Market-Garden Crops 307 



one or more of these plants in most any American garden. 

 The fertilization of these crops, including dill, mint, sage, 

 savory, thyme and tansy, is in large degree dependent 

 upon the object of their use, that is, whether for leaf 

 or seed. In general, they require a warm soil well sup- 

 plied with all the elements of plant-food. A liberal 

 application of manure and 1000 pounds of the basic 

 fertilizer should be sufficient. 



In all of the suggestions made as to the fertilization of 

 market-garden crops, not only has the question of yield 

 been kept in mind, but also the quality of the product, 

 which is a measure of salability. The question is often 

 raised as to whether the forcing of these crops by means 

 of active fertilizers may not result in too coarse and one- 

 sided a growth. Such growth does frequently follow a 

 heavy fertilization with nitrogen, if accompanied by too 

 light a fertilization with minerals. The tendency of the 

 plant is to make a normal development when a sufficiency 

 of all of the fertility elements are present, but in these 

 crops the object is really a one-sided growth in many 

 cases, since that growth is usually better adapted for the 

 purpose than that obtained under what may be regarded 

 as normal conditions. It must be remembered, too, in 

 the growing of certain vegetables, such as radishes, celery, 

 etc., or those in which the roots are the edible portion, 

 that commercial fertilizers do not contribute any undesir- 

 able flavors. In fact, they are often largely responsible 

 for those peculiar characteristics which give quality; 

 whereas, when these vegetables are grown by the exclu- 

 sive and necessarily excessive applications if large 

 yields are to be secured of natural manures, undesir- 

 able qualities are frequently contributed by them. 



