PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING 379 



a ton of fertilizer to the acre, containing four per cent of nitrogen and seven 

 or eight per cent of each of the mineral elements — potash and phosphoric 

 acid. As a rule, a complete fertilizer should be applied before the crops are 

 planted, and thoroughly mixed with the soil by harrowing. If additional 

 plant-food is needed after the crop is started, it may be applied along 

 the rows. Nitrate of soda is largely used for this purpose. Applications 

 may range from 100 to 250 pounds to the acre, and if desired may be 

 applied at intervals of ten days to three w T eeks. 



The Use of Lime. — The values of lime are discussed in Chapter 6. 

 Vegetable growers recognize the necessity, more than ever, of keeping their 

 soils in a neutral or slightly alkaline condition, so that liming at regular 

 intervals is probably a necessity on most soils, and especially those which 

 receive large annual applications of acid fertilizers. Serious troubles are 

 likely to develop in such soils and it is desirable to take preventive measures 

 by liming the land. This is the best known treatment of soils to prevent 

 clubroot which infects cabbage and other members of this family. 



Seeds and Seed Sowing. — The utmost care should be exercised to 

 obtain seed of the highest quality. Numerous experiments show that there 

 is marked variation in the strains of our most common varieties of cabbage, 

 tomatoes, lettuce, onions and other classes of vegetables. A superior 

 strain may mean a profit of fifty to one hundred dollars more to the acre 

 than one w T hich is inferior. The most reliable seedsmen should be patron- 

 ized. It may even pay to grow seed at home or to buy from specialists 

 w r ho have developed strains of unusual merit. 



A fine, moist seed-bed is essential to germination, whether the seeds 

 are sown under glass or in the open ground. The surface of the ground 

 should also be smooth, so that the seeds will be covered with a uniform 

 depth of soil. 



Transplanting. — Vegetable growers find that transplanting is often a 

 great advantage if not a necessity. It makes it possible to care for thou- 

 sands of seedlings on a very small area. For example, it is easily possible 

 to start 10,000 cabbage plants under a 3 x 6 foot hotbed sash, while ten 

 sash are necessary to protect that number of seedlings after they have 

 been transplanted. 



Vegetable plants should be transferred to their new quarters before 

 they have become crowded and spindling. The time of sowing should be 

 carefully planned so that this condition will be avoided. 



Machine planters are largely used in field operations. If they are 

 properly managed, they do the work fully as well as it can be done by hand. 

 Whatever the method employed, the main essential is to bring a consider- 

 able quantity of fine, moist soil into close contact with the roots. 



Starting Early Plants. — Soil to be used for starting early plants should 

 be fine, free from stones and sticks and fairly rich. For cabbage or cauli- 

 flower, it should be taken from land that has not grown either those or 

 other members of the cabbage family for seven or eight years in order to 



