after having seen sweet peas blooming in the neigh bors yard, or to be reminded in the early spring days that they did not plant bulbs and flower seeds in time to get results as did their more for ! tunate and better posted neighbor. It is the intention therefore of the writer to furnish series of articles, taking as topics seasonable seeds,
 bulbs, and plant for planting in the Salt River Valley and similar eli
 mates, Together with instructions for
 soil preparation, planting and caring
 for same. It matters not whether
 we have in mind a great park or a
 small city square, a large estate, or
 modest door yard, we must go about
 our work in an artistic spirit if we
 want a good result. Two trees and
 Six shrubs. a scrap of lawn; and a.
 dozen Towering plants may form
 either a beautiful little picture or a
 huddled disarray of forms and colors.
 Good taste in gardening will yield
 it's possessor as much pleasure as
 good taste in architecture, literature
 or music, and just as one may cul-
 tivate good taste in literature with
 out designing to become a literateur.
 so one may properly educate his
 taste for landscape gardening with
 no expectation of becoming a land
 scape gardener
 Gardening art offers this advan- tage to it's lovers: that they can everywhere enjoy it, and that with comparatively small expense they can
 patronize it on their own account; the poor washer woman even being quite able to have a pretty bed of Marigold and PheoXes in her yard. The opportunities to cultivate taste for landscape art lie all about us, and it is to be hoped that each and everyone of us will in some manner add artistic design to our already beautiful natural landscape.
 Preparation of the Lawn
 The lawn question in the Sa1c River Valley is one that puzzles our newcomers. and to a great extent the older residents, for most of us have been accustomed to Kentucky Blue Grass the year around, and at first thought wonder how it is possible to exist without it. Bermuda grass q our lawns. and it is possible by us ing a combination to have a beauti- ful green lawn twelve months in the , } ear. If you have no lawn. begin { preparation in August by soaking the land well, and spading. after which it should again be soaked to germinate any seed present and again spaded to a depth of six or eight inches. Tn this operation it is well to apply fertilizer in the form of well routed manure and if in adobe soil add fertilizer and liberal supply of : air slacked lime, which will greatly improve the texture of the soil Now rake to the proper level and sprinkle to settle the earth and ascertain if 1t has settled unevenly; if so, rake off the high places and add the finishing touches prepara- tory to plating the seed.
 Having previously arranged for enough pulverized barnyard manure to lightly mulch the entire surface of the lawn, we are now ready for the planting, which should be done after September first, or when the nights are beginning to get cool. This $ very important. as Rye grass seed which we plant at this time requires a temperature of 65, or cooler to germinate readily, therefore it is folly to attempt a lawn earlier than 1st, and frequently better results will be obtained by planting liter September 18th. The seed ,hould be sown at the rate of one pound to one hundred square feet, ,r ten by ten Spread evenily on he surface, and without raking, which has a tendency to bunch the-i ;eed, cover to a depth of quarter 70 one-half inch with the pulverized manure. and sprinkle down well. The first sprinkling is the particular ,ne, and great care should be taken 1ot to apply enough water to make oudd1es for the seed being light will 1oat and settle in patches. thereby making the lawn uneven. The sur ace should not be allowed to be- ,ome dry until after the tiny blades if grass begin to show. Test the lepth of moisture and be sure the ground is soaked for two or three nches for frequently just enough is applied to germinate the eed. and then it is allowed to die or want of moisture before having ime to root This accounts for many poor stands, and should be guarded against by watering twice laily, using a fine spray, and taking are not to throw with force a down ward stream.
 The Australian Rye Grass IS per- nnial in cooler climates, but is only T n annual here, dying in July, which ! makes it necessary to plant each all, as would be the case with Ken lucky Blue Grass, or any other de- irable lawn grass except Bermuda, \ which is frequently planted with the . Rye Grass at the rate of one pound ! O five hundred square feet. The q irtxr