92 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



bench soil, but, on the other hand, such soil spread broadcast 

 outdoors, and plowed under with the field soil, after a good crop of 

 Clover or grass has been grown on it, will, the second year, be as 

 good as any soil you can secure. 



I call ideal soil for benching that which you obtain by plowing 

 up good sod about 6 or 8 in. deep and piling it up for three months 

 or so. Three months isn't enough if the ground was dry when you 

 plowed it, but if the soil and sod were fairly moist or received a good 

 soaking as you piled them, except in the case of a very heavy sod, it 

 will break up nicely after three months. Use the small lumps or 

 pieces of sod in the bottom of the bench for drainage, and before 

 bringing the soil in, mix with it one-third as much well-decomposed 

 manure. Or the manure can be incorporated at the time you 

 pile the sod. 



If such soil consists of rather heavy loam, or especially, if it 

 appears somewhat like a clay in nature, you can mix with every six 

 yards at one yard of sharp sand. This will give you about as ideal 

 a soil for Carnations, 'Mums, and the general run of florist's stock 

 as you can wish for. I call such a soil "live, sweet, full of plant 

 food and fiber," and would much prefer it to that which has been 

 piled up for two or three years. 



It is easy to say to a man: "You should have such and such a 

 soil for certain things," but to always be able to get it is quite an- 

 other matter. There are Cyclamens being grown in soft leafmold 

 with rotted cow manure and sand, the mixture being finely sifted 

 before it is used for potting, that are giving beautiful plants; and 

 there are just as good plants being grown in heavy loam. This 

 holds good with other stock as well. 



WHAT A GOOD SOIL MUST BE 



What is of greatest importance, especially in pot culture, is a 

 sweet, porous soil; the heavier its nature, the less you want to think 

 about using a sieve. Finely sifted heavy soil will always pack more 

 than that which contains small lumps and grass rootlets. Of course 

 this doesn't mean not to work the soil over so as to have it fine enough 

 to work or pot with. Also I wouldn't want to use such soil for small 

 Begonia, Petunia or Primula seedlings. A lighter soil is better to 

 work with and for such plants to grow in. 



It doesn't take a man long to find out what suits his stock best, 

 but in most cases a florist can obtain what he needs for ordinary 

 purposes near his neighborhood. 



Soil to be avoided is such as lacks fiber and is mucky and sticky ; 

 this kind of soil will remind you of putty when in a moist state and 

 moulded into a ball. You can grow certain things in such material 



