As lawns constitute the chief charm in all small grounds, great care should be taken in their formation. Dig the ground deep and apply plenty of fertilizers in the form of rich loam, not clay alone unless the soil is too sandy, nor sand alone, for it will not hold moisture nor sustain luxuriant vegetation; but use both together, or more of one or the other as there seems to be need. Apply also a good quantity of composted muck if needed, and a generous supply of manure as free from weeds and the coarser kinds of grass seed as possible. Composting one season and turning often, will greatly improve barn-yard manure, and mixing it thoroughly with the muck or road dust is better still. After the ground is leveled and the prepared manure applied, rake thoroughly with a fine-tooth iron rake, removing all chunks, sticks, stones, sods, etc., which may be buried in the ground or removed.

After this let the ground settle awhile, through a heavy rain if possible; and then, after again raking the entire ground over and making the surface smooth and even, sow evenly a mixture of equal parts of June or Kentucky blue-grass and redtop seed, with a little sweet-scented clover, not more than a pound to three bushels of the other two. Use this mixture at the rate of one quart, or a little less, to the square rod of surface. Sow early in the spring or in September, and about July commence mowing to kill the weeds; and if dandelions, thistles, or other perennial weeds are seen, dig them out with a garden trowel. Now, by mowing once in a week or two, rolling, and during dry weather sprinkling occasionally, you will soon have the greatest ornament that can be obtained near a house or made to adorn small premises.

A More Permanent Lawn

One that will not be parched and dry during the droughts so common in our climate in summer, may be formed by another method which is costly in the beginning, but will return a rich reward when once completed. This is made by "trenching," or turning all the ground upside down to the depth of two, or better, three feet; commence at one side by throwing out a ditch, then fill this by forming another of same width next to it, and so on until all the ground has been inverted, the first dirt thrown out being carried to fill the last ditch. Then by leveling, rolling, and forming a new surface of rich soils, as at first directed, and sowing as before, yon will have the most durable and perfect lawn that can be formed, and the cheapest in the end. But as most Americans are too impatient for such work, we have given the quick way first, supplying the lack of moisture by artificial watering during periods of drought.