The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-07-20

not draw OF the fluid the mass
would not rot and get into condition
for the use 1t is intended for. II II
were left in the pit 1t would yield up
odors to disturb the neighbors, but
by drawing it of and using 1t as
stated, 1t works magic in flowers and
plants and attracts people to its
petals and perfume. When people
see the wonders it works in plant life
they will gladly buy 1t at a price that
will pay the cost of handling it, and
that is all that this Better Lawns
company is going into business for
is to get their lawns fixed up on a
cooperative basis and get their
money back out of the equipment.
Their main reward lies in the
marked benefits1it is to their homes
and to their home town.
Growing the Sod
For Lawns
We left the workman blowing and
stirring the soil ON the company's
tract to get all the weed seeds
sprouted and killed and to get the
soil in fine condition. 1t is left over
winter and the compost is left in the
pit over winter rotting. When warm
weather comes again, the tract is
sowed to a mixture Of pure blue
grass and white clover, and 1t is
carefully watered and cared for for
another year; that brings us to
1924, and the new sod Is ready for
transplanting.
Preparing the
Sod Bed
Now the old lawns must be torn
up and the bed made for the new
sod. One reason the old sod died
out is that there was too much
water or too little water and the soil
too heavy and sticky and solid like a
brickbat whenever it got dry. The
reason the new sod could not be
grown in the lawn is that it refuses
to grow in the shade unless 1t has a
strong, healthy start.
The lawn is carved of to remove
all high spots and all weeds, dande-
lions and other Objectionable growth
and the surface is lowerd six inches
below what the new lawn is to be
when completed, the waste dirt be-
ing used to fill up low places about
town. The soil is plowed or spaded
about eight or ten inche deep and
pulverized. Then enough sand is
hauled in from those troublesome
sand dues just east Of town, to
mix with the sticky soil and make it
soft and mellow, probably two or
three inches of sand all over the
lawn-to-be. Then four inches of
compost is hauled from the pit that
has been kept wet enough to rot and
dry enough to go to pieces till it is
almost like leaf mold, and very
rich Then the whole mass of eight
inches of soil, two Of sand and four
of compost is plowed or spaded
again and it is well mixed, then ir-
rigated and left to settle.
AS soon as it is dry enough to
work it is raked and leveled again
to fill any slight depressions, and
there will be some. When it is in
perfect condition and dry enough so
it will not pack, the sod cutter is put
to work on the company tract, and
long ribbons of sod are cut out and
rolled up like spools, and are
brought and unrolled on thelawnto-
be, are placed side by side so close
that no seams are visible and then
the roller is run over it until it is as
compact and firm as an oriental rug
on a floor. BY keeping it carefully
watered and by being particular not
to let stream of water run for
several hours upon it and get it
saturated and the air driven out of
it, the new lawn remains in perfect
condition fed by the rich mellow
earth below. 1t will not require
water so often nor in such quantity
as does the hard, half-bare lawn of
the present, and by applications OF
the fluid fertilizer it can be kept well
nourished for years, the white clover
gradually giving way to the blue
grass and leaving richer soil as the
nodules on it's roots manufacture
nitrogen and release it in the form
of plant food. The thin, hard lawns
of the present do not manufacture
plant food in quantity worthy of
mention, and the soil is so compact
and the air so completely shut out
of it by water and by it's compact
ness there is little action of any kind
in it.
A Consumer of
Garbage
Going back somewhat on our pro-
gram, the compost pit will perform
q service for the town during the
spring cleanup and all summer by
receiving the leaves and grass and
all perishable vegetation raked from
the yards, and the clippings from
the lawns in summer, and dump it
into the compost pit and keep 1t wet
enough to rush the decay. Moth
ing will be received that has rocks,
cans or other solids that will not
rot, and it will relieve the residents
of the long haul to the city dumping
ground, and will relieve the city of
the expense of providing dumping
room for It. All such trash will be