THE SOIL 91 



Heavy soil is used for Roses principally because such soil is 

 best suited to remain in the benches for two or more years; there is 

 more body to it, and by mulching and feeding from time to time, 

 one is able to replace the nutrient elements taken out by the plants. 

 You might apply this principle also to the palms which do best for 

 the longest period in a so-called heavy or strong soil. This is not to 

 say that Roses and palms cannot be grown in a light soil, but experi- 

 ence has taught us that a heavier soil is preferable. If it consists 

 of loam, rather than clay, so much the better. 



Short-lived plants usually are most easily handled in lighter 

 soil, yet a good, mellow loam with a liberal amount of well-decom- 

 posed manure and sand suits almost everything. You can grow 

 to perfection in such soil Cinerarias, Primulas, Cyclamen, Regonias, 

 ferns and bedding stock of every description. 



A light and rather heavily manured soil is always apt to produce 

 a rank growth, while a heavy soil makes for a short, stocky growth. 

 As in the case of Geraniums, it gives you not only short-jointed 

 plants, but also better flowers. 



The heavier the soil you use, the more particular you should be 

 in providing proper drainage. Whenever possible mix a liberal 

 amount of sand with it. Without proper drainage the best kind of 

 soil soon becomes worthless; with it, even a soil lacking in humus will 

 grow fair stock if this is helped along a little with food from time 

 to time. 



SUCCESS WITHOUT SOIL RENEWAL 



It has been demonstrated that Roses in the same soil in benches 

 can do well for three years and more, and that Carnations grown in 

 the same soil in beds for five years and over have paid. All that 

 was done to the Roses was to apply from time to time a fresh mulch 

 of manure on top; with the Carnations, each Spring or early Summer 

 the young stock was planted in the same soil the old plants had 

 come out of after a good dose of lime and manure had been spaded in. 



Soil in a solid bed, with good drainage below, doesn't seem to 

 give out or wear out nearly as quickly as that in benches. This 

 is easily accounted for, as with almost daily watering, a good deal 

 of the humus or organic plant food is soon washed out. Many 

 growers make use of every bit of the old soil that comes out of their 

 Chrysanthemum or Carnation benches for their bedding stock. 

 There isn't any reason for wasting such soil. 



Personally, I much prefer new soil for benching Chrysanthe- 

 mums or Carnations, for I don't believe there is any fertilizer known 

 today that will replace the food that is taken out of the soil by 

 growing Carnations in it for eight months. That is the case with 



