PKEPARING THE SOIL 37 



and hinge the long sides together. Stand this con- 

 trivance over a row of seedlings which has just been put 

 into the ground whenever the sun is strong enough to 

 produce flagging (Plate 5, Fig. 3). 



Hoeing. The value of constant and repeated hoeings 

 can only be appreciated by those who practise this gentle 

 art. As we have said before, the soil gradually settles 

 down and loses its aeration ; this happens more on the 

 surface than anywhere else. When the hoe is used to 

 scratch, chop or flake the upper layers of the ground, 

 porosity is restored and the plants gain thereby. 



Weeds. Not only is the hoe a valuable tool for 

 increasing the fertility of the soil, but it is, also, the best 

 implement we can use for tearing up shallow-rooted weed s. 

 Give each weed two strokes with the hoe, one to sever the 

 leaves from the root, the other to damage the root itself. 



Weeds are often left in the ground to increase and 

 multiply at their own will. This is a most short-sighted 

 policy, as where one of these useless plants is grown 

 something of value might be thriving. In a general way 

 weeds absorb moisture and take up plant food ; they 

 crowd the crop, screening it from the light ; they often 

 harbour insect pests which, in time, infest the vegetable 

 crops ; and frequently they taint the flavour of our 

 produce. 



The following methods of suppressing these undesir- 

 able encumbrances of the ground are suggested by the 

 Board of Agriculture : 



1. The most obvious mode of suppressing weeds 

 is to prevent their seeding. When it is recognised 

 that an ordinary charlock plant produces more than 



