Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-04
HOME GARDEN cO|L
IN NEED OF FOOD
1t Must be Fertilized in Order
to Grow Vegetables
Properly.

The soil for vegetable growing should
be rich and well supplied with humus or
organic matter. High quality vegetables
can not be produced on poor soil, for to
be crisp and tender they must make a
quick growth. This can be had only when
the soil contains sufficient available plant
food. and is in good physical condition.
BARNARD or stable manure is the best
fertilizer because IT. furnishes both plant
food and organic matter. Unleached stable
manure, in which straw or finely cut corn
fodder has been used as litter, Is the best.
Manure in which shavings or leaves have
been used IS not SO good. City street
sweepings are frequently available at low
cost. but must be used with care as they
are liable TO contain large amounts OF
mineral oil from the decomposition of
paving material and drippings from auto
mobiles. The manure should be applied
to the freshly plowed or spaded ground
so that il will have time to decay before
planting time If very coarse manure
is used it should be plowed under.
Where manure is not available, some
leg1Iminous crop, such as cowpeas, soy
beans, vetch, or crimson clover, should
be turned under to supply humus and
part of the nitrogen. In addition 10 the
hunus added TO the soil through the
growth OF these crops, the cultivation
nccessitatcd by their growth tends 10
make fcrtili7lng elements, especially pot
ash. available IN many soils The Use OF
commercial fertilizers IS advisable IN
some eases. hut owing 10 the scarcity and
high price Of both nitrogen and potash
the use Of commercial fertilizers contain
ing large amounts Of these materials IS
not advisable unless these elements can
not be secured through the use Of ma
nurcs. If sufficient land Is available for
gardening purposes 50 that half the area
can be devoted to lcguminous crops each
season, good results may be had by using
very little commercial fertilizer.
Phosphates are relatively inexpensive
and their use is advisable in most cases.
They are especially advisable IN that they
sid in bringing the crops 10 maturity. An
application of from 800 TO 600 pounds OF
acid phosphate per acre Will usually be
sufficient. II a mixed fertilizer Is applied,
one containing from two To four per cent
nitrogen. eight 10 / O per cent phosphoric
acid and six to eight per cent potash will
give good results. The nitrogen may be
had from cottonseed meal, dried blood,
fish scrap, or tankage. The phosphorlc
acid NAV he had in the form of bone meal
or acid phosphate The potash may be
had in the form of hardwood ashes, or
some Of the potash salts. These, how
ever. are very high in price and hard 10
obtain. The following formula is sug-
gested for good garden fertilizer:
Per Per
acre 50. rod
Chicken or pigeon ma
nurc ..... 3 tons 40 lbs.
Acid phosphate 1000 lbs. q lbs
Hardwood ashes 1000 lbs. lbs
The acid phosphate and the ashes may
be mixed and applied. The manure
should be applied separately
USE FERTILIZERS EARLY
Fertilizers should be applied 10 the
soil as soon as It Is in condition. and
narrowed in # desired TO make later
application. after the plants are set, the
material should he applied between the
rows few inches from the plants.
The use Of lime II advisable. especially
on heavy soils Il is necessary to use it
in connection with green manurcs or the
soil will become acid 1t may be applied
in the form Of air-slaked lime which Is
usually mixture Of the hydroxId and
carbonate of calcium, as ground lime, or
as ground limestone. The ground lime
stone is slower IN It's action than the
oxid or the carbonate From FIVE to 10
pounds Of the ground limestone and half
this amount Of the ground, burned lime
is a sufficient application for each 100
square feet of soil.