34 THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE. 



Binders. — A serious lack in all the lighter soils is ad- 

 hesion ; a something, so to speak, which will bind and 

 hold together the particles of soil, rendering them, as 

 a whole, less sensitive to the action of heat and drought. 



The agencies best adapted to this work, some of 

 which, at least, if not all, are within the reach of every 

 one, are air-slacked lime, wood ashes, either leached or 

 unleached, swamp muck and marl. These applied in 

 large amounts, preferably as a top dressing to be worked 

 into the soil will many times repay the cost and labor 

 of applying. Any and all are valuable, and are of course 

 more easily and economically applied before the plants 

 are set, out. Old fields will also be much renovated and 

 improved, by some of the above applications ; lime espe- 

 cially. 



Acidity of Soil. — This subject is so generally over- 

 looked by farmers and gardeners that the opportunity of 

 drilling in a little deeper and driving it home a little 

 harder, should not be lost. 



By careful experiments and observation, I am led to 

 believe that many soils otherwise fertile and valuable, are 

 losing half their usefulness from no other cause than 

 their acidity; and when so easily remedied the wonder 

 is, that they are so sorely neglected. The trouble is 

 prevalent in almost every variety and condition of soil, 

 and its detection is so simple that we give it in brief 

 as also, the remedy. Procure from any druggist a piece 

 of blue litmus paper, taking care that it never comes in 

 contact with water or becomes damp previous to using. 

 Thoroughly moisten some of the soil to be tested and 

 with a knife or other thin blade make an incision. In- 

 sert the paper closing back the soil against it, and leave 

 for a few minutes, after which withdraw it and rinse in 

 clear water. The condition of the soil either acid or 



