Craftsman 917.259172 manual Mulchrng Iviowing Tips, MAX1f3

OPERATION

NIOWING TIPS

oTire chains cannot be used when the mower housing is attached to tractor.

Mower should be properIy 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 trim- ming.

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 distribution 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 (See Fig° 11 ),

If grass is extremely tall, it shou{d be mowed twice to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip- pings,, Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired heighL

Do not mow grass when it is wet, Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps,. Allow grass to dry before mowing.

Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper dis- charge of material Regulate ground speed by select- ing a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired°

When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being use&

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MULCHRNG IVIOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UP GRASS AND

TRASH° CLEAN AFTER EACH USE,,

=The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip- pings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they wiil 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_

°For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one4hird of the grass blades (See Fig. 12)o For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut and mow slowly.

oCertain types of grass and grass conditions may re- quire that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings,, When doing a second cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path,,

=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.

MAX1f3

FIG. 12

FIG. 11

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