SOIL IMPROVEMENT 
for therein lies the very foundation of your farming or gardening success. 
If so, what elements are lacking? 
Look to your Soil pant food? 
it need acid? 
Does it need lime? 
Does your soil need 
How much lime? Or, does 
Accurate answers to these questions are worth many dollars to every grower because they often mean the difference 
between a successful crop and a poor crop. 
soil in relation to the chemical requirements of the crop you plan to grow. 
The accompanying chart and tabulation of varieties show that most vegetables thrive best in a slightly acid soil. 
Save money and increase your profits by knowing the possibilities of your 
It is 
very necessary however, to first know the pH (or degree of acidity) of your soil as determined by soil tests, before applying 
acid or lime, rather than by guesswork. The desired amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash should also be deter- 
mined as a matter of economy. Use a soil test kit and feed your soil the elements which are needed. 
PLANT FOOD ELEMENTS 
Plants require nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (the three most important), oxygen, hydrogen and carbon (obtained 
from air and water) and the minor elements usually found in the soil in sufficient quantity but also supplied in the better 
brands of mixed fertilizers. 
These minor elements are calcium, sulphur, magnesium, 
manganese, iron and boron. Their functions are largely 
indirect, but very essential as they aid the chemical changes 
which render other ingredients more available. Calcium 
(lime), for example, aids in making the nitrogenous materials 
more quickly available and changes the physical nature of 
soils. Sulphur seems to exert a beneficial influence on plant 
growth and iron is necessary in the formation S chlerop byt 
° is the “top growth” element needed for leafy 
Nitrogen vegetables such as spinach, kale, parsley, etc. 
Aside from mixed fertilizers, nitrogen can be had in various 
organic forms as in bone meal, blood meal, tankage, fish 
meal, cotton seed meal and inorganic forms such as nitrate 
of soda (tending toward an alkaline reaction), amonium 
sulphate (tending toward an acid reaction), urea and 
potassium nitrate. The organic materials are safest to use 
as they react slowly and gO roy et ae 
is generally the most needed element, as 
Phosphorus the continued use of manures possessing 
such a little of it, combined with the fact that most crops 
are heavy phosphorus feeders, soils worked for a number 
of years are practically depleted of this element. A real 
fertile soil is rich in readily available phosphorus. It is 
the element which promotes growth and vigor, flowers, fruit 
and seeds. Beans, corn, cucumber, tomatoes, turnips and 
rutabagas seem to respond to heavy feedings of phosphorus. 
It is available in mixed fertilizers, superphosphate, bone 
meal and tankage. 
P t h is the root growing element. Asparagus, beets, 
olds carrots, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes and 
radish all respond to extra potash feeding. Sulphate of 
potash is best for tobacco, lettuce and leaf crops, while 
muriate of potash is most beneficial to carrots, potatoes and 
root crops. 
KNOW which elements are needed 
in your soil 
Practical tests with 
the Sudbury Soil Test 
Kit will show the 
acidity of soil and any 
possible deficiency in 
nitrogen, phosphorus, 
and potash. Each kit 
is accompanied by 
complete instructions 
and tables of plant 
needs. 
MODEL D (as illustrated)—Contains enough soil 
testing solutions to make 20 individual tests. $2.00. 
CLUB MODEL—Makes 50 individual tests for nitro- 
gen, phosphorus, potash and acidity. Cased in hand- 
some sturdy imitation leather. $4.75. 
MODEL B—In permanent metal case. Contains suf- 
ficient chemical for 60 individual tests for nitrogen, 
phosphorus, potash and acidity. Case contains test tube 
rack, extra test tubes, special glass funnels, color 
charts and a supply of filter paper. $9.75. 
TESTING FLUID for refill. Specify whether for nitro- 
gen, phosphorus, potash or acidity. 2 0z., 75c; 6 oz., $1.50. 
Superior Seeds 
ACID OR ALKALINE PREFERENCES 
(Letters refer to degree of acidity in chart below) 
S, GRASSES, ETC. 
