The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-11-01
GARDEN SOILS.

GARDEN SOILS.
x, Y. r., Manning, Ia: What is con-
sidered the ideal soil for the garden,
especially for lettuce, onions. cabbage
and beets?
Answer.-The garden soil should be
rich. By that is meant it should con-
tain all of the necessary plant foods
in sufficient quantities, and all of
these plant foods should be available
at all times during the growing season
Of the year. Many times a soil is rich
In plant food, yet that plant food is
not available. and the crop attempted
will not do as well upon 1t as it would
upon a soil with more available plant
{ food.
Then the soil must be Of proper tex
ture. No matter how rich it Is, the
soil can never be ideal for the garden
crop II it is not mellow. Several of
the garden crops need mineral plant
food more than nitrogen, but still they
will never do we'll except on soils rich
in nitrogen. This is because they re-
Quire mellow soil. Soils rich in nj
trogen are usually mellow.
To insure both a rich and a mellow
soil it is necessary to provide a suf-
ficiency of organic matter. The farm
er knows that he can have better sue
cess with almost any of the garden
crops If the plat is located where an
i old straw heap rotted down than if
the location is on top of a clay hill.
There is more organic matter where
the old straw stack stood, and there
fore it is better soil for any Of the
garden crops.
Organic matter makes soils rich be-
cause all organic matter adds nitrogen
to the soil. Their in the decay of the
organic materials great deal of the
unavailable material elements in the
soil are made available. The soil may
be rich in phosphorus or potash; stu
not enough of these elements will be
available to produce a crop. BY the ap-
plication Of organic materials these
mineral elements are prepared for the
plant when the organic matter decays.
Then organic matter improves the
texture of the soil. Soils rich in Or
ganic matter are always mellow, easily
cultivated and very slow in compacting
or baking
Lettuce requires plenty of nitrogen.
1t makes growth of stem and leaf
and not of fruit, and the soil should be
rich in that element. There is but lit
tie danger of selecting one too rich in
organic matter. 1t cannot get along
without plenty of moisture.
A rich sandy soil, containing plenty
of organic matter, is considered the
best soil for onions. In fact, if the
soil contains a great deal Of organic
matter and is free from weed seed the
onion will make a profitable growth.
The soil should be moist and well
drained. Many have grown heavy
crops of this vegetable upon drained
swamps and other MUCK soils.
Cabbage requires soil rich in pot
ash and one containing an abundance
of moisture. Soils which have been
well MANFRED, but which have been al
lowed to lose some of their organic
matter by decay, make good fields for
cabbage In other words, soils which
have not been MANFRED with barn yard
manure for year or two are ideal for
cabbage. If you wish to grow early
cabbage you should see to 1t that the
soil Is mellow and warm. A little
manure should be applied for this pur-
pose, or, II you have it, you should Sc
lect soil containing little sand. II
you wish to grow a late cabbage the
soil should be heavier and more re-
tentive of moisture. Here Is where |
many Of us fail In the production Of
cabbage. We set the plants in heavy,
compact soil and then wonder why we
do not have cabbage as early as our
neighbors Or we set the late plants |
In a mellow, warm soil and wonder |
why the heads burst long before we
are ready to store them for the winter.
The common red garden beet may be |
grown In a variety of soils. However,
the best soil Is what Is generally called
a sandy loan. Naturally rich soils
which have received several dressings
Of fresh manure in recent years do not
make the ideal place for the beet. The |
growth will be excessive and watery
and the quality inferior.