Craftsman 917.271743 Owner's Manual page 17

MOWING TIPS
o Mower should be properly leveled for
best mowing performance. See "TO
LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the
Service and Adjustments section of this
manual.
° The left hand side of mower should be
used for trimming.
o Drive so that clippings are discharged
onto the area that has been cut. Have
the cut area to the right of the tractor.
This will result in a more even distribu-
tion of clippings and more uniform
cutting.
° When mowing large areas, start by
turning to the right so that clippings will
discharge away from shrubs, fences,
driveways, etco After one or two
rounds, mow in the opposite direction
making left hand turns until finished.
o If grass is extremely tall, it should be
mowed twice to reduce load and
possible fire hazard from dried clip-
pings, Make first cut relatively high; the
second to the desired height.
° Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet
grass will plug mower and leave
undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry
before mowing.
o Always operate engine at full throttle
when mowing to assure better mowing
performance and proper discharge of
material Regulate ground speed by
selecting a low enough gear to give the
mower cutting performance as well as
the quality of cut desired,
o When operating attachments, select a
ground speed that will suit the terrain
and give best performance of the
attachment being used.
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MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: For best performance,
keep mower housing free of built-up
grass and trash° Clean after each use°
o The special mulching blade wilt recut
the grass clippings many times and
reduce them in size so that as they fall
onto the lawn they will disperse into the
grass and not be noticed, Also, the
mulched grass will biodegrade quickly
to provide nutrients for the lawn,
Always mulch with your highest engine
(blade) speed as this will provide the
best recutting action of the blades.
° Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet.
Wet grass tends to form clumps and
interferes with the mulching action.
The best time to mow your lawn is the
early afternoon. At this time the grass
has dried and the newly cut area will
not be exposed to the direct sun.
o For best results, adjust the mower
cutting height so that the mower cuts off
only the top one-third of the grass
blades. For extremely heavy mulching,
reduce your width of cut on each pass
and mow slowly
• Certain types of grass and grass
conditions may require that an area be
mulched a second time to completely
hide the clippings. When doing a
second cut, mow across or perpendicu-
lar to the first cut path_
o Change your cutting pattern from week
to week. Mow north to south one week
then change to east to west the next
week. This will help prevent matting
and graining of the lawn_
Max 1t3"
17