P U B L I S H ED IN F E B R U A R Y, M A R C H, A P R I L, A U G U ST A ND S E P T E M B ER BY O. M. S C O TT 8c S O NS C O. M A R Y S V 1 L L E, O H IO Sixteenth Year Number 73 KEEPING UP A L A WN IN THESE TIMES AN APPROPRIATE home slogan for 1943 would be: "A Good Lawn for Fun and a Victory Garden for Food." Keeping up the home front is a useful hobby which does not exhaust gasoline, rubber or other critical materials. It takes little time; it is inexpensive, yet a paying investment. The maintenance of lawns may fall into new hands this year but there will be ample incentive to carry on valiantly until those on furlough from the job come home. Feeding Put this down as a season when grass must get along on a highly restricted diet. Fertilizer materials are being conserved to help boost food production. Thus your Victory Garden may be utilizing the plant food intended for the lawn, so, as in the case of individuals, the lawn must tighten up its belt and become accustomed to simpler eating for the duration. Raking the Lawn The winter accumulation of leaves, twigs and other debris should be raked off as soon as the surface has thawed. Seeding ought not be done before this raking but feeding may come either before or after raking. If the season is well advanced and frost out of the ground, it is a good idea to make the raking rather severe to scratch the surface soil so as to provide a better bed for seeding. Seeding There is no reason for the least skimp- ing on seed. Mother Nature, ably assisted by our American farmers in the Corn Belt and on the Pacific Coast, provided a bumper crop last year. Our boats on the way home from taking supplies to the far Pacific have brought back from our Allied farmers in Australia and New Zealand ample seeds of those varieties not pro- duced in this country. It is safe to sow seed 'most any time in late winter, especially during that period when the ground is honeycombed, the result of alternate freezing and thawing. If there is a fair stand of grass on the lawn, the suggested seeding rate is 2 or 3 pounds to the 1,000 square feet (50x20 ft.). More or less may be used, according to the thickness of the existing grass. It is not advisable to use too much seed, as C O P Y R I G HT BY O. M. SCOTT a S O NS CO. mix my seed thoroughly, broadcast, then roll. This can be done in one or more batches as desired and I find I get an even distribution of seed, partly covered.— Mr. George A. Sylvester, Dunmore, Pa. Lawn Care reader Sylvester might also have added that he could mix Turf Builder with the soil and seed, thus performing feeding, seeding and topdressing in one operation. Sound Advice from Edgar Guest The dandelion is a weed That most profusely scatters seed. On every passing breeze that blows The little yellow fellow goes In millions to the lawns about By gardeners to be rooted out. But all in vain do men attack In rage and hate to drive it back. In vain, it seems, is fury's raid With knife and acid often made. Again and still again return More weeds for men to cut and burn. The way to win 'gainst such a mass Is give your heart unto the grass. The way to win 'gainst such a foe Is learn to get the grass to grow. Build up the lawn with food and seed Till there's no room for any weed. Who loves the grass may some day see His patch from dandelions free, But he who works alone in hate No lasting peace will celebrate. Hate merely multiplies its foes, To love sometimes the victory goes. —Printed by permission of Mr. Guest. an overly thick stand of seedling grass may smother itself out. Keep your seed- ing hand close to the ground and walk with back to the wind. It is better to seed before rolling so that the roller will press the seed into the ground. Because of the necessity for plant food conservation, a little more frequent seeding may compen- sate for the letup in your usual fertilizing program. Rolling This is an important step but one that needs to be taken only once each spring. The purpose is not to flatten or eliminate high and low spots, but to press the plants that have been heaved by frost action back into the soil. It is therefore most effective after frost is out of the ground, but before it gets too dry. Heavy soils should not be rolled when they are extremely wet. (See L A WN CARE NO. 6 3 .) Mowing Check the mower to see that it is clean and well oiled. Have it sharpened and adjusted if necessary. If the mower has no adjustment for high cutting, see if it can be fixed as suggested in L A WN CARE No. 54. Start mowing as soon as grass gets into active growth. Catch or rake up the clippings. To encourage the new grass it is a good idea to cut fairly short (1 to V/2 inches) in the early spring, while the weather is still cool and moist. Raise the height of cut as hot weather approaches. Watering This is one maintenance practice which can be curtailed, if necessary, for strong, properly fed grass can withstand severe drouth without injury. In most seasons, however, watering is needed to insure a vigorous green summer months when a lawn is most enjoyed. If the lawn is to be kept green throughout the summer, start the watering program before there is severe drying out. Less total water will be needed, as explained in the full discussion on Watering contained in LAWN CARE NO. 6 0. lawn in the — • — SIRS: I sift through a fine screen a half bushel of good soil and with this