BOOK OF THE HOME GARDEN 



this one as fast as they appear. You can do the 

 same thing with your flowers if you wish; every 

 kind will respond, because it is only natural that 

 when all the food goes to one blossom it will be 

 larger than if the food is divided among many 

 blossoms. 



You can also help make large fruit and flowers 

 by giving the plant extra food at blossoming and 

 fruiting time. The best food is liquid manure. It 

 is made by putting a bag of manure into a barrel 

 of water and letting it soak for several days. Then 

 take a half bucket of this (if it is very dark brown) 

 and fill the bucket with fresh water. If it is light 

 brown use % of a bucket of manure water and % 

 of a bucket of fresh water. This will dilute the 

 manure because it is wise not to have it too strong. 

 Pour some around each plant or on both sides of 

 the row, not too close to the stems but so the feed- 

 ing rootlets can get it. Give your plants a dose of 

 this once a week for several weeks. You will see 

 the leaves grow a rich dark green and the fruit and 

 flowers increase in size. 



If you cannot get manure water you may use 

 nitrate of soda, but you will have to use it very, 

 very carefully, else you may burn your plants. 

 Nitrate of soda comes in crystal form and is dis- 



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