Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-18


on the quick maturity OF the crop. AT
best the growing season Is short one.
and the flavor, tenderness and quality
Of the cooked vegetable produced In the
shortest time IL superior in every re-
pecf 20 that produced under less favora-
bic conditions. Forcing for early matur-
Ity IN thus one OF the most important
Items in successful vegetable gardening.
There Is nothing more palataole or
heaithfuI than an abundance Of choice
vegetables; yet how few have them The
reason f. not far 20 seek. for most peo-
pie imagine that vegetable gardening is
. difficult undertaking, and so IL Is TO one
who does not understand the art, but II
Il one OF the simplest things in the world
10 have a first-class garden provided GER
tain principles are followed. The mere
fact that the crop must be developed In
q short season and forced along means
that the soil must first be put in the best
physical condition and then enriched
with commercial plant food so as to
stimulate the growth Of the crop. The
failure Of these essentials. which become
al the more important when we consider
the type OF soil best adapted for the
growth OF vegetables
Earliness is a prerequisite to success
n commercial gardening. and there are
few who care TO raise their own vegeta-
bles unless they can have them as soon
as they come on the market from other
sources. An early soil as all realize
s more or less sandy In nature. This
means that IL IL a poor soil from a chem
cal and physical standpoint. In the first
place, IL contains but little available plant
food OF any OF what are justly regarded
as the essential elements in crop produc-
lion Il Is naturally a porous soil. drying
oct quickly. In fact, most Of the famous
truck soils OF the south were once re-
garded as OF no value whatever. and their
profitable cultivation today rests mainly
Eron the skilIful handling and fertiliza-
Hen which has been accorded them with
IN the last few years. ana IL is safe to
u.v that they would still remain unpro-
utnble and In an idle condition but for
IRE liberal use % cOmmecial plant food.
he first thing the gardener. either pro-
tgssional or amateur, must undertake,
therefore, is 10 choose a location which
all insure earliness. The land should
then be carefully prepared by the most
thorough and persistent cultivation until
Il becomes thoroughly friable. To over
come its tendency to leach and dry out
quickly. vegetable matter must be ineor-
Dorated with II. This may be done In
pne OF several ways. First. by blowing
under cowpeas or other legumes; second,
BY the application OF farmyard manure OF
which ten 10 twenty tons per acre should
be used. Rich leaf mold from the woods
and compost vii lalso be found helpful
IN improving the filth and physical prop
critics OF q garden soil
The next thing is TO enrich the soil with
hose elements of plant food in which
I Is likely TO be deficient As a rule, these
are three I'm number. namely, nitrogen,
,hosphoric acid and potash. Sometimes
Tine win be found beneficial. II should
ee applied at the rate OF one ton per
acre. preferably in the fall. and used as
4 top dressing. Shell lime may be used
along the sea coast; further inland caustic
ame viii likely be found the cheapest
md most satisfactory. II will be necessary
10 use liberal amounts OF nitrogen, phos-
5horic acid and potash on all garden
Ioils because nitrogen stimulates a quick
Ind vigorous growth: potash is concerned
\ the development OF the leaf and stem
n the plant and the elaboration OF starch;
and phosphOric acid hastens maturity:
aence. all three are essential In securing
he proper quality in vegetables.
That these plant foods must be used in
hrge amounts in soils notably deficient
n fertility IS shown by the following
igures: 90 bushels OF Irish potatoes would
remove from an acre Of land. IS pounds OF
Nitrogen. n pounds of phoSphoric acid and
pounds OF potash. Thirty tons Of cab
BaRe would remove from the soil 200
pounds OF nitrogen. 70 pounds Of phos-
inoric acid and 20 pounds OF potash: thirty
bushels Of beans with the straw. e pounds
u nitrogen. 80 pounds Of phosphoric acli
md 50 pounds OF potash: ten tons Of toma-
Ioes without the stems. g pounds OF nj
rogen. - pounds of phOsphoric acid and
pounds OF potash. These figures show
sonclusively the heavy draft made on
he soil by garden crops. and further
more. that q complete fertilizer will be
necessary 20 supply the needs of most
" the common vegetables. II Is true that
some OF the legumes may not require so
much nitrogen as such crops as cabbage.
tomatoes and potatoes. and II is also true
hat some OF these crops will be benefited
~ top dressing with nitrate Of soda. bu'
ne fundamental fertilizer 10 use under
hem and IN liberal amounts at the time
~ planting Il what we know as a com
plete fertilizer.
As a rule fertilizer intended for vege-
,abIes should be used I'm the hill or under
re drill row. For melons. cucumbers and
Bouash 4 would be under the HILL and
alter. top dressings OF nitrate Of soda
fsed az frequent intervals during the
rowing season. For beets. onions and
.nrrots nitrogen and phosphates should
y most literally supplied. potash being
east essential for these crops. except
IN sandy land. Potash should be used
more literally on potatoes
To show the profit resulting from
liberal fertilization on garden crops. the
following experiment. made az the New
Jersey experiment station. is cited In
his test where no fertilizer was used
IN tomatoes the Weld was s13 bushels;
Ehere 80 pounds OF nitrate OF soda.
200 poundsof bone black and 100
pounds OF muriate OF potash were used.
The yield was s57 bushels. The cost
II the fertilizer was $3.50. The value
" the crop. with no fertilizer. was
t2Os.61: with the complete fertilizer.
f301.25. leaving a net profit OF S21.4i
per acre. This example is similar 10
hundreds OF others which might Oe
quoted TO show the great financial ben
ut which follows the intelligent use
bf commercial fertilizers on garden
crops.
II is impossible. OF course, to give n
formula which will be satisfactory for
al truck crops. as the amount and
character OF plant food required Will
vary with the nature OF the soil. DE
~ .ro1