PAE Eat csscennctcorccecsseserpracsonececasrecstses Wi CG Keamecttttecscnsncaronsnastancesedetcacucrcsrecatesy B 
Asparagus we A Lettuce .......... WA 
Barley ....... SAL Muskmelons B 
Beans =O Oats iirccscss Cc 
Beets i icciccc.e: eA. Onions A 
Bent Grass . re} D) Parsley ... A 
Blue Berries. EB Parsnips D 
Blue Grass . ete Peas ec. B 
Broccoli ... ele Peppers Cc 
Cabbage wA Plums ..... D 
Carrots reed ot Potatoes D 
Cauliflower aN Pumpkin ..D 
Celery ........ wA Radish) tvs ~B 
Chicory rae} Raspberries .. .B 
Corn ....... «ots: Red Clover... B 
Clover mA Rhubarb ..... B 
Cowpeas _..... =, Veumarncs Cc 
Cranberries . EB Spinach B 
Cucumber ..... send 3 Squash ....... Cc 
Currants ... =A) Strawberries Cc 
Eggplant . spel) Tobacco .......... C 
Endive .......... eB Tomato Cc 
Gooseberry meeko) Turnip ... Cc 
Grapes ....... sD) Rutabaga ...... Cc 
Kealeiiccns es Watermelon . edb} 
Diaurel Peccsstassecessceasesstanceessree es E SWIRGAE Tis. cccesssscsccccetssecsecessocessessrvornee A 
FLOWERS 
AZBVCBS 5 ceicicassnssossansscasiscssuctsetsnevesssese E Hydrangea Blue..............ssccsesceeees E 
Anemone B Hydrangea Pink.. .C 
Aster . B EAS) \chcsssenargensoetecs B 
Begonia ........... B Lady Slipper.. E 
Bleeding Heart Cc Larkspur ... B 
Bouvardia ........ Cc Lilac B 
Calendula .... A Tai yy cesses Cc 
Candy-tuft B Lupine .... Cc 
Gamma feectcecseess B Marigold .... B 
Carnation . B Mignonette ... B 
Centaurea . B Morning Glory.. A 
Cineraria ............. A Myosotia ....,.... .B 
Chrysanthemum . B Narcissus ... B 
Clarksiayeecscascr: B Nasturtium A 
Clematis ..... A Orchid) Wc. D 
Columbine B Pansy B 
Cosmos ...... B Peony B 
Cyclamen .C Primula .. B 
Dahliauensnn .B Poinsettia .. B 
Delphinium Cc Petunia ...... A 
Didiscus) <.:..... B IPHIOXI eect Cc 
Easter Lily iS Poppy: ties B 
Euphorbia .... Cc Rhododendron cc 
Feverfew ... B TROBG3 NE ech ccaiectesterseacnastehaseeee oe B 
ernst cscssccseeeence Cc St Raulianienccsscaccc eccrine B 
Forget Me Not A Salis loss is) geile verenccscctcccxssceuncenetentes B 
Musehiay cicscssses B SCADION A arcccc tives ceccteectscaccboassncantncttes B 
Gardenia E So Hiza GH Users cence cecacecereccscecnecctenee B 
Genista ....... A SMADATAP OMY fccscccscsecoccuccoeenucscnscercone B 
Geranium A DSTOGKS arcaccrcccnctarnccccctnancestccctenseeeecves B 
Gerbera ...... A Swainsonia neers 
Gladiolus B Beect Peas.. ae 
Godetia .......... B ently ras oB 
Heather ......... D anole oa) B 
A esteria . aah 
Heliotrope . A Woodbine eB 
Bho yiticcss.ceene .E Yueea ...... aR 
I yak Cini that Mescccstissavucrvacscnteacelvcceocrvoeens B ZT La even cececveracccnsreceateruevceeecencoreaiees B 
4pH bpH 6pH 6% TpH 714 8pH 
E D Cc essay A 
Acid — Alkaline 
Neutral 
B, C, D and E indicate degrees of acidity from 7 pH, which 
is neutral, to 4 pH which is extremely acid. “A” indicates 
a slightly alkaline condition—(1000 lbs. Hydrated Lime per 
acre will change a sandy loam from pH 5 to pH 6.) 
J. MANNS & CO., Baltimore, Md. 91 
