Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-20
Fertile Garden Soil.


year in the garden it is important to
begin this fall to prepare and fertilize
the soil for the crops The farm gar
den may be made to produce a large
share of the food consumed by the
family, and if ii is rightly handled
these foods will go a long way to de-
crease the cost of living on the farm
and CORRESPONDENCE increase the net
profits of farming. 1t is difficult to
estimate the actual money value of
crops grown in the garden or the rate
of yield per acre, yet even in the av-
erage garden the yield will run to
more than 800 per acre. The writer
and neighDor measured his ground
one year and found that his onion gar
den crop at current prices had made
a yield of about 800 per acre. Any
farm garden can be made to yield an
extremely large return on the land,
where the soil is made fertile and
where good seed is used and good Gull
tivation given.
Usually the farm garden for con-
venience is located near the dwelling
and home grounds From the stand
point of convenience, this location is
ideal;i yet, in many cases the garden,
so located, is in such close proximity
TO shade and fruit trees that unsatis-
factory garden Yields are secured,
vegetables and shade trees will not
thrive close together 1t is similarly
true with large fruit trees The large
trees extract so much moisture and
plant food from the soil that no man
ner of fertilization and cultivation
will give good Yields in the immediate
presence of trees. Tie vegetable and
small fruit. garden must be located in
open ground away from shade and
fruit trees.
One Of the first requirements for fer
tile garden soil is good drainage. EX-
cess of water in the soil tends to pro-
duce a sour condition and also keeps
out soil air, without which many crops
can not grow and thrive. Some gar
dens are naturally well-drained, and
the soil sweet and responsive Where
the drainage is imperfect and the soil
sour and heavy. under drainage with
thing will correct the acid condition
and make the soil light friable, re-
sponsive and capable of early working
in the spring when extra early plant
ing is desirable. The underground
drain not only e1ffies away surplus
water, but through it sir enters the
soil from below to feed the roots of
tie growing crops and for lberating
deeply buried plant foods. Under drain
age deepens the soil and deepens the
root-feeding area of the garden. max
ing possible maximum Yields. Under
ia hot .p
the ground is naturally drained, is
equivalent to fertilizing, and much
cheaper and economical
\ variety of crops is grown in the
farm garden, hence, a variety of fer
tilzers should be used To meet the
feeding demands of the various crops.
All farmers and gardeners know that
well-decomposed, stable manures are
better for general use than fresh ma
nures However, in many instances it
is difficult to secure an adequate sup
by of decomposed manure in the
spring for all needs The best and
easiest way To fertilize the garden is
to begin hauling manure on to the
ground in the fall as soon as crops
have been removed, and continue this
lUIpuSH lliG IAN anu w iilAtlr LII tiAi5
way, fresh manure may be used with
perfect safety. BY the following
spring. before planting is begun, de-
composition will nave taken place, and
there will be no danger from heating.
An exceptionally good way to manure
the garden is to cover the surface
with manure in the fall, as soon as
crops have been removed, and pillow
this under any time in late fall. when
the ground is in Il condition for good
blowing. Fresh manure, decompoSing
in the soil during the winter, when
the soil is cold and damp. VIII improve
the physical nature of the soil, as well
as supplying plant foods. When plow-
ed under, none of the fertility is lost
through decomposition. Where other
good manures are available, surface
manuring on top of the plowed ground
may be given during the winter. and
all may be worked up and mixed with
the soil in spring BY replowing the
land and working With disc and mar
how. ~
Manure from the horse stables is
stronger and gives off more heat
through decomposition than any other
kinds. Hence. horse manure must not
be used, except when it can be applied
to the garden soil several months pre-
vious to spring planting. Cow ma
nure is generally considered one of the
mildest and best manures for general
garden use. Poultry manure is the
richest of all kinds; hence, this should
be used sparingly with other kinds,
and preferably applied in the spring
Just before the ground is worked so
that the soil will absorb all of the rich
ness. Manure from hog and sheep
pens is rich and good as mixture
with the coarse and milder kinds.
Wood ashes leached or unleached, are
good. Coal ashes are insoluble, yet
they have an indirect fertilizing value
in making heavy and stiff soils light
and friabe and in aiding more imme-
date decomposition Of other fertilizers.
Woods ashes, like poultry manure,
should be applied only at the last mo-
ment before spring blowing and plant
ing are begun, as they react chemical
ly with other fertilizers to set free
gases, which would be lost when the
ground is not stirred and no crops
growing TO utilize them. Coal ashes,
dust land plaster and other absorb