32 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



Unlike stronger soils, it is sound practice to let the light 

 ones lie solid through the winter, and in many instances 

 direct good will accrue when a few annual, surface-rooting 

 weeds are allowed to grow unchecked from November 

 until the time of working in the spring. Objection will 

 perhaps be lodged to this suggestion by many growers, on 

 the score that the weeds will draw supplies of food from 

 the soil, and thus the legitimate crops will be robbed ; but 

 there is really very little in this argument. The weeds 

 will certainly obtain sustenance from the soil, but they 

 can afterwards be buried at least 10 inches beneath the 

 surface, when, in rotting down, as they are sure to do in 

 due course, they will return to the soil the food which 

 they had previously drawn from it, and the next crop will 

 derive the benefit. It is not only, however, in this direction 

 that the weeds do good in light soil, but in the fact that they 

 prevent the water rushing as freely and as rapidly through 

 as it would do if the soil were left bare, or roughly turned 

 up in the autumn, as is advocated for loams and clays. 



As early in February as it is convenient to get on the 

 ground, the process of working light soils should be put in 

 hand. Nothing short of a depth of 3 feet will give the 

 best results with Sweet Peas, and if the depth can be in- 

 creased without very much trouble to half as much again, 

 so much the better for the plants. It is excellent practice 

 to tread down each spit as the process goes on, since, when 



