CHAPTER XIX. 

 SUMMER FEEDING. 



THE question of summer feeding is one upon which opinions 

 differ. It is a subject very full of interest, but one in 

 which if mistakes are made disasters are likely to occur. 



First of all let me ask, " Is Feeding Necessary ? " 

 Amateurs seldom take the trouble to ask themselves this 

 very important question. They take for granted that 

 feeding is necessary, and feed without thought. 



In some gardens and allotments the plants are much 

 overfed. One sees a barrel containing liquid manure 

 made from horse or cow dung, and soot, often as black as 

 ink, and it is quite usual to see amateurs feeding their 

 annuals, biennials, and perennials with this powerful fluid. 

 They say that their plants won't grow without it. 



" Have you tried, then ? " I ask. " Well, no," or 

 perhaps, " Yes, many years back when we first took over 

 this piece, but we never had a worse lot of flowers." 



" How about the manure you put in every season ? " 

 I ask. " Do you put a good, thick layer in each trench ? " 



" Well, no, we hardly do that," is the answer. " We 

 just put a bit in each trench as we go on, but would rather 

 feed the plants during their season of growth than waste 

 a lot of manure by putting it in each winter." 



That is not an uncommon idea. And it is largely held 

 by amateur gardeners, who prefer to rely on summer 

 feeding rather than on good cultivation and winter 

 manuring. , 



This is all a mistake. If manures can be obtained or 

 made as described in the chapters to follow on Manures, 



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