140 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESSFUL GARDENING. 



(Extracted from the preceding pages of this book.) 



DRAINAGE. Be sure the land is well drained, either naturally or by other 

 means. Drainage removes stagnant water and induces a passage of air 

 through the soil. Plants cannot thrive with their roots in stagnant 

 water, and aeration of the soil is indispensable to their healthy growth. 



CULTIVATION. Work the land deeply. By drainage and deep working 

 the soil is made sweeter and warmer, and the roots of the plants have a 

 much greater area from which to extract food. Although drained soil is 

 relieved from stagnant and excessive moisture in wet periods it holds 

 much more moisture for the use of the plants when the weather is dry. 

 Thus, on such soil seeds germinate sooner and stronger, and plants 

 grow more vigorously, whether the season is wet or dry. 



LIME. Always make sure that the soil contains sufficient lime ; when there 

 is any deficiency give regular applications every three or four years, 

 because lime gradually dissolves and passes out of the soil in drainage 

 water. Lime makes heavy soils more friable and sandy soils more 

 compact ; it sweetens sour land, makes inert plant foods available, and 

 strengthens the structure of the plant. 



MANURE. The "thorough" gardener should continually strive to increase 

 the fertility of the soil and to this end, so far as his means will allow, 

 should be unsparing in the use of natural manure. Concentrated fer- 

 tilizers when used with judgment are extremely useful and are often 

 indispensable to the securing of a good crop, but they should only be 

 used to supplement natural manure and not to take its place that is, 

 since different plants need the principal constituents of plant food in 

 varying quantities the deficiencies of any of these in soil or manure 

 should be made good. By substituting concentrated fertilizers for 

 farmyard manure the store of fertility in the soil is reduced. It is only 

 by the unsparing use of manure that the intensive gardener can take 

 from his soil good crops in continuous succession. Farmyard manure 

 not only provides plant foods but further increases the fertility of the 

 soil by adding humus, which makes clays more open and friable and 

 gives moisture-retaining power to sands. It should never be allowed 

 to come in contact with the roots whilst in a rank condition, the nearer 

 to the time of planting when applied, the more thoroughly decayed 

 it should be. 



SEEDS, SOWING, THINNING, and TRANSPLANTING. Buy good seeds 

 of established varieties from a reliable firm. Cheap seeds may also be 

 good seeds, but often they are not, and then they prove very dear. 

 Prepare a proper seed bed, and always sow in freshly stirred or a-erated 

 soil. Early in the season in the open-air sow rather thickly, to provide 

 against losses and to ensure a full plant, but thin out promptly and 

 boldly to avoid overcrowding, or the seedlings will be drawn and weakly. 

 Transplant early and firmly, in dull weather, into freshly-stirred soil 



MOISTURE, HOEING, and MULCHING. Few cultivated plants get when 

 growing all the- moisture they need to give the best results. Frequent 

 hoeing not only prevents the growth of weeds, but by keeping a mulch 

 of loose soil on the surface hinders the evaporation of soil moisture and 

 so retains it for the use of the plants. A mulch of manure over the roots 

 after hoeing is better still and saves much watering. 



SUNSHINE and AIR. Abundance of air and sunshine are quite as impor- 

 tant for the production of healthy and vigorous plants as they are for 

 animals. Therefore, always avoid overcrowding, and let each plant 

 have room for its full development. Whenever possible, run the rows 

 north and south, so that sunlight can fall equally on both sides 



