The National tribune., 1882-04-29


of TEE NATToyAL TRIBUNE, e15 Fifteenth Street
Washington, d. c., will be appreciated.l
SEASONABLE OPERATIONS AND HINTS
The great object of the cultivator is to secure
uninterrupted growth TO his plants from the
vegetation of the seed until the crops are fit
to harvest. Indeed cultivation" in this
sense may be defined as a term by which
we recognize the various operations neccs-
sary to maintain an equilibrium in the ele-
ments of plant growth. The food Of plants
Of whatever kind, before it can be available
must he in state OF minute division, OF
rather, it must be in a soluble state This
is result Of decomposition, and the prin-
cipal AGENTS of decomposition are air and
water Il is therefore necessary to keep the
soil in a condition so that it will receive the
benefit Of these agents-that is, in short, to
keep topen and porous by frequent STRINGS
with the plCw, cultivator, hoe, or by other
means. Hence the best growers of vegetables
commence stirring the soil around their
young plants as early as they can and as
often as they can during the season of growth.
Drill culture affords the best facilities for
cultivation. and this is one of the advantages
derived from it, and it is a very important
advantage during dry seasons, for the deeper
the ground is stirred and the oftener
it is stirred so much more will it resist
drGutbs. Surface culture also tends to
ccmminute the soil, and it then acts as
mulch, and prevents the escape of moisture
by mere surface evaporation-a process
which soon extracts the water from compact
soils. On all soils, except those of very
sandy nature, heavy showers of rain more
or less consolidate the surface, which will
then, if undisturbed, harden under the in
flUence Of the sun. 1t is therefore con-
sidered to be special point in good culture
to stir the surface of the ground as soon
aflcr heavy rains as is admissibie-that is,
as soon as the soil can be worked without
adhesion, or be left in friable condition.
Weeds should never be allowed to gain suffi-
cient headway to suggest the use of hoe,
but cleanliness and freedom from weeds
should be consequence of repeated surface
culture
After the first week in May we consider
that all danger from frost is past in this Sec
tion of the country. Tomatoes and egg
plants should be set out, and seeds of the
former may be sown in frame to be set out
later, or for main crop. Obra may now be
sown thickly in drills like peas and when the
plants appear thin them out to stand about
two feet apart Young okra pods are very
nr1Sr &ol1 L.
ways, and the plant is not cultivated so
generally as it deserves. Lima beans can
now be planted, the poles having been first
set; they should not be covered deeply
merely pressing them in the soil will suffice
Flat Dutch, Drumhead, Savoy, and other
kinds Of cabbages for late and for winter
crops should be sOwn during May, early in
the month in northern localities, or when
sown in beds TO be transplanted, later if in
southern localities, or when sown were they
are TO remain. Many partial failures in cab
bage crops would be avoided if the practice
was more general to SOW the seed very thinIy
in drills and thin the young plants to proper
distances apart, thus obviating the unavoid-
able check to growth which the plants re-
ceive when transplanted during hot and dry
weather The extra amount Of seed which
is required in this method is largely COM
pensated by the greater certainty of crop
Indeed most failures in transDlanted crops
are due TO the necessity of removal OF young
plants; even under the best conditions for
success these never reach the perfection of
those which have not been removed when
treated alike in other respects.
Celery seed should be sown for the main
crops. Select well-enriched. friabIe soil. sow
on the surface, and after pressing or rolling
over the seed cover the whole with q very
slight sprinkling of rotted and disinfeorated
manure, and water if the weather nroves dr,,
An earlier dish Of peas or tomatoe. NAV
be secured if the points Of the plants are
pinched off after flowers appear q s1icbt
check to growth having the tendency 70
hasten maturity.
Those who are unsuccessful in rais;no |
plants from seed are very apt to blame the |
seed, including the scotsman who suppled |
1t. but 1t is safe to say that good seeds are |
the rule and bad seeds the rare exception !
Every respectable scotsman in the country
uses all the precautions that experience !
sharpened by business competition suggests
in order to secure seeds Of the best quality. |
Most of seed failures are due to improper
management; and Of all causes Of failure, |
especially with small seeds that Of planting
them too deep is the most frequent Where
the covering is too heavy the seeds either
rot owing to being kept too wet, or
the feeble germ is unable TO overcome |
she weight of soil it has to move before
reaching the light. The greatest difficulty
is In the case of very small seeds, which