LAWNS AND LAWN SEEDS.
The State Agricultural College has just sent out a bulletin written by Prof. W. J. Beal giving the results of some careful analyses of lawn seed mixtures, and notes in making and caring for lawns. We extract as follows from the bulletin: 
Many of the farmers of Michigan, as well as large numbers of people who own, each one or

more, lots in or near town, are seeking to improve their homes. In embellishing a place, we agree that nothing gives more satisfaction for the outlay than a well established and well kept plat of grass called a lawn.

Owing to the difficulty of learning to recognize the seeds, the purchaser is usually at the mercy of the dealer, whose interest it is to enshroud in mystery the whole subject of grasses for the lawn.

Most of the leading seedsmen of our country are advertising extensively and appear to be selling large quantities of 'mixtures' of lawn grass seeds for which there is quite a variety of attractive names.

The writer has frequently examined these mixtures and has watched the success of several of them in various portions of the Northern States.

The professor then says he secured through other parties, samples of the approved lawn seed mixtures advertised by the most reliable seedsmen, and with the greatest care assorted the various species of seeds found in each, and he gives tables showing what he found. Aside from Kentucky blue grass and Rhode Island bent or red top, lie found more seeds and grasses that are not suitable for the purpose than valuable varieties. He says the lawn about the State Capitol and the best pieces of lawn at the Agricultural College, are composed of June grass, red top and a sprinkling of white clover; and the best  turf for sodding purposes as found in pastures or other places is composed of the same species.

We quote again: With the writer's experience, having tested for some years over two hundred kinds of grasses and clovers, both native and foreign, for Michigan and places with similar climates, he would sow about two bushels of seeds (in the chaff) of June grass, Poa pratensis L., and two bushels of some small bent grass, known as Rhode Island Bent, Brown Bent, or Creeping Bent or as Red Top. The latter grasses vary much and are usually much mixed as they were in all the samples above examined.

A few ounces of white clover may be added, if the owner prefers, but it is by no means very important. Each one of these two or three kinds of plants will appear to cover the ground all over, so it will look uniform.

To the farmer who is accustomed to sow coarse seeds for a meadow or pasture the above quantity of seeds appears to be enormous. But the aim is to secure many very fine stalks instead of a few large coarse ones. 

If a little sweet vernal and a little perennial rye grass are used a careful observer, at certain seasons of the year, will see that the lawn looks "patchy." Especially in early spring, or in very dry weather, some of these and others often recommended, will grow faster than the rest and assume different shades of green. For a lawn never use any timothy, orchard grass, tall oat grass, red clover, meadow fescue or other large grass or clover, but only the finest perennial grasses or clovers. Sow the seeds in September or in March or April, without any 'sprinkling' of oats or wheat and as soon as the grasses get up a little and the straggling weeds get up still higher, mow them. and keep mowing every week or two all summer.

Avoid purchasing mixtures advertised in seed catalogues, as it will be much cheaper and safer to buy each sort separately, and only one or two or three sorts are desirable. The rarer grasses are mostly imported, and up to the present time, have been found to possess very low vitality; besides, bad foreign weeds are very commonly mixed with these grass seeds. There are good reasons, then, for buying common sorts, and if possible, those raised and cleaned in a careful manner.

In closing the bulletin, the professor urges that deep, thorough preparation and fine pulverization of the surface are essential to the production of a good lawn, and that no mixture of seed should be purchased no matter how highly recommended by seedsmen; but June grass and redtop in almost any proportions, or each alone, if sowed in abundance and given the entire use of soil that is well fitted, must secure to owner a good turf.