THE s« 



GARDEN YARD "** 



need the same amount of it. You will find that 

 those which need much light can turn towards 

 it, and this of itself will show you where such 

 plants should be sown. Plants have various 

 ways to resist the supply of light when they 

 are getting too much. They droop their heads 

 or close their leaves, which prevents evapora- 

 tion. 



Different plants need different food and the 

 same soil conditions will not suit all. Some re- 

 quire rich soil if they are to flourish, while some 

 do better in poor soil. On the whole, plants, 

 like people, are better for under-feeding than 

 for over-feeding. In general, starving a plant 

 makes it flower and fruit more quickly, but less 

 abundantly; while over-feeding helps to make 

 much stem and leaf instead of fruit, and also 

 produces monstrosities. Too much nitrogen, 

 especially, makes too much stem and leaf, 

 though nitrogen is one of the most important 

 plant foods. (Bailey says too much nitrogen 

 can be corrected to a certain extent, by potas- 

 sium put in the soil.*) 



We are sure of only three plant foods — potash, 

 phosphoric acid, and nitrogen. Then there are 



* Note. — In regard to muck soils, it is not a case of excess of 

 nitrogen but lack of potash which makes potash valuable for such. 

 Samuel Fraser. 



