Evening star., 1926-05-17
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TR.ACEWELL.

To get back to our grass, the basis
Of a real garden, the fundamental
decorative feature, in a sense surpass-
ing any and all flowers:
A little watching Of the other fell
low (whom we can always observe so
much more accurately than we can
ourselfD will show any one that the
| average person Is much too 'chinchy."
| to use a slang word, in both the pur-
chase and application Of grass seed.
Many seem to feel that g. lawn
ought to be a sort of perpetual motion
affair, needing no reseeding. Perhaps
it ought. No doubt the lawns in
Heaven grow that way. On this
earth, however, especially in cities,
they normally need some attention
every Spring.
my lawn looks so spotty." some
one says. More seed would have made
moro grass. with the result that green
blades would have filled all available
space.
Take the following supposititious
case:
| A householder is looking with dis
tress at his poor lawn. A stranger
comes along, and, leaning on the
fence, remarks, Grass amt doing
very well this year, is it?'
Under the influence Of such sym
pathy, the householder unfolds his
tale Of woe. II put in 2 pounds of
seed, and now look at it! The birds
ate at least half. and perhaps most
Of the rest blew away"
| Suppose then the stranger should
break forth, Mister. if l will guaran-
tee you perfect lawn, would you
give me $4?"
"Takenr' the householder would de-
clare.
Yet that very same man would no
more think of going down and pur-
chasing 81 worth Of grass seed, 3
pounds, for his small back yard, than
fly!
You gotta use seed, and plenty OF
| 1T. eve like the expression gotta
1t ought to become good English, for
it has a force and euphony that such
cumbersome workings as You have
| got to use seed" etc. do not possess.
| We append this explanation for the
benefit of those few who may fear
| that we are becoming terribly
"slangy." To be dressed up" all the
time is somewhat tiresome-to use
impeccable English day after day
| tends the same way, both TO writer
and reader. Let us be honest in the
use of our English as in the use of
our money!
! Yes, distinctly, one must use plenty
/ of grass seed if he is to get results.
Not only does the average home owner
| fail to buy enough seed. but he puts
1t in with too niggardly a hand. He
wastes half of what he does sow by
simply placing it on the top of the
soil, thus allowing the slightest chance
wind to blow it away. and the first
rain to wash it out. Do not be sur
prised, If you SOW your grass seed in
this fashion, to find that your neigh
bor's lawn is better than yours. for
you have unwittingly sown his yard
for him!
| When you reach into the bag to
seed a certain bare spot, put in the
amount, and then reach back and
put in as much again. No matter
how good the seed. there will be a
| certain percentage of it that will not
terminate. Play safe, use plenty of
seed. and you will get the lawn of
your dreams, or at least an approach
| to II.
| These notes are written out of ex-
perience, rather than theory, and
probably you will get more results
from following them than by reading
any number of books on lawn making,
with all due respect to the books. We
have several, and not a one of them
I contains our Two Big Rules.