6 Southern Oardener^s Practical Manual 



substances available for plant -food ont of reach of the 

 feeding roots of our cultivated crops. 



If the sandy surface rests upon a good claj-ey subsoil 

 in reach of the plow, its most serious defects may be 

 remedied by turning to the surface in the fall season a 

 portion of the clay to be pulverized by the frosts of 

 winter and incorporated with the sand. In conjunction 

 with this, such rotation of crops as will abundantly 

 supply humus, converts the sandy soil into a sandy 

 loam, the best type of garden soil. 



SOIL IS THE gardener's BANK 



The success of the gardener will depend very largely 

 upon his judgment in selecting and his skill in the 

 management of the soil upon which he grows his crops. 

 The plant being absolutely dependent upon the soil for 

 the supply of all of the mineral elements which enter 

 into its composition and for much of the volatile con- 

 stituents, its importance as the gardener's bank will be 

 at once recognized. 



ELEMENTARY COMPOSITION OF PLANTS AND THEIR 

 SOURCES OF SUPPLY 



By an element is meant any substance which cannot, 

 with our present knowledge and means, be separated 

 into two different kinds of matter. 



So far as known, all substances are compounded of 

 about seventy -four of these elements. Of these, only 

 fourteen are necessary for the production of all forms of 

 vegetation. 



