The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-17
TIMELY HINTS To
INSURE SUCCESS
OF Home GARDENS
Principles for Making Prof
liable Vegetable Patch
Are Explained.

Washington, D. c., March 1.-THE
damage done to garden crops by the
recent widespread freeze has made it
necessary for many owners e,.ner TO
replant gardens or to delay planting
beyond the usual time. These garden
ers whose outdoor schedules have been
upset are under the necessity of doing
everything then can to hasten their
crops. The following suggestions re-
garding the principles and practice OF
lists Of the U. s. Department of Agri-
culture believe. will be timely and
helpful both to these gardeners and
to others in localities where the plant
ing season naturally is later.
The gardener who's merely wishes to
raise vegetables for his own family
will do well, especially this year, to
choose the crops he will grow from
those which previously have done best
in his special locality. The market
gardener must bear this fact in mind,
but also must study the market and
anticipate it's usual demand and deter
mine as far as he can how this de-
mand will be affected by any unto
ward weather conditions which may
have occurred in his section.
Those who desire to produce early
crops should bear in mind that a
warm, sandy loam will produce an
earlier crop than a heavier soil that
retains more water and less heat.
Frost is less apt to injure vegetables
planted on high ground than those
planted in low places or valleys into
which the heavier cold air commonly,
settles. The garden should be fairly
level, but well drained. The crop will
mature more rapidly on land that has
sunny, southern exposure than in
other plots.
The essentials for successful gar
dening on small or large scale are
soil, water, and cultivation. Much de-
Ponds also on the grower, the season,
and the crops selected.
The soil is the storehouse of plant
food. The garden, therefore, should
contain humus or rotted material in
large quantities The gardener should
remember that about SO per cent OF
ordinary earth is not soil at all, but
consist Of air and water.
Water makes plant food that is
present freely soluble. Rain and
snow water are soft and contain am
monia. The magic of soft water on
the plant world is one Of the miracles
OF good gardening, as every one who
has contrasted. the effect Of rain with
that produced by sprinkling with
hose realizes Plants are succulentA
and contain large amounts Of water
which they have to draw from the
SOIL
The conservation Of soil moisture IN
the most important reason for cultiva-
ting crops. The two other principal
things accomplished by cultivation are
the killing of weeds which draw mois-
ture and plant food from the crops,
and. the aeration of the soil.
Too much stress cannot be- laid on
the preparation Of a good seed bed. A
seed bed OF fine tiIth-made SO by.
deep blowing, careful narrowing, and
filming Of the Soils the foundation Of
good gardening. 1t is essential for the
proper termination and growth Of
young plants. The soil must be fri
able and free from clods A clod can
hold no plant food in .oiution, the only
form in which it is available for the
plant. Good soil anc fine filth insure
an excellent root system to plants Up
on the fine, hairy, lfibrous, feeding
roots. which are possible only in we'll
titled soil, the plant depends for it's
stockiness and growth. The careful
gardener will regard his whole garden
as a seed bed and will cultivate and
fertilize its accordingly.