IN THE EVERGLADES 49 



As an example of its vigor, we frequently find it growing on 

 land to which practically no care has been given whatever, often 

 having only part of the rubbish and saw-grass removed by digging 

 a slight depression with a hoe and putting in a little stable manure 

 or fertilizer and planting directly thereafter. 



In case the land is moist, successful crops have been grown 

 by this method, simply applying fertilizer to the surface without 

 working it in, though in case a severe drouth should follow, very 

 little of this fertilizer is assimilated and the crop is correspondingly 

 meager. 



The careful grower will plow his land and thoroughly work 

 it, striking off the rows from four to six feet apart according 

 to the variety and the nature and fertility of the soil, apply three 

 to four hundred pounds of a fertilizer, such as is commonly used 

 for vegetables and containing a high per cent of potash, and 

 thoroughly work this in with a spike-tooth harrow some five or 

 seven days previous to planting. 



Seed Bed. 



In selecting a location for a seed bed, it should be done with a 

 view of having it close to the field in which the plants are finally 

 to be grown ; therefore, choose a strip if possible directly along- 

 side or in the field to be planted. This should, of course, be 

 thoroughly pulverized and enriched, using a liberal application 

 of fertilizer, rich in ammonia. For seed beds about double or 

 treble the quantity of fertilizer ordinarily used should be thor- 

 oughly incorporated with the soil to the depth of several inches. 

 In case the season be cold or backward, or inclined to be rainy, 

 an additional heavy application of finely pulverized compost 

 should be added. This should be left to soak with the soil for a 

 period of six or seven days before the seed is planted. Great 

 care must, of course, be taken to see that the proper varieties 

 are used and that the seed has strong germinative powers. It is 

 best sown with a seed drill, such as has come into use by the 

 truck growers in the North for sowing the different varieties of 

 vegetable seed. The seed should be sown very thinly, with a view 



