52 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



sweet and friable. Fertilizers follow lime because several of 

 them need lime as a base before they can become available 

 as food for the plants. 



It is assumed that most soils will be benefited by frequent 

 light dressings of lime in some form either quicklime, ground 

 limestone, or chalk. Peaty and clay soils would certainly be 

 greaty improved by making liming a part of the rotation. 

 There are, however, some which already contain sufficient 

 lime. This is easily ascertained ; shake up about an " ounce 

 of soil in a small quantity of water, then add a little hydro- 

 chloric acid (this can be obtained from any chemist). If there 

 is a brisk effervescence sufficient lime is present, but if there 

 is little or no effervescence then it may be taken for granted 

 that dressings of lime will be beneficial. 



Of course it is not intended that such a scheme of manuring 

 should be rigidly adhered to. It would be impossible and in- 

 advisable to confine either manure, lime,, or fertilizers strictly 

 to the sections assigned to them. A mulch of manure, an 

 additional dressing of fertilizer, or a sprinkling of lime or soot 

 may be given to any of the crops as the necessity arises. 

 When this allowance is made the scheme will stand as a work- 

 able and economical basis for a rotation. But farmyard 

 manure must be applied with no niggardly hand to the section 

 which is double-dug. No system has been or can be devised 

 which will enable good crops to be continuously grown unless 

 the land is kept in "good heart." For heavy or peaty soils 

 at least thirty tons to the acre should be given, and for light 

 soils no less than fifty tons. It must be remembered that 

 Lime and lime without manure 

 Will make both farm and farmer poor. 



The crops should be so arranged that they systematically 

 follow the rotation of cultivation, placing them, as far as is 

 practicable, on the sections which have been treated most 

 in accordance with their requirements. Their positions would, 

 however, be regulated largely by the necessity for a regular 

 succession and constant supplies. A detailed plan for cropping 

 on these lines is given in the following chapter. 



