Chapter 3 - Preparation Of The Land

Grading Making the lawn
Fertilizing and care of the lawn.

In the preceding chapters the requirements of the house and other conditions have been discussed in. a general way, and it now becomes necessary for us to take up in detail the preparation of the soil for the growth of the various kinds of trees, shrubs, and plants used for the outside ornamentation of the home.

Before any decoration of the grounds can be begun the house must have been finished and the debris removed from the land. It must be fully understood that upon few, if any, places can there be found all of the varieties of soils necessary for the growth of all of the ornamental material that it may be desirable to grow, and often it -will be necessary to procure such materials to improve it as is needed from outside sources. In many cases, however, we find the soil well adapted, with slight additions, to the growth of all the kinds of trees, shrubs, and plants that it is desirable to grow, in which case the cost of preparation is much reduced.

Preliminary Grading.

"When the excavation is made for the cellar, the surface-soil should be scraped to one side and the subsoil to another, that the former may be used to make the surface-covering over any places that may have been deeply filled in with poor material. Whenever fills are to be made of considerable depth, as the foundation of the drives and walks, basins and valleys, the surface-soil, if it is needed or can be utilized, should be first shovelled or scraped to one side and then be graded over such coarse material as may be used for this filling.

The surface should slope away in all directions from the house, so that there shall be no surface-water standing at any time during the year within several yards of it, and in no place on the lawn should there be basins where the water shall stand for any length of time after heavy showers, or during heavy rains or melting snows in the winter and spring. In the latter case, especially if ice is formed upon the lawn, the grass will often be smothered (winter-killed) or drowned out, so that much labor will be required to reseed and bring it into good condition again. Thorough and deep underdraining will in a measure overcome this difficulty, but when the ground is frozen water will stand on the surface, the grass will be killed out, and a growth of wild grasses and weeds often come in that it is almost impossible to eradicate.

The preliminary grading should be done as soon after the completion of the house as possible, that the land may become perfectly settled before sowing the grass-seed or setting the trees and shrubs.

Obtaining the Grade.

To obtain the desired smooth grade, flowing outline, and curve of surface, where the services of the skilled civil engineer is not available, various expedients are resorted to.

Many persons with a quick eye, trained to detect un-evenness of surface or irregularity and unsymmetry of form, can obtain very good results without the aid of any instruments, but the majority will be obliged to call to their aid at least the carpenter's or mason's level and more or less small stakes.    With this instrument resting on a box or strings from stake to stake, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, easily judge of the comparative height of each point, and make up the grade-lines and mark on the stake the necessary depth of fill or excavation to be made at each stake. In all this work the different grade-lines must be made to blend together so as to form a pleasing whole.

FIG. 9.—Illustrating Methods Of Obtaining Grade.

Where the land is rough and more or less covered with stones and stumps or the roots of large growing trees, much hand labor must be resorted to, spading and digging up the soil about the rocks, filling in with good soil where the surface-soil is poor and shallow, and rounding and smoothing up to the required grade. If the roots of living trees are near the surface, deep working must be avoided, but where feasible a covering of six to eight inches of good soil over these roots will often prove the cheapest way of making a good surface for the lawn. Deeper covering than this must be avoided, as it often results in the death of the trees. If it becomes necessary to cover deeper than the above, a " well" should be made about the trunk, as in Fig. 10, until the roots have had time to work to the surface. This well may be from 4 to 8 feet in diameter, according to the size of the tree and depth of covering. After two or three seasons of growth, when the roots have worked through the soil to the surface, this space may be filled in with safety.

 
FIG. 10—A "Well" About Tree With Roots Deeply Covered.

If the covering of soil is over only a part of the roots of the tree, as in Fig. 11, the roots corning to the surface on one side, little injury need be feared unless there is a great depth of soil about the trunk, in which case the " well" should be made.

Fig. 11—Illustrates Covering The Roots Only On One Side.

It is very difficult to make grass grow to great perfection under the shade of trees and where the tree-roots fill the ground, and the main dependence must be on surface-dressing with rich soil or compost and frequent seeding.

The Lawn.

Upon no one thing does so much depend in making beautiful home grounds as upon a good lawn, and after the buildings and the preliminary grading are completed come the smoothing up and preparation of the soil for the grass carpet or “groundwork” of the home-picture, without which no picture, whether on canvas or made of living plant-growths, is complete.

A good lawn cannot be made except on a rich soil, and if this is not the natural character of the land in hand the first thing to do is to make it rich and as deep as possible.
 
Manuring the lawn.

Where the land is free from stumps, stones, or other obstructions, a liberal dressing-—from 10 to 15 cords per acre—of rich compost should be ploughed under as deep as possible. If the land is full of tree-roots and large rocks, this material must be spaded in or worked into the surface in some way. In addition to the above application 2 or 3 cords of well-decomposed fine compost, or from £ to 1 ton per acre of any of the standard lawn-mixtures, should be thoroughly worked in upon the surface. While commercial fertilizers alone often give good results, the effect of a heavy coating of stable manure is such as to make the land less subject to drouth. More failures in lawn-making come from a scanty supply of plant-food in the soil than from any other reason, and the poorer the soil the more liberal must be the supply of plant-food used.

