To the thousands of anxious inquirers, seeking solution of lawn
difficulties, it would be more than delightful to say that a fine lawn
could be had by very hard wishing, but honesty compels one to change the
words "hard wishing" to "hard work," in order to keep strictly within
the truth. A well-made lawn is a testimonial to a hustler, whether the
area is small or large.
The majority of inquiries about lawn needs come from people having small
places, from a few hundred to a few thousand feet, and the symptoms
described can be divided into two classes: one where they want to make
grass grow where it has never grown before, and the other where the call
is for information to assist in restoring old lawns that have petered
out. Let us take up the last condition first.
Where grass has grown for some years it is conclusive evidence that
there must be soil beneath, which, perhaps because of neglect, has
ceased to supply the nourishment necessary to maintain the vigor of the
sod growing upon it. As a consequence, weeds gradually creep in and
finally crowd out every blade of grass.
A condition like this is easily remedied and an improvement brought
about in short order and at very small expense.
In the first place make a general clearing up of the weeds and do it as
thoroughly as possible. Take them out with a strong knife, cutting deep
into the ground. An asparagus knife is the best for this purpose.
If the place under treatment were to be spaded up, this weed-cleaning
with the knife would not be necessary, but the object in this instance
is to disturb the soil as little as possible.
With the weeds out of the way, go over the whole place with a sharp rake
and scratch the earth to the depth of half an inch. In doing this
remember to be not too severe on spots where there is any grass growing,
applying the rake lightly here. After the raking, sow grass seed thickly
and evenly, raking it in, and finish by watering and rolling. Be sure to
roll heavily, water regularly, and good results will surely come.
This, in brief, is the most practical way to treat the conditions
described.
If, however, you should find that the ground shows patches of moss and
sorrel, the treatment just suggested will not apply. The land is
probably sour, and should be plowed up, limed, and allowed to lay rough
all winter. Use about a bushel and a half of air-slaked lime to every
thousand square feet.
When the object is to make a lawn where there never has been one, the
plow or the spade is the most effective weapon.
It must be kept in mind that grass on a lawn is a great feeder, and no
soil can be made too rich to supply its food requirements. A lawn is a
permanent planting, not something that is to last merely for a season.
[Illustration: Here is an interesting and ingenious scheme of getting a
path over the lawn without increasing the labor of cutting. The
stepping-stones are set flush with the ground]
Start this work of preparation for a new lawn in the fall. Spade the
land to the depth of two feet, or, better still, run a plow through it,
if the size of the place warrants. Work in plenty of well-rotted
manure, and during the winter the frost and snow will greatly improve
conditions, killing the weeds, and mellowing the soil as nothing else
can.
In the spring, harrow and cross-harrow the plot, smooth out the surface,
rake fine, and sow your seed. If, however, the soil is gravelly, there
is no use trying to doctor it up with the expectation of getting good
results.
As has been said, you need a good loam in which to grow grass, so that
if it is not good you must dig out what is there to the depth of two
feet and replace it with suitable soil.
There is no short-cut for reaching results with the aid of fertilizers,
for all the chemicals in the land will amount to but little if the soil
conditions are not proper to receive them.
It is simply a question of supplying the material to get results.