The New York herald., 1921-02-28
On Lawn Making.
4 Scientific Discussion of Grasses,
Weeds and Fertilizers.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: / have
read with much interest and with some
measure of regret your references to the
statements supposedly emanating from
the Rhode Island State College in re-
gard to the effect of the continuous ap-
plication Of sulphate OF ammonia to
lawns. Perhaps / may be excused for
discussing this question since I planned
many OF the experiments which have
been referred to and was in charge OF
them for many years.
AS a matter of fact sulphate of am
monia was not used alone. but was
available phosphoric acid and potash,
or In other words. complete fertilizer
was employed instead OF sulphate OF am
monia. While 1t is true that the long
continued use of sulphate of ammonia
tends to eliminate certain very objection
able weeds, It Is also absolutely destruc-
tive to Kentucky blue grass, which un-
der certain circumstances is one of our
best lawn grasses.
This is a grass which is particularly
desirable because of It's bright green
color In the early spring and rather
late autumn. In this respect 1t is very
much superior to Rhode Island bent
grass, which thrives on acid soil. The
Rhode Island bent makes an excellent
lawn for late spring. midsummer and
early autumn purposes. The fact Is.
however. that 1t is practically impossi-
BILE at the present time to secure gem
10
usual substitute. red top. gives coarse
and unsightly lawn as compared with
Rhode Island bent.
The other grasses which thrive on soil
which is made acid by the use OF fer
tilizer containing sulphate of ammonia
are the fescues. If these are grown on
land which Is somewhat dry, where the
fertilization. they are likely to grow In
punches. This is very true of the red
fcscue, which was one Of the grasses
experimental with on the acid soil at
Kingston, Rhode Island. and is also
true of the sleeps fescue, which Is one
of the more common fescues. but which
Is more pleasing to many people because
OF It's lighter green color.
The red fescue has the unfortunate
property OF becoming discolored when
the land is exceedingly dry. The Chew
ing's improved New Zealand foscue Is
less inclined to bunch, but 1t is perhaps
not rs hardy or as likely to succeed
under adverse conditions as the other
fescues named. This is tho very fine.
round leaved fescue which is so COM
monty associated with creeping bent In
putting green's of golf links in the North.
IL one wishes to have a lawn which
is OF dark green color early In the
spring, through the entire summer and
into the late autumn, Kentucky blue
grass is an excellent grass to grow
wherever the soil Is slightly acid. but
IL dandelons, broad leaved plantain and
robins piantaln are present they will
have to be cut out II one hopes to keep
the lawn free from weeds. and II one
wishes TO succeed with Kentucky blue
grass the land must be lined or neu-
tral or alkaline fertilizer must be used
il the soil Is very acid at the outset.
This idea that sulphate OF ammonia
tends TO create an acid condition OF The
! soil was probably first suggested by
Professor Adolf Mayer Landwirtschaft-
liche versuchstation 90 CsS1) pp. ~
and o5), who at that time was director
( NJ the agricultural experiment staiiot