Making. The surface.

After the fertilizing-materials have been applied the land should be thoroughly worked and smoothed until a perfect seed-bed is obtained.

FIG. 12—Improper Grading About Dwelling.

In grading away from buildings a perfect level should be avoided. Fig.12 illustrates a very unnatural and unsatisfactory grade, for the reason that the surface-water will not readily pass away, while the rounded surface that might he as well produced is much more natural and beautiful. If graded to a curved line running from the base of the building in this figure to the outer edge of the lot, much more pleasing results would be obtained.

The perfectly flat surface is scarcely ever found in nature except on the surface of water or boggy lowlands, and is very difficult to ornament and keep in perfect condition. The terrace also in the middle of Fig. 12 is an unnatural feature, and hard to keep in perfect condition. In Fig. 13 is shown a well-graded surface with flowing outline. The effect of a level or flat surface is to give the impression of limited extent, while the rounded surface, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, gives the impression of greater extent. The last figure illustrates a steeper grade than is shown by Fig. 12, but even with the same grade or slope a much more pleasing effect is produced and the ground made much more susceptible to beautiful decoration.

FIG. 13.—Grading To Pleasing Outline.

FIG. 14.—Grading To Curved Surface. 

 

FIG. 15.—Grading To Curved Surface.

Figs. 15 and 10 still farther illustrate the receding and rounded outlines desirable even if the grade be very great.

FIG. 16.—Grading To Curved Surface.

In Fig. 16 greater variety of surface is produced, affording the appearance of much greater extent.

Settling the soil.

To obtain a perfectly even, smooth surface, the land should be raked, then rolled, the depressions made by the roller filled up, then raked again, and this work repeated until a satisfactory surface is obtained.

All trees and shrubs should, if possible, be planted before the grass-seed is sown. If planting cannot be done at this time, it should be delayed until the grass has become well established; otherwise the lawn will be very much cut up in the process of planting.

Lawn-Grassee

Only those grasses that make a fine spreading growth, i.e., tiller or spread by underground stems, give good results in lawn-making. The best kinds for general purposes are the bent-grasses (Agrostis alba, A. vulgaris, and A. stoloni-fera) and June-grass or Kentucky blue-grass (Poapraten-sis), all of which spread rapidly by underground stems, that quickly fill up any vacant spaces between the grass-plants and thus prevent the growth of weeds. They also succeed on a greater variety of soils than almost any other varieties. On very light land and under shade of trees there might be added to the above the wire-grass (Poa compressa) and sheep-fescue (Festuca ovina) and its varieties, although the latter grows somewhat in tnfts. White clover (Trifolium repens) is generally used in making a lawn, as it grows close to the ground and fills up all spaces not occupied by the grassroots, thus preventing the growth of weeds. None of the coarser grasses, like timothy (Phleum pratense), orchard-grass (Bactylis glomerata), tall fescue (Festuca elatior), and rye-grass (Lolium perenne), have been found satisfactory by the author except where immediate effect is of more importance than a permanent and fine lawn.
 
Time For Seeding.

While the spring is the best time in which to seed a new lawn, it may be done at any time if the proper conditions of moisture can be obtained. A very large amount of manure or fertilizer and a moist condition of the soil will enable one to seed a lawn successfully at almost any time of the year, but these conditions are not so certainly secured at any other time as in the spring. In fall seeding, unless done very early, the young plantlets are likely to be thrown out by the frosts and a second seeding be required in the spring. Another reason why spring is better than summer for seeding is that weed-seeds do not grow so readily and abundantly at this time. Coarse stable manure should never be used upon the surface of the land, because it encourages the growth of weeds; but, if turned deeply under, nothing can be better to hold the moisture in the soil and encourage deep rooting of the grasses.

Quantity Of Seed Required.

The amount of seed to be used will depend somewhat upon the season when sown and the probable amount of weed-seeds that will germinate with the grass-seed. When sown in April, May, or September, less seed should be used than if sown in June, July, or August, and more seed will be needed when the land is full of weed-seeds than when it is comparatively free from such pests.

It is always best to use an abundance of seed, as there may be some uncertainty of its all germinating. Perhaps the quantity per acre that will give the best results under the average conditions is 2 bu. of bent-grass, i.e., red-top or its varieties, 2 bu. of June-grass, and 10 lbs. of white clover. One half of this quantity would be sufficient if it all was certain to germinate and if no weed-seeds started into growth.

Sowing the seed.

After the land has been made perfectly smooth and fine by raking, rolling, and reraking the seed should be divided into two or more lots. The first lot is then sown in strips or lands, as evenly over the surface as is possible, and then raked in, taking care not to move the soil from place to place, thus bunching up the grass-seed with it. The second lot of seed is then sown in strips crossing the land in the opposite direction from the first sowing, thus securing the most even distribution of the seed possible.

