Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-07-25
su;ldinc Tn a Garden Soil.

Having some years since purchaser
and removed to new place in our
village found myself confronted with
the fact that | had no suitable place
for garden.
Now a garden OF greater or less
dimensions has always been to me one
OF the actual necessities. hence ! be-
gan at once TO cast about as to how
to overcome the obstacles TO success
along the line
The lot had purchased and upon
which my present residence is built
being 50 located that the whole lot had
To be filed and graded up to the depth
OF several feet of course none of tie
original soil remained at the surface
And the filling having been ton the
part whore desired 10 make my vege'
table garden) all done from bank adj
jacent composed of an almost clear
really amounted to simply gravel
bank on which to construct-if that is
the proper expressiCn-a garden soil.
OF course | might if | could find the
place from which to procure it have
had n surface soil suited to gardening
drawn AMI covered over the garden
plot.
But knew of no place where couiS
obtain such soil and even ii could it
would have been expensive 10 hire 1t
carted for this purpose and | decided
to try if could net secure the desired
results by making the addition to this
gravel of the elements necessary for
producing AMI sustaining a growth Of
garden crops.
First off then knew that it woul1
he important in a soil constituted so
largely of clean gravel as was tais to
add largely of humus in some form
and To this end | made n heavy ap
plicat!on of partially rotted stable ma
nure but coarse enough tAat IL con-
tanned a large proportion of decay in
vegetation.
This | supplemented with 4 heavy
application OF a commercial fertilizer
containing a large percentage CT nitro
gen and phosphorc acid but low in
potash as had an abundant supply of
wood ashes which used for that ele'
ment furnishing it thus more cheaply
taan could in any other form.
Then upon the surface used n
heavy mulch Of stable manure about
ali the coarser growing vege: th!es
this helping to retain the moisture and
al the same time making gradual but
continuous addition of humus in the
process of decay
The first seasons growth was fairly
satisfactory although he season was
a dry one and the soil Of course was
somewha; lacking in retentive power
hut tie following year repetition of
the application OF generous top
dressing of stable manure in conhin
atlon with tie unGec aged n9r'!Cns OF
the mulch applied the previous season
seemed 10 percepti5ly increase iEc hu
mus contents of the soil ana the gar
den crops grown thereon this sec0nl
year were very satisfactory.
And the past seasons grOwth-the
third in succession from the starting
point has been so entirely satisfactory
with all classes OF vegetables grown
| as 10 warrant ME in recommending a
trial of this method OF soil building To
any who may have occasion to try
like experiment.
AS have said the growth of all
vegetables thereon has been most sat
isfactcry and successful and with some
| such as melons. early cuCumbers. to-
matoes. sweet corn, etc. requiring
+: warm soil the results have been par
! ticuiarly satis:actory.-E. J. Brcwneil.
In Farm. Field and FiraSid