The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-05-23

plicable only to comparatively heavy
soils, but IL is these which receive the
most injury IL they are worked when
wet. On such soils overZealous gar
deners not only waste time but fire.
quently do acutal damage by attempt
ing to work them too early.
The kind OF preparation that must
be given to the small garden and the
amount of work that will be required
VIII depend largely, OF course. on the
condition Of the plot and the use to
which II has been put. II the ground
selected for the garden has been firm
ed by much tramping. as is often the
case IN back yards, IL can not be
got into proper condition without the
expenditure OF considerable labor.
when blowing with a team can be
practiced that Is the best method for
giving the ground its initial break
ing. The surface, of course, should
be narrowed as soon as possible after
blowing.
IF the plot can not be plowed, the
gardener must resort to the use OF a
garden fork or spade or, in the case
OF very hard spots, a mattock.
should he Loosened.
The soil should be well Ioosened to
the depth OF the spade or fork. II
clay is encountered at this depth, It
should not be turned up to the surface
but the slices of soil should be kept
In their normal position. As soon as
each spade or fork full OF earth is
loosened, II should be broken up by
blows with the back Of the implement.
Later the freshly dug surface should
be hned and Smoothed with a steel
tooth rake. 1t IL not sufficient that
the surface be made fine: the soil
should be well pulVerIzed to the depth
OF the digging. Any sod or plant
growth on the garden plot should be
turned under to rot and form humus.
In turning under sod with q spade or
fork II IL well to reverse each seq.
ment so that foliage will be down and
roots up.
THE first digging Of a plot of
ground which has not before been
cultivated is likely to be q laborious
task, and may even take away the
enthusiasm OF the would-be gardener.
After this portion Of the work IL done,
however, the fining OF the soil. plant
ing, and cultivation are not arduous,
II may be well In many cases for the
gardener to employ some one TO break
his ground. whether this be done with
pillow, spade. or fork.
Fertilizer Needed.
After the soil has been got into
good mechanical condition. II usually
Is desirable to apply some form OF
fertilizer. Barnyard or stable ma
nure, which furnishes both plant
food and humus. undoubtedly is the
best, and applications of from twenty
to thirty tons to the acre are salts
factory. This is roughly equivalent
to from 400 to 900 pounds, or several
wheelbarrow loads, for each plot
twenty by twenty feet. The manure
should be distributed evenly over the
surface, and later worked in with
q hoe and rake.
Frequently II 10 advisable also to
apply commercial fertilizer. An ap-
pIIcation OF 900 to 800 pounds TO
the acre, or ten to fifteen pounds per
plot twenty feet square. usually IL
sufficient. In order to supply pot
ash. II this IL needed, unleached wood
ashes may be distributed over the
garden at the rate of 1000 pounds
to the acre, or ten pounds to each
plot twenty feet square. Wet or
leached ashes have less fertilizer val
ue. Double the quantity of thess
should be used. In order to start
the plants in the spring. applications
OF 100 pounds TO the acre Of nitrate
of soda, or one pound to each twen-
ty-foot square. may be used. By far
the best way to use nitrate Of soda In
the small garden, however, Is to dis
solve a teaspoonful of the chemical
in a gallon OF water and use the 50
luton for watering young plants. i,
Is important to remember that no
form of commercial fertilizer will
yield good results unless the soil II
well supplied with humus"