The Washington times., 1917-04-08
PRACTICAL GARDEN
MAN GIVES HINTS
S. A. White Writes Article on
Fertilizers for Benefit of
Times Contestants.

S. A. White, a practical "city gard
ener," 1920 Rhode Island avenue
northeast, has written the following
article for contestants in The Times
garden contest:
The present agitation of reviving
interest in home gardening should be
encouraged, but it is useless IL the
work is not taken up with the deter
mination to succeed, for nothing sue
ceeds like success"
This means, first, counting the cost,
not in the original outlay of money,
which is small compared with the
600 per cent profit on the monetary
investment, but the persistent labor
at the.proper time, combined with the
kind of fertilizer to be used, when
and how, and the kind. of vegetables
to be planted in a given state OF the
soil to be worked.
Nature of the Soil.
First, then, the soil: What is the
nature OF It? Is it a heavy clsy' and
not fertilized? And do you want re-
suits this year? II so, do not think Of
anything but beans and late potatoes
corn will not grow there yet First
of all, turn it under at once, break it
up completely, and sow lime and rake
II In thinly, and let it stand for about
three days. Then sow broadcast
white spring oats to get humus
quickly. You. will get some, but not
as much as IL it had been broken up
and sown last fall, about which l will
speak later.
Then about the last of April turn
this under as deep as you can spade
or plow. If, before this, you can
spread on the surface plenty of we'll
rotted stable manure, your groupd
will be ready for the first planting of
bush beans, after turning and raking
until all Jumps are well broken up.
Do not plow while ground is wet or
damp enough to pack. Wait un-
til 1t is in condition to crumble.
Then plant your beans far enough
apart between the rows to admit
of planting a row of late potatoes,
which should be done not later
than July 1. The beans add to the
soil, and will help the potatoes, and,
when the last blowing or ridging up
of the potato rows is done, the beans
may be turned under and against
the potato vines. Then IL enough space
mas DctH dilO"cu Dtl"cCu HO" ,
when the beans are turned under,
make a trench where the beans
had been, fertilize we'll, and cover the
fertilizer slightly and sow some more
beans for fall and winter use.
sweepings supply Limited.
Right here let me suggest that. II
you live too far out to be supplied
by the street cleaning department
promptly, put no dependence upon the
department for getting their sweep
ings to you. They have neither the
time nor can they add the expense of
handling to their present burdens. Be.
sides. they have their regular dump
ing places. and when you pay for the
hauling, your expense for fertilizer
will be greater than it would cost you
to be supplied from stables near at
hand, Again. pure stable manure Is
many times better than street sweep
ings.
However praiseworthy the home
garden feature is, with applications
for fertilizer running into thousands,
and because Of the time 1t takes 10
get the system into running order, the
poor home gardener is likely to find
himself high and dry with the early
! planting season gone for the year.
| Get to your soil at once. Get what
] fertilizer you can at once.
If you cannot get well rotted ma.
nure. get the fresh, pile it in a conical
heap, press II. down, wet it thoroughly,
and let 1t stand three days, turn IT,
and cone heap 1t again, and let stand
! another three days. In the meantime
/ dig moderate trenches where you in.
4 tend to plant, spread your siX-day fer
I mented manure in il three or four
! inches deep, press II down by walking
1 over 1t, wet it. then cover ii with
| three or four inches of soil and SOW
your bean seeds or plant your potatoes
on top OF this, and cover.
All the above is for the heavy. new