SOIL. 61 



there is natural loam, or where the ground is loose and 

 rich. Well-rotted stable manure is good for bringing 

 up garden soil to a proper condition, as is also leaf- 

 mold, rotted sods, etc. The ground must be fertile. 

 Sandy soil, if rich and moist, is not objectionable, but 

 rather desirable ; but in any case the drainage must be 

 good." 



On another page Mr. Stanton makes some very 

 important statements concerning the soil, statements 

 the author wishes to strengthen as much as possible. 

 No crop can be grown in continuous succession with- 

 out gradually becoming poorer and becoming more 

 subject to the attacks of enemies. A change of soil 

 or a change of crop upon the soil is essential. In 

 nature there is a rotation of crops ; the lichens, those 

 plants that live on rocks and tree trunks, are followed 

 by mosses, mosses by ferns, ferns by flowering plants, 

 among which there is a rotation also pines often give 

 place to scrub oak. Man has been slow to learn from 

 nature, but he has learned this lesson from a master 

 that he understands better his pocketbook. It pays 

 to practice rotation, and to supply humus. 



Mr. Hart finds that humus may be easily supplied 

 by muck. He writes in Special Crops in substance as 

 follows : 



"Although soils and locations varied greatly, in 

 gardens where he used the largest proportion of muck 

 the plants are thriving best, and from previous results 

 he concludes that muck is one of the very best soils 

 to add in preparing a bed for ginseng." He goes on 

 to say that : "The cultivators will find that the soil is 

 one of the most important features in cultivating this 

 plant successfully. Of course the present cultivators 

 are well aware of this, and the beginner will readily 

 note how important it is that the soil should contain 

 the elements essential to the growth of the plants. A 



