16 TRUCK FARMING 



However, it requires almost double the ainoiuit of fertilizer tc 

 properly grow a crop on this soil as on the dark land of the 

 Glades, and the profits are cut correspondingly. 



The better classes of pine-land soil are underlaid, besides witr 

 clay, with a porous coraline limestone, which, when not too fai 

 above the water level, will provide ample moisture through the 

 capillary attraction of the sun, drawing the water up from beneath 

 the reach of the roots of the plants, not unlike a lamp wick. SOUK 

 useful fertilizer ingredients also are pumped within reach of th( 

 plant roots by this natural method. Still further south, in whai 

 is locally known as the Homestead country, are very shallow bed< 

 of land composed of an admixture of sand and clay, containing 

 nearly two per cent of iron and aluminum, in addition to almosi 

 one per cent of phosphate. This soil, however shallow, produce; 

 excellent vegetables, and does not require as much fertilizer a; 

 ordinary pine land. 



