The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-09
Notes on Garden ing.

Notes on Gardening.
There are not many gardens, either large
or small, that are so rich in all the elements
of fertility as not to be benefited by fer
tilzer of some kind or another. Even II
the garden spot is rich in the accumulation
of vegetable matter, as many old garden
spots are from having heavy applications
stable manure, together with the weeds and
trash that are applied to it, it will almost al
ways be found to be of great advantage to
make an application of potash or phosphate
or common lime even sometimes to such
soil. In such rich molds, if the mineral ele-
ments are not present in proportionate
quantity to the ammonia that is likely to
be present as the result of 80 much decaying
vegetable matter, there are great many
crops that cannot be made to do their best
in it. In soils overrich in vegetable matter
and lacking the mineral elements in fair
proportion crops that are grown for their
seeds or any of the vine plants are not apt
to produce the best results. Corn is likely
to 20 too much to stalk and leaves at the
expense of ears. Beans are apt to go too
much to bush or vine, and tomatoes like
wise, and the melon OF cucumber will make
luxuriant growth Of vine with a small
proportion of fruit. Some plants like onions,
beets, cabbage, bush squashes and the likes
will produce fairly on such soils for awhile,
but it will soon be indicated that some min
eral matter must be applied to allow of
these doing them best. To such rich humus
soils it is always in order to make a small
application yearly of mixture of potash
and phosphate. For half acre $50 to 200
#pounds CT some good superphosphate, with
Pie like quantity of hardwood ashes, ap-
fplied early in the year and lightly plowed or
IA ha in will 49,
follow a superabundance of ammonia In the
BOIL, which is always the case in soils over
<rich in humus.
When garden is cultivated on the inten-
1 sive or high culture plan, which implies
that something is kept growing in it all the
/ year round, it Is not apt to accumulate the
humus that 1t does when it is made to grow
vegetables up to midsummer or early fall,
and then the weeds allowed to take it, and
3 by the shade that they create and the matter
restored to the soil by their decay later.
K Most any soil that is kept shaded in the sum-
mer and fall will accumulate more ammonia
than is taken from it by the crops. Those
who have grown sweet potatoes to any con-
siderable extent know that the shade
created by the vines leaves the soil in a fine
&conoluon to make some other crops, the DO
tatoes taking only small quantity of pot
ash and phosphoric acid from the soil. The
sGade promotes supply of nitrate acid in
the soil beyond what is used by the crop.
There are several crops grown in the garden
NJ tnat are amellorating in their effects. but
E not to the extent that a sweet potato crop
& rs, for there are no other crops that make
#so complete shade as potato crop does.
Ii 1t were practicable to mulch all our
#crops that are grown during mid summer
#and autumn they could be grown to greater
perfection usually than under the ordinary
#pian OF cultivation. 1t would certainly re-
sdound to the advantage of the SOIL Where
&crops shade the soil but little, and the pillow
Kept constantly going to keep the crust
& proken and keep down the weeds under our
burning sun, there is great waste of am
fhohla and burning out of the humus
Namountlng to considerably more oftentimes
s than that consumed by the crop. Our late
&crops OF cabbage and Irish potatoes are
n more easily grown under the plan of mulch>
lhg IMAM by frequent stirring of the soil
Z. ana IN the treatment of Young frnit trees
there is no plan by which they will thrive 50
wei as the one Of thoroughly mulching
81 WIN pine or other straw before the summer
peat sets IN. Where one has an abundance
prohtable work to be done in the winter
than hauling in large quantities of it for
Use IN the orchard and garden simply to be
Euseu as mulch, for in itself it has no
al urlal value worth mentioning. But, as
8 Salo before, mulching with any sort of
tnIaCerlal preserves much of the valuable
SIetnents TO the soil that would otherwise be
wasted by scorching sun.
Tba
tne question generally arises whether it
II oe1'er to apply the manure broadcast or
inaKe IL IN the burrows. Where small
4uanuty OF manure is used, whether it be
'aole manure or commercial, it will go
prtner toward first crop by applying it in
Ine burrows. Where there is enough manure
T. allow OF liberal application it is more
Rhl12nSable in the end to apply it broadcast,
SuItiy plowlng or narrowing it in. Manures
pp4led In the one furrow beneath the grow
Plant is likely to fire or burn the
p.aht, more or less, whenever dry spells
occur in July or August We have seen
t1a 5oIe cotton damaged by manuring it with
~ pounds Of fertilizer applied in a narrow,
tuSle hne than we have seen benefited by
sc1 application. 80 long As there is plenty
moisture about tho fertilizer placed in
tns way 40 great amount Of damage can
Ne uone, but as soon as shat line of moisture
uiIes cut damage is sure to result.
IN gardens It is much the best plan to
manure broadcast. for nearly all our vegeta-
oIes are easily fired when rank manure is
applied in the one furrow. Nearly every
gatoen plant covers a considerable area
WIN Its roots, and the manure should be
t1aced so that these roots will find it in
every direction.