THE FERTILIZATION OF GARDEN CROPS. 



ARDEN crops have a short 

 period of growth, hence they 

 need a soil rich in available 

 plant food. Too large a pile 

 of half decayed vegetable matter, as 

 stable manure or compost should not 

 be used because of insect and fungous 

 pests. A liberal use of fertilizers and 

 manures for vegetables and fruits enables 

 the gardener to directly meet the special 

 wants of any soil for crops raised in suc- 

 cession during the same season on the 

 same lands. Too much soluble salines 

 should be avoided for some vegetables, 

 such as lettuce. Change the location 

 of crops from season to season that dif- 

 ferent crops may secure any surplus of 

 plant food. There are no unfailing re- 

 cipes for a general fertilizer mixture best 

 adapted to all kinds of soil, but for 

 vegetables a mixture containing double 

 the quantity of potash that there is of 

 nitrogen or phosphoric acid deserves a 

 careful trial. Crops will sometimes be 

 benefited by the extra use of nitrate of 



soda during the growing season, espe- 

 cially to such crops as cabbage, turnips, 

 cucumbers, onions, lettuce, asparagus, 

 strawberries, grapes and fruit trees. 

 Peas, beans and all leguminous crops 

 need no such addition, as they draw 

 nitrogen from the air. A moderate use 

 of manure or compost periodically will 

 be beneficial. New lands being used 

 for vegetables and orchards will be 

 benefited by deep plowing and enrich- 

 ing the lower layers with a liberal supply 

 of phosphates, as S. C. Fla or odorless 

 phosphates, a treatment that may be 

 repeated from time to time whenever, 

 practicable. The occasional use of 

 burnt lime will help garden crops, espe- 

 cially when there is much humus in the 

 soil, looo to 1500 lbs. pa. being 

 enough. Calcium carbonate will assist 

 to liberate plant food from the soil and 

 compost material and favors beneficial 

 bacterial life. — Dr. C. A. Goessmann, 

 Hatch Exp. Sta., Mass. 



THE ANJOU PEAR. 



It was many years after I fruited the good bearer, but forty years' experience 



Anjou before I ate a good one, but it 

 was no fault of the tree or fruit. This 

 pear should be picked and kept in a 

 cool, dry, even temperature, say between 

 35 degrees and 45 degrees, and it will 

 be in eating condition in not less than 

 four months. Reasonable people who 

 believe that pears are fit to eat will al- 

 ways regard the Anjou as a first-class 

 fruit in every respect, it being hardy, 

 a profuse bearer in proper soils, and of 

 flavor that to a normal palate will give 

 satisfaction. 



By why is nothing said about the 

 Sheldon? It is first-class. With me 

 the Urbaniste is a very good pear and a 



leads me to believe that the following 

 six are best for me, and my preference 

 is in the order named : Belle Lucrative, 

 Sheldon, Bartlett, Beurre d'Anjou, Bosc 

 and Seckel. 



Pears, to be at their best, need atten- 

 tion, a thing that probably they often- 

 times do not get, hence the diverse 

 judgment on their quality. Pears 

 should be thinned on the tree when 

 about one inch in diameter, and at least 

 one-half the fruit removed, except in 

 rare cases. You will get larger and 

 finer fruit and the quality will be im- 

 proved. — Exchange. 



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