Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-05-11
GARDEN CULTIVATION|SUBhA CHASERS
Local Committee Gives Word Of
Advice to Amateur Gardeners Con-
cerning the Work.

Advice to Amateur Gardeners Con
cerning the Work.
The committee in charge OF the
cultivation Of the city gardens is very
much afraid that the young gardeners
of the city are becoming discouraged
on account of the continued cold
weather, and they wish to say that
the recent cold spell will not neces-
sarily result in permanent injury to
their gardens. If, after few days OF
warm weather, the seeds which have
been planted do not come up, it would
be we'll to dig in the ground very
carefully and see if the seeds have
sprt uted, and if they have not done
so, see if they have rotted. In the
eveit it is found they have rotted, it
is very easy matter to open up the
row and sow the seed over again, as
was done in the first instance. There
is still plenty of time Tor all vege-
tables to be raised from the seed,
with the exception, of course, OF to-
matoes and cabbage, which, no doubt,
everyone knows should be raised
from plants, which can be procured
from various places in the city.
The committee has thought it well
to publish an extract from the
United States Farmers Bulletin No.
818, in regard to the cultivation Of
gardens, which covers the question
very thoroughly and should be stud
led carefully by everyone who wishes
to make a success of their garden:
Cultivation.
The Importance of cultivation has
been referred to in the discussion Of
the preparation of the seed bed. 1t
is, however, after the seeds have
sprouted or after the plants have
been set in their permanent locations
chat cultivation becomes Of major i'm
portance. The gardener should never
permit the surface. of the soil to be-
come baked or even to form an ap-
preciable crust. Constant stirring
with hand tools or a wheel cultiva-
tor should be practiced between the
rows ana about the plants. Such
stirring permits the air to penetrate
the soil, where it facilitates chemical
action and bacterial activity, destroys
weeds which otherwise would utilize
large amounts of plant food. and,
finally. conserves the moisture supply.
The rake is perhaps the gard
ener's most valuable tool in cultivat-
ing. This can be passed backward
and forward over the ground until 1t
is in an open, mellow condition.
Where vegetables grow closely in the
rows it often will be necessary TO
the cultivation by hand
wedding. Small implements are made
for this purpose and may be purchas-
ed cheaply. 1t is we'll also in some
cases to pull up weeds by hand, es-
pecially where they grow closely
about the stalks of the garden plants.
Stirring the Soil After Rains.
Just as the gardeners should be
careful in early spring not to dig
The ground when the soil is too. moist.
so he should be careful later in the
season not to cultivate too soon after
rains. The stirring of very muddy
soil "puddles" it into a compact.
rement.1;ke mass in which the plant
food is securely. locked. The garden
will REQUIRE attention, however, rs
SOON as the excess moisture from
rain has soaked in or partially evap-
GRATED. Unless the ground is stirred
at this time crust will form almost
inevitably. lsuch a crust, besides
restricting the plants, prevents the
access of air, and also facilitates the
loss of moisture through evaporation.