Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-12

hoe" is the man who has the best
garden, all other things being equal.
We have said nothing about weeds,
hut of course the removal of weeds is
Indispensable to good results. Con-
tinuous hoeing keeps the soil loose
admits air and water and enables Ii
to retain moisture; the state of the
soil must admit the free passage of
air and water. Fertility is not SC
dependent upon the real richness of
the soil as upon its ability to make
every part of IT available for plant
food. Cultivation does this.
Simply to put seeds or bulbs into
the ground. giving them water and
sunshine. win rot produce t"e sits
you are looking for. If seeds are to
terminate i'm the soil. or If healthy
roots are to develop, there must be
suitable soil climate. A good garden
cannot be made from a coarse. lumpv
soil If the soil is not rich enough. II
can be made so. All soils contain GER
tain elements that are plant foods
principally nitrogen. phosphoric acid
and potash. If any of these are lack
ing they must be supplied. Nitrogen
is the most important plant food, but
as nitrogen is four-flfths of the at
mosphere the question is merely to alb
sorb il into the soil,
The most barren piece of land can be
made rich and productive by adding
elements which it lacks and by culti-
walton. The ideal garden soil is
strong loan, we'll supplied with or
ganic matter and plant foods. If clay
is i'm excess the SOL Is too heavy to
till and will grow fewer crops. Clay
soil. whether wet or dry, is the hardest
to work. S7ndy soils and those con-
tanning much organic matter are the
easiest. If the soil is too clayey 1t
can be improved by mixture of SAND
or sandy loan. Sandy or peaty soils
are equally benefited by adding clay.
Soils differ, not only m chemical con-
stitution. but i'm their physical prop
critics. It is not difficult to vary the
nature of the soil by adding any chem
ical ingredient lacking; but it is only
by means of practical work that we
bring the phys cal qualities of the SOIL
into a state of fertility. BY physical
qualities we mean air. moisture ana
temperature, which are as necessary in
the soil as in the atmosphere. For
this reason we use plow. hoe and rake
We have not mentioned temperature,
which is a governing condition f pant
growth. The rapid termination of seeds
depends much upon heat. The temper
ature most favorable varies with diff
ferent plants and different soils. A
knowledge of this is soon acquired;
one can to a certain extent control the
temperature of the soil itself. and he
can choose a time for sowing or plant
ing when the soil has the nroper tenn
perature for rapid termination.
Fertilizers
Soil does net remain fertile. 1t is a
mistake to suppose that veeetation con
be grown season after season without
the use of fertilizers, however rich the
soil may appear. The quantity, quality
and application OF fertilizers is of great
importance. Well rotted barnyard
manure is the best of fertilizers. It's
chief value is not so much the plant
food it contains. but the effect it has
upon the texture of the soil. 1t enriches
the soil, making it warmer and more
friable, and enables the plant more
readily to use the plant food that is in
it. If one cannot secure manure, sub
stitute commercial fertilizer, which may
ST.