SOIL IMPROVEMENT 



T nh -tn iimiv Qnil ^°^ therein lies the very foundation of your farming or gardening success. Does your soil need 

 LdOOK 10 your O Oil p\ant food? If so, -what elements are lacking? Does it need lime? How much lime? Or, does 

 it need acid ? 



Accurate answers to these questions are worth many dollars to every grower because they often mean the diflference 

 between a successful crop and a poor crop. Save money and increase your profits by knowing the possibilities of your 

 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. 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 thre 

 from air and water) and the minor elements usually found i 

 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 of chlorophyll. 

 T»r»^ _-„ is the "top growth" element needed for leafy 

 l\ltrOyvn. 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), ammonium 

 sulphate (tending toward an acid reaction), urea and 

 potassium nitrate. The organic materials are safest to use 

 as they react slowly and do not burn. 



PhnQnhnyiKi '^ generally the most needed element, as 

 iflUSpflOrilb 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. 



Pfi-fffoh '^ ^^^ root growing element. Asparagus, beets, 

 iUtUSn 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 oz„ 75c: 6 oz., $1.50. 

 FISHER ALKACID SOIL TESTER, $1.00. 



e most important), oxygen, hydrogen and carbon (obtained 

 n the soil in suflScient quantity but also supplied in the better 



ACID OR ALKALINE PREFERENCES 



(Letters refer to degree of acidity in chart below) 

 VEGETABLES, GRAINS, GRASSES, ETC. 



Leek B 



Lettuce A 



Muskmelons « ~ B 



Oats __ „ C 



Onions _ A 



Parsley „ „....„...„„_„....A 



Parsnips ™ „ _.. D 



Peas _ „ B 



Peppers __ _„_ C 



Plums „ D 



Potatoes „ ™_J) 



Pumpk in _ D 



Radish _B 



Raspberries _ „ B 



Red Clover B 



Rhubarb „..„ B 



Rye C 



Spinach _..B 



Squash „ „....C 



Strawberries „ C 



Tobacco „ C 



Tomato C 



Turnip C 



Rutabaga C 



Watermelon B 



Wheat A 



Hydrangea Blue E 



Hydrangea Pink C 



Iris „ B 



Lady Slipper E 



Larkspur ....- „ „ B 



Lilac _ „ „ B 



Lily „ „ _ C 



Lupine _„ „ C 



Marigold B 



Mignonette „ „B 



Morning Glory A 



Myosotia B 



Narcissus B 



Nasturtium „ A 



Orchid D 



Pansy „ _..B 



Peony B 



Primula B 



Poinsettia B 



Petunia _ A 



Phlox C 



Poppy B 



Rhododendron _ C 



Rose _ B 



St. Paulia....- _ _ B 



Salpielossis B 



Scabiosa B 



Schizanthus _ B 



Snapdragon _ B 



Stocks _„ B 



Swainsonia ™....A 



Sweet Peas „ A 



Tulips _....B 



Violet B 



Westeria B 



Woodbine „ _ _. B 



Yucca B 



Zinnia „ B 



Alfalfa 



A 



Asparagus „.._„.. 



Barley _„.. .._ 



_..A 



A 



Beans « 



_ c 



Beets „ 



A 



Bent Grass „ ••«».. 



„..D 



Blue Berries 



E 



Blue Grass _ 



Broccoli „....„ 



„_ A 



B 



A 





„„..A 



Cauliflower » 



_„ A 



Celery _ 



Chicory „..__ 



„ A 



„ B 



B 



Clover 



Cowpeas 



_ A 



c 





E 



Cucumber 



B 





c 



Eggplant 



B 



Endive 



B 



c 



Grapes 



D 



Kale 



_.B 



Laurel 



E 



Azaleas 



FL( 



E 





B 



Aster 



B 



Begonia „ 



Bleeding Heart „.. 



Bouvardia 



Calendula „ 



Candy-tuft 



B 



c 



y"."Z'.'.."..A 

 B 



Canna 



B 



Carnation „ „... 



Centaurea »...._«... 



Cineraria 



.'z.".'.".";""b 



A 



Chrysanthemum 



Clarkia ....„ 



B 



B 



Clematis 



Columbine „ 



Cosmos „. 



Cyclamen „ _ 



Dahlia 



Z".".Z'.'Zb 



...» B 



C 



B 



Delphinium 



c 



Didiscus 



B 



Easter Lily 



c 



Euphorbia 



c 



Feverfew ....„ 



B 



Ferns 



„ c 



Forget Me Not 



Fuschia 



A 



B 



Gardenia 



_ E 



Genista .^ 



Geranium 



.„ A 



A 



Gerbera 



A 



Gladiolus 



B 



Godetia 



B 



Heather „ „. 



Heliotrope __ 



Holly 



_ D 



„. E 



Hyacinth 



B 



4pH 



5pH 



6pH 



6% 7pH 



714 8nH 



E 



D 



C 



B 



A 1 



* -• J 



















Neutral 



B, C, D and E indicate degrees of acidity from 7 pH, which 

 is neutral, to 4 pH which is extremely acid. "A" indicate! 

 a Blightly alkaline condition. — (1000 lbs. Hydrated Lime per 

 acre will change a sandy loam from pH 6 to pH 6.) 



Superior Seeds 



J. MANNS Cr CO., Baltimore, Md. 



91 



