Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-30
THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. MARCH 30, 1884,

this in time for the earliest crops, but the
part which is not planted for some weeks
should be kept mellow by frequent Guilt
walton. Stiff clay soils are frequently
wonderfully improved by trenching, that
is spading two feet deep in such a way as
to leave the surface soil on top. This is
accomplished by digging trench two feet
wide across one side, and a second one
adjoining and parallel with it, one spade
deep. The remaining earth of the second
trench is then thrown into the first and
covered with the surface soil from a third
trench; the balance of the third is then
thrown into the second and covered with
the surface of the fourth; and so on until
all is worked over, when the soil from the
first trench is used to fill the last. This is
quite expensive, but frequently changes
a soil upon which nothing can be grown
into one producing the finest vegetables,
and its effects last for several years.
SOWING THE SEED.-There is no more
prolific source of disappointment and fail
ure among amateur gardeners than hasty,
careless or improper sowing of the seed.
A seed consists of a minute plant minus
the roots. with a sufficient amount of food
slowed in or around it to sustain it until
it can expand its leaves. form roots and
provide for itself, the whole inclosed in
hard and more or less imperviOus shell.
To secure termination, moisture, heat,
and Il certain amount of air are necessa-
ry. The first steps are the sOftening OF the
hard, outer shell, the developing Of the
leaves of the plant from the absorption of
water, and the changing of the plant food
from the form of starch to that of sugar.
In the first condition the food was easily
preserved unchanged, but the plant with
its undeyelOped leaves and no root was
incapable of using 1t, while in its sugary
condition it is easily appropriated; but If
not used it speedily decays itself and IN
duces decay in the plant. A seed, then,
may retain its vitality and remain I'M
changed for years, while after termination
has commenced, a check of day or two
in the process may be fatal. There is no
time from that when the seed falls from
the parent plant until it in turn produces
seed. ripens and dies, when the plant is
so susceptible of fatal injury from the
OYerabundance or want of heat and moist
ure, as at that between the commence
ment of termination and the formation of
the first true leaves, and it is just then
that 1t needs the aid of the gardener to
secure favorable conditions. These are:
/. A proper and constant degree of
moisture without being soaked with wa
ter. This is secured by making the sur
face of freshly dug soil so fine that the
smallest seeds may come in immediate
contact on all sides with the particles from
which they are to absorb the required
moisture, and the pressing of the soil over
the seeds so firmly with the feet or the
back OF the hoe that the degree of moist
ure may remain as nearly as possible the
same until the plants are up.
,. A proper degree of heat, secured by
sowing each variety of seed when the
average temperature of the locality is that
most favorable for its termination. This
may be learned from a careful study of the
experience of the most successful garden
ers of your vicinity.
3. Covering the seed to such depth
that while it is preserved at a uniform de-
gree of heat and moisture, the necessary
ar can readily reach it, and the tiny stem
push the forming leaves into the light and
air. This depth will vary with different
seeds and conditions of the soil, and can
be learned only from practical experience.
In general, seeds of the size of the turnip
should be covered with half an inch of
earth pressed down, while corn may be an
inch, beans two or three, and peas two to
six inches deep.
4. Such condition of soil that the as
cending stem can easily penetrate it, and
the young roots speedily find suitable food.
We can usally secure this by thorough
preparation of the ground. and taking
care never to sow fine seeds when the
ground is wet. Occasionally a heavy or
lOng-contlnued ram followed by bright
sun will so bake and crust the surface
that it is impossible for the young plant
to find its way through 1t, or few DAYS
OF strong wind viii so dry the surface that
no seed can terminate. In such cases
our only remedy is to plant again.
CULTIvATION.-Ever weed should be
removed as soon as it appears, especially
while the plants are young; this will re-
quire almost daily attention, but if well
done early in the season, the later work
will be light, but mere destruction of
weeds is by no means the only object of
cultivation. A. j. Downing, who was
perhaps the best hOrticulturist America
has known, said: eff | wefe to preach a
sermon on horticulture, should take as
my text, Stir the Soil,'" and certainly the
text would contain much of the gospel of
successful gardening; frequent and deep
stirring will enable one to grow fine vege-
tables on comparatively poor and slightly
MANFRED soil, while without it one fails
to gain much advantage from the richest
and finest soil. Care should be taken that
the cultivation is not done when the soil
is wet, or peas, beans and melons stirred
when the leaves are wet with dew, as such
disturbance is liable to injure the leaves
and make them susceptible to injury from
rust. With this exception, cultivate as
often and as thoroughly as possible.