SOIL AND PREPARATION 



preference if the soil is light adding a good dressing 

 of bone meal as the work proceeds. The top spit should 

 be filled in as rough as possible (at the same time mix- 

 ing with the soil thoroughly rotted manure) and left so 

 all winter, that the frost, snow, and rain may have a 

 better chance of exerting their mellowing influences 

 upon the soil. Should the under spits be very light, 

 1 would recommend that it should be taken out of the 

 trench and replaced with soil of heavier substance. 



If the land is very heavy, with a clay subsoil, long 

 stable litter and rough material from the garden rub- 

 bish heap should be. incorporated with the subsoil which 

 is broken up, as this will help materially to drain and 

 sweeten the trench, and farm-yard manure, road sweep- 

 ings, and wood ashes will help to lighten the top spits, 

 adding bone meal as recommended above. 



While on the subject of trenching, we ought to ex- 

 plain that where the Sweet Peas are to be planted in 

 rows the trench should be taken out at least two feet 

 wide and the rows should be five feet apart. 



As soon as the frost is out of the ground in early 

 spring and the soil is in a nice, dry condition, the rows 

 should have a fairly heavy coating of superphosphate 

 of lime (acid phosphate), which can be forked or raked 

 into the soil and all made ready for planting. Care 

 should be taken that the soil is not too loose, as in this 

 condition it would be apt to dry up quickly during the 

 summer; therefore, if it is loose and open, get it con- 

 solidated by forking and treading, but do not attempt 

 to work the trench until it is quite dry. 



Soils deficient in lime will be greatly benefited by a 

 good dusting of fresh lime put on in the fall or winter, 

 using it as soon as slaked. On ground that has been 



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