A rake with long teeth set about 2 inches apart is better than the common iron-toothed garden-rake. If nothing better can be obtained, the common wooden hay-rake will be found to work well.

It is the general practice to roll the ground with the garden-roller after the seed is sown, but in extremely hot and dry weather, while the soil may be more thoroughly firmed about the seed by rolling, the smooth rolled surface leaves the young seedling so much exposed to the action of burning sun and drying winds that grass often does better if the surface is not rolled at all.

Bordering Walks And Drives With Turf.

Before the seed is sown, if the edges of walks and drives are bordered with strips of fine turf on each side, much after labor will be saved, for it is very difficult to trim up the edges of a newly seeded lawn without destroying much of the grass; and until the walk is completed and well settled there is more or less danger that the outline will be changed or edges defaced by passage over them.

Lawk hade of turf.

Where fine, close turf composed of desirable grasses can be obtained, if the area is not very extensive, this may be the best way to establish a good lawn. It has the advantage that it may be done with perfect success during the hottest weather, or at any time when the ground can be worked. The land should be as carefully levelled up and settled as for seeding and be made equally rich if the best results are desired, though a turf may be formed in this way on very poor soil, but it will soon run out under such conditions. In laying the turf it should be very firmly pounded down and settled into the soft soil under it; otherwise it soon dries up in times of drouth. If turf is not abundant, it may be laid in strips one or two feet apart and the intervening space be seeded, when the roots from these strips will spread and a compact turf soon be formed over the whole ground.

Great care must be exercised on a newly seeded lawn that it is not cut up or disfigured by walking over it or allowing teams or animals on its surface. The lawn-mower should not be allowed upon it until the turf has become sufficiently firm to prevent the wheels from cutting in while turning the corners. The first two or three cuttings should be done with the hand-scythe or grass-hook.
 
Clipping the lawn.

Frequent clipping of the lawn, especially during the cool weather of spring and early fall, is necessary to make a fine close turf. The lawn-mower should be run at least once each week, and in case of very warm moist weather it may be necessary to run it twice or more. If the grass becomes so tall and heavy that the clippings do not settle down at once among the growing blades, it should be caught in the basket attached to the mower or be raked up and carried away; for if allowed to lie on the ground the roots under the close masses are often destroyed during hot moist weather, and weeds will be prompt to start in their place. The modern improvements in lawn-mowers leave but little to be desired in the line of perfection, but which of the many machines is the best is a question I shall not attempt to settle here. The horse-mower is a great labor-saving machine where large areas are to be cut, though it is not always possible to do as good work as is done by the hand-mowers, and the tracks made by the horse, unless lawn-shoes are worn, seriously disfigure a soft or newly made lawn. To enable the mower to run up close to shrubbery to cut the grass so that no hand-clipping need be done, we have practised taking out a circle of turf about one foot from the trunk of trees or the edge of a clump of shrubs. This enables the machine to take all of the grass clean and leaves nothing for the grass-hook to cut.

Dressing And Renewing The Lawn.

Frequent dressings of fine compost or special fertilizers in the fall or spring are necessary to keep any lawn in good condition, and especially if on poor soil or under the shade of large trees, whose roots take up the plant-food in the soil with great rapidity.

Covering the lawn with coarse manure in the fall, to lie more or less exposed to view, is very objectionable and unnecessary, as a fine compost is equally effective in producing good growth and gives off no offensive odors. Quickly soluble fertilizer, like nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, or muriate and snlphate of potash, may be used in limited quantities—from 200 to 500 lbs. per acre of a mixture of either of the nitrates with one form of potash, 1 part of the former to 3 of the latter, on an established lawn; but on a new one these salts cannot be safely used unless thoroughly mixed with the soil some time before seeding. Fine-ground bone, fine fish, and cotton-seed meal in place of the nitrates may be safely used under any conditions with no fear of injury to the roots or leaves of the young grasses.

Special lawn-fertilizers manufactured by nearly all of the large fertilizer-dealers are composed of materials well suited to make a rapid growth of lawn-grasses, but the same elements used in their unmixed condition will cost very much less and give equally good results.

The quickly soluble fertilizing-materials, i.e., salts of ammonia, soda, and potash, should be sown just as growth is beginning in the spring; while the less soluble, i.e., bone, fish, cotton-seed, etc., may be sown in the fall or during the winter.

Reseeding The Lawn.

Fertilizing-materials alone will not keep the lawn in perfect condition, but grass-seed should be frequently sown and raked in with the compost or fertilizers. Perhaps the best time to sow this seed is in August, nature's natural seeding-time, and in the early spring just as the frost i working out of the-ground.

The quantity to be used may vary from one to two bushels of seed per acre, scattering it most freely where the soil is the poorest or where weeds are most likely to come into the lawn.

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