Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-05-07
About the Vegetable Gaaden.

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'''A'e' va y ~ +. LITTLE Sec.
About the Vegetable Gaaden.
Excellent quality in vegetables can
only be secured through rapid growth.
Taking this as basis of operation,
the necessity Of a rich, congenial soil
becomes apparent even to those who
have had no experience in the culture
of the various kinds found in our
gardens. Tough, stringy beans, bit
ter, leathery lettuce, and slender stem
asparagus are pretty sure signs of a
poor soil or great neglect in culture.
For the first few years newly-clearcd
and fertile soil may not require ma
nure; but the richest sand soon shows
signs of deterioration if constantly
cultivated and no additions of fertil-
iers are made to it, as is usual in
newl y-settled portions of the country.
1t is always better to apply all
kinds Of coarse manure, such as OBJ
tanned from the barnyard, to the veg
etable garden in autumn; if one does
not have it at the time, and can sup
ply the Deficiencies in spring, then an
early application is preferable to 4
late one. The manure thrown out
from the stable during the winter is
usually quite coarse, containing more
or less straw, corn stalks, and similar
materials, which are Of little value as
fertilizers until thoroughly decom-
posed; besides, if the attempt is made
to incorporate them with the soil,
they always interfere more or less
with the proper preparation of the
land as required for the smaller kinds
of seeds. The best way to avoid such
an inconvenience is to fork over the
manure in the barnyard, as soon as
the weather will permit in spring,
separating the finer portions from the
coarse, placing the two kinds in
heaps, each by itself. They first can
then be used for the vegetable gar
den or other crops to which it is best
adapted, employing the latter for po-
tatoes, corn, or for mulching around
fruit trees If it is not wanted for
any such purpose, leave it in the
heaps and by forking over two or
three times during the summer, it
will become well rotted in time for
use the next fall.
We have never experienced any
difficulty in thoroughly rotting the
coarsest kind of corn stalks in one
summer, by forking over occasionally
and keeping in large. hat-top piles,
which would take up instead of she'd
ding water.
Old manure is also better than new
on account of its containing less
quantity of weed seeds which are in
> condition to grow; but if land is
made rich it is pretty certain to pro-
duce good crop of weeds, whether
any seeds are introduced with fertil-
izers or not; and we have yet to find
soil rich enough to produce cul
tivatcd plants that did not also pro-
duce the ever-accompanying pests.
In the hurry of spriug work, the
preparation OF the ground to be used
for vegetables is very likely to be
sighted; and once blowing is all that
it gets, although two or three would
be labor we'll spent. The manure
should be applied early, and if in time
to have the spring rains carry the
liquid parts into the soil, so much
the better; then pillow under as soon
as the ground is dry enough to work
readily. Harrow and cross pillow,
then harrow again just before com
mencing to sow seed, or set out
plants. Twice blowing and two or
three borrowings will insure pretty
thorough distribution of the manure
applied, as we'll as pulverization,
without which, good results cannot
be secured.
Clay soils which do not readily
break down under the harrow, should
be rolled, in order to crush the Jumps
and make the surface friable; in fact,
the more time spent in preparing the
land for crop, the less will be re-
quired in after-culture; besides, it is
much easier to do it with team than
by hand labor.
If roots are to be grown for stock,
such as carrots and turnips, which are
or can be sown later in the season,
the land should be prepared, or at
least commencement made early,
permitting the weed-sceds near the
surface to start, as they generally
will; then harrow and destroy them
before putting in the crop. If land
intended for late turnips can be ma
nured and plowed in the spring, and
then kept under cultivation during
the summer, it will be all the better
for this extra preparation.
Now, to sum up this subject of
vegetable culture, we may put the
causes of failure under the following
heads: l. A poor soil; 2. Want Of
thorough preparation before putting
in the seed; 8. Neglect in culture in
the crop; 4. Poor seed and unfayora-
BILE season. But the latter two ere
are not frequent occurrences -Rurul
Neac Yorker.