Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-07-08

al quantity of good seed mixture.
When the stand of grass is thin
over the entire lawn or a greater por-
tion OF it, special seeder equipped
with small disks has been found very
satisfactory for cutting the seed into
the sod and thereby producing favor
able conditions for termination and
subsequent growth. In the early
spring, however, the soil is usually
loose as a result of the freezing and
1 thawing and is in sufficiently open
condition to permit the seed to be
covered with little difficulty. After
seeding, if the ground has become
quite dry, rolling is usually bene-
ficial. Care should be taken when
moving or watering the newly seeded
areas to avoid disturbing the young
grass. This caution always applies
in measure to fall seeding, although
there is not so much danger of dam
age in this way at this season.
Fertilizing.
The management of the lawn after
it is once established is an extremely
important matter, and there are a
few general practices that should be
followed carefully. Beginning in the
early spring, the first thing to do is
to remove with a rake the top dress
ing that has been applied the fall be-
fore. After removing this it is usual
ly advisable to apply some fertilizer,
even though the soil is already reas-
onably fertile. One of the very best
| fertilizers for the lawn in the spring
is nitrate of soda, but on account of
its quick action and its caustic effect
extreme caution should be used in its
application. Five pounds of nitrate
of soda are sufficient for / 900 square
feet OF lawn, and if applied in solu
ton with the watering pot and the
grass then thoroughly watered with a
hose, there is little danger of scald-
ing. Bone meal is probably the best
commercial fertilizer to use on a
lawn, considering the danger from
the misuse of nitrate of soda. Bone
meal can be used without taking any
special caution in its application, as
it is in no way injurious to the grass.
Eight pounds to 1000 square feet is
a liberal application. Any CONNER
cial fertilizer that is used should be
applied early in the spring, when the
grass begins to grow. In fact, bone
meal can be used to advantage every
month during the growing season, eX-
cept perhaps July and August. Fer
tilizing through the season is espec-
tally beneficial in keeping the grass
stimulated at times when it would
otherwise be more or less inactive.
Pulverized limestone as a top dress
ing is very helpful, and an applica-
tion of this substance can be made
either in the fall, winter or spring.
Lime corrects the acidity of the sur
face soil and is useful in checking
the growth of moss and various other
plants that are detrimental to the
grass.
Moving, Rolling and Sprinkling.
There is no hard and fast rule to
be followed in connection with now
ing the lawn, but clipping twice
week is not apt to injure it, and will
induce the formation of good turf.
Too frequent clipping, however, is a
drain on the vitality of the grass and
frequently results in permanent in
jury.
There is some difference of opinion
as to whether clippings should be re-
moved after moving, but in general
their removal is advised especially
during wet weather, since If left to
lie on the surface they are conducive
to the growth of molds, which in turn
produce injury to the turf. On new
seedlings, however, or where the grass
is thin, clippings can frequently be
allowed to remain with benefit
New seedlings should not be clipped
closely, and during the hot weather
of midsummer and early fall the
mower should be set high for old and
new grass alike. The roller should
be used discreetly. New grass is fire.
quently benefited by light rolling
after the first cutting. Old SOD
should be rolled in the spring to firm
the surface that has been loosened by
freezing and thawing, but during
midseason it is very doubtful If the
lawn should be rolled even lightly,
especially where the soil is OF a heavy
nature.
There are probably more mistakes
made in connection with the watering
of the lawn than in any other phase