THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



953 



who resides in liij;h-lying-, and consequcntl}- dry disliicls, 

 and who is lieavily handicaijpcd in a (h-y, scorching sum- 

 mer. High and <lr_\- locaHties predispose to rather small 

 but narrow petals. One of the greatest troubles a grower 

 in a high-lying district has to contend with in a ilry 

 season is premature bud-formation. Where the locality 

 is high, the air, although much rain may be registered, is 

 drier than in the lowlands ; it is this dry air which causes 

 early bud-formation, about which growers in the north of 

 England know nothing of as comijared to the difficulties 

 experienced by their brethren in the southern counties. 

 This premature bud-formation renders the "taking" of 

 the buds a hazardous matter. The proper time to "take" 

 some varieties is altogether upset under such conditions. 

 They form either too early or too late for producing the 

 finest blooms. — Gardcitiiig Illnstrateii. 



SOIL IMPROVEMENT AND MORE PROFIT- 

 ABLE FARMING. 



15v Wii.i.i.\M Graham. 



.\ number of essential [)rinciples nuist be adopted to 

 raise profitable crops, the physical condition of the soil 

 mu>t be improved, in nearly all cases where soil impover- 

 ishment is the direct cause of unsuccessful farming it can 

 be shown that fertilization and the rotation of crojjs have 

 been neglected : many farmers do not give close atten- 

 tion to soil conservation or proper methods of tillage. 

 The liberation of plant food from the .soil is directly de- 

 pendent upon the supply of organic matter: soils deficient 

 in organic matter hold less moisture than those well 

 supplied with humus : it is then very evident that the 

 more humus a soil contains the greater is its water hold- 

 ing capacitv. This organic matter can be supplied by 

 plowing under leguminous crops stable manure, straw. 

 etc. The nitrogen contained in the grain crops is about 

 7^ in the .grain, y^ in the stalk and roots, while that of 

 clover the roots contain half as much as the top. The 

 hunnis restored to the soil through these agencies will 

 enable us to use commercial fertilizer more ])rofitably 

 because the moisture contained in the organic decay dis- 

 solves the fertilizer. 



The liberation of plant food from the soil is dependent 

 upon the supply of organic matter. In clay soils where 

 a good rotation is practiced and humus making material 

 maintained, potash will seldom have to be used if lime is 

 used sparingly, for legumes will supjjl)- nitrogen and the 

 lime and organic decay will release the potash. Dififerent 

 means are practiced to restore worn out land to fertility , 

 one way is to sow rye in September, plow under in s])ring 

 and disk harrow thoroughly. Then sow cow peas, harvest 

 the peas and turn down a.gain to rye ; both of these cro])s 

 will .grow on poor land, and three seasons of such treat- 

 ment will restore a worn out field ; and again stable 

 manure when proper!}- handled is the best remedy for im- 

 poverished soil : when stable manure is not available we 

 must plant crops and turn them under : clover is consid- 

 ered the best if left down three years: in this time the 

 roots will have i)enetrated the soil, thus leaving channels 

 to absorb the rains and also aid to sweeten the soil. This 

 crop stores up a .great amount of nitro.gen anfl is there- 

 fore a good crop for soilin.s; purposes. 



Phosphorus is a strong factor in soil bm'lding and no 

 soil can be considered fertile unless it contains a surplus 

 of this clement. This can be supplierl in the form of raw 

 ground ])hosphate rock anfl is the most economical wav 

 and should be applied one ton to the ncre. l-"or (|uick 

 results it may he applied in the form of basic -la" nbos- 

 phate. Plants in their growth make use of 1.^ diflercnt 

 chemical elements, nine of which they secure from the 

 soil. 



-Modern farming requires varied information. To at- 

 tain success in agriculture we must keep abreast with 

 changing conditions, we must follow good business meth- 

 ods and a])])ly commercial ideas, we must know how to 

 produce good crops and know how to sell them to best 

 advantage. \ iewed as a financial proposition, farming 

 is more attractive today than ever before. A few years 

 a.go garden truck was so cheap that farmers could not 

 al'ford to give their lime to it. Their efforts were tlirected 

 to dairying and beef and pork raising. l!ut with improve- 

 ment in trans])ortation facilities and modern conveniences 

 there is now greater diversity in agriculture which is a 

 large factor in making farming jMofitable. 



Truck farming and fruit raising is profitable when we 

 aim to have our produce above the average in quality and 

 ])r(jduction, and unless our efforts are directed bevond a 

 comuKjn level we need not look for nnich more than a 

 living. Crops should be diversified so that low prices or 

 tailure of one crop would still leave other products to fall 

 liack on, and also with a combination of crops we will 

 insure an even distribution of labor and regular cash in- 

 come. .Students of agriculture who are observant of 

 climatic conditions must conclude that it is best policy to 

 have their farming diversified. I'rofits in fruits are many 

 times greater than grain farming if an intelli.gent system 

 is maintained. 



This can be made one of the 1)est features of mixed 

 farming; the market advanta.ges for fruit in our thickly 

 settled comnnmities and cities are too important to be dis- 

 re.garded. However, we must .give more attention to se- 

 cure fruit of high quality and the demand will be enor- 

 mously increased. The easiest way to increase our income 

 without raising cost of ])roduction is to raise the margin of 

 l^rofit by producin.g products of high quality and market- 

 ing them at the right time in the right market and in the 

 most attractive manner. Good selling is an important 

 factor; business ability is re(|uired: we nuist be posted on 

 values ; we must make every customer a friend, give full 

 value on every order; make a reputation for doing just 

 what we promise to do and of selling what we offer to 

 •sell. ■ 



Co-operation of the .American farmer is slowlv comin.g 

 lo be recognized, and prosperous farmers will have good 

 sense to organize, to control the supply of their products, 

 to market them intelligentl\- and at the time when prices 

 are normal and demand is fair. .And when this is adopted 

 and its power exercised the .American farmer will be 

 more ])ros])erous. 



A 



APRIL. 



ROXTXG lad, with heart of love. 

 Time's youn.gcst .goes merrily on ; 



le knows the earth, and the stars move. 

 l!ut he's puzzled about the moon. 



pF,RIT.\PS. he said, she rules tli^ 



When she is young it's lime in -I'w 

 Lettuce, onions, cabba.ge and peas — 



Things that fruit above ground. \ou knn 



p XDDISII. l;ccts an.l "tatoi-. 

 ^^ of course, 



IT'S the mot)n that controls returns; 



The gardener knows this rule is bosh : 

 ( lets busy and the soil he turns with maijure 

 The moon takes it's course. 



I-".\\' or full, man's work she 

 ' ne'er s|)urns. 



-Ihizid S. Miller. 



