1883. 



AND HORTICULTURIST, 



301 



is inexhaustible. We might as well hope to pump 

 the ocean dry, or to reduce atmospheric space to a 

 vacuum, as to wholly exhaust the soil. One acre 

 of soil eighteen inches deep weighs eight million 

 pounds. This soil contains, at a moderate estimate, 

 twelve thousand pounds, or six tons of phosphoric 

 acid, ten thousand pounds of nitrogen and from 

 twenty to eighty thousand pounds of potash. If 

 no organic matter were ever to be added to the 

 soil in the shape of manure or waste from crops 

 or weeds, the land might be cultivated for cen- 

 turies before it would be exhausted eighteen inches 

 deep. So that 'exhaustion of the soil' is a term 

 used in a comparative sense wholly, and is not an 

 absolute or possible conception." 



Now, to induce roots to penetrate deeply is to 

 bring immense stores of valuable nutriment to the 

 plants. The length to which roots extend is sur- 

 prising. Powerful manure stimulates them to vastly 

 augmented penetrative force. The coronal, or sur- 

 face roots must be provided for. They are greedy 

 scavengers. Manure spread upon the surface sub- 

 serves another very valuable purpose. If plenti- 

 ful it keeps the earth moister by arresting the 

 ascent of the earth moisture. There is always 

 capillary attraction at work, that is, the ascension 

 of moisture from below the surface to the surface. 

 Now, any obstacle which checks it holds the moist- 

 ure. This is clearly shown by the damp under 

 surface of stones lying on top of the ground. 

 Manure, when abundant, acts in the same way. 

 Again, the rich elements permeating- the soil are 

 ever escaping into the air. They can be retained, 

 as we have shown, with earth moisture. This is 

 important, for their arrested progress is so much 

 food for vegetation. This principle of arrest is a 

 leading feature in shading ground. Land left 

 bare throughout the year is losing much. It is 

 not the proper kind of fallow. It should be kept 

 stirred and thoroughly pulverized. Fining soil is 

 productive of moisture in two ways ; it interrupts 

 capillary attraction, and also absorbs atmospheric 

 moisture. This is why cultivation should not be 

 suspended during a drouth. It interrupts capillary 

 attraction in this way. When the earth is com- 

 pact the internal moisture ascends rapidly and 

 easily, and is dissipated, because there are no open 

 spaces for it to cross. When the soil is broken into 

 minute particles the moisture must take longer in 

 getting from one to the other of these particles. 

 When the ground is loose and porous it catches 

 atmospheric moisture much as does a sponge. The 

 old theory that there must be clods for best results 

 is untenable. It is unphilosophical. Roots do not 



penetrate clods, but simply enfold, embrace them, 

 and so fail of obtaining the full strength of the 

 soil. Earth comminuted admits the sun's rays 

 hatter, which from their actinic power help both 



plant and soil. 



OUR BEST TOMATOES. 

 BV MANSFIELD MILTON. 



I have for several years been growing the best 

 and newer varieties of tomatoes. I grow for mar- 

 ket, and therefore have a good chance of knowing 

 the most profitable and best selling kinds. The 

 earliest tomato I have this season, of smooth shape 

 and suitable for market purposes, is Hathaway 's 

 Excelsior. It is early, productive, smooth, and 

 bright red in color. Canada Victor is early, but is 

 too wrinkled for my growing. Acme and Paragon 

 are the most perfect tomatoes I know of. The 

 Acme will sometimes rot, but it is very fine in 

 shape and quality. Some people object to the 

 color, but this is only with those not used to it. 

 The Paragon is almost perfect. It is smooth, large, 

 and good color, but not quite so productive with 

 me as the Trophy, which is fine when it ripens per- 

 fectly to the stem, but it will keep green around 

 the stem when the other part is perfectly ripe. 

 Some people are under the impression to get early 

 tomatoes the ground has to be poor, but I do not 

 believe it. With me I get the earliest ones on 

 well-exposed, well-drained, rich soil, having an 

 eastern or southern exposure. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Covering Strawberries in Winter.— The 

 strawberry is hardy. The roots will live through 

 the severest winter, but it is generally believed 

 that if the leaves are preserved through the season 

 green until spring it is better for the crop that is to 

 follow. Hence a light covering of straw is a bene- 

 fit, where the winter is severe enough to destroy 

 the fully exposed leaves. It is not the frost, but 

 the sun which does the injury — hence a little straw 

 serves the double purpose of shading the leaves 

 and keeping the roots from being drawn out. 



Orange Culture in Florida. — "Budded Or- 

 ange trees will begin to bear six years from trans- 

 planting and a Seedling in eight, but the trees do 

 not arrive at full bearing under twenty years, yet 

 they are profitable at ten. From fifty to a hundred 

 trees are raised on an acre; the value of an aver- 

 age crop on a tree is from five to ten dollars. They 



