The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
ADVISE AS TO
.|MPR0WNGO OF
AN old D. Lawn \ N
Reseed. Fertilize and Water.
Says Federal Department
of Agriculture.

WASHINGToS, J,lly 31.-The
improyemefftss of an old lawn is a.
very much mora difficult problem
than establishing new one. In
many cases it is;timpracticable to at
tempt the Improvement: of an old
lawn that is inAbad condition, say
the specialists of the United States
department of agriculture. How
ever,Sft areasonably good turf OBJ
tadns; Sit Is possible to better it ma
tertally by re=seedin g. fertilfzing,
and watering. In the majority of
cases Improvement is desired in the
spring, since at this season many
bare spots are in evidence as the
result of the preceding winter. II
the areas ito be improved are small.
they can be handworked and re-
seeded with little difficulty. II they
are large, it is usually advisable to
spade them up, work thoroughly. and
seed. as in the case of starting
new lawn: In any event.,reseeding
should be done early in the spring
with a liberal quantity of the mix
ture before described.
4a When Grass is Thin.
When the stand Of grass is thin
over the entire, lawn or greater
portion oft, special seeder equip
ped with small discs has been found
very satisfactory for cutting the seed
into the sod and thereby producing
favorable conditions for germtnatfo
and subsequent growth. In the early
spring, however, the soil is usually
loose as a result of the freezing and
thawing and is in sufficiently open
condition to permit the seed to be
covered with little difficulty. After
seeding. IL the ground has become
quite dry, rolling is usually bene-
fetal. Care should be taken when
moving or watering the newly
seeded areas to avoid disturbing the
young grass. This caution always
applies inla measure to fall seeding,
although there is not so much dam
ger of damage in the case OF the
latter
The management OF the lawn after
it is once established is an extremely
important matter, and there are
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
before. After removing this 1t is
usually advisable to apply some fer
tilizer, even though the soil is al
ready reasonably fertile.
Fertilizing.
one OIL the very OSSI 1SH tAAA1OAs' ~
the lawn in the spring is nitrate Of
soda, but on account of it's quick ac-
ton and its caustic effect, extreme
caution should be used in its appli-
cation. Five pounds of nitrate of
soda are sufficient for 1000 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
FIG Is in no way Injurious to the
grass. Eight pounds to ], 600 square
feet Is liberal application.
Any commercial fertilizer that IS
used should be applied early in the
snrin e when the grass begins to
grow. IN fact, bone meal can be
used TO advantage every month dur
ing the growing season, except. per
haps,. JAY and August. Fertiltzing
through the season. Is especially