RICHARD PROTSCHBR Snm> CO., Ltd. 



DRAINAG:e AND CUI/TIVATION, 



Go hand in hand, and perhaps there is no investment made for improvement of the farm and garden 

 which will return richer reward than that which is expended to secure a good, thorough, comprehen- 

 sive system of underground Tile Drainage. 



When completed you at once have a permanent improvement the advantage of which is more appa- 

 rent by age because the water finding its way down opens up the pores of the earth relieving it of its 

 compactness and stifled condition. Taking away all stagnant water which is so injurious to plant life 

 and which is the cause of much blight and disease, and by allowing the air to penetrate, making the land 

 from 5 to 10 degrees warmer, and much looser than surface drained lands, allowing nature to do its part 

 in transforming sour, heavy alluvial soil into loose mellow gardens which readily respond to the toil be- 

 stowed upon them. 



Underground drainage does away with all foul weed breeding ditch banks and turn rows in the mid- 

 dle of the field which are such a nuisance when land is drained by opt n surface drains, and the neces- 

 sity of bridges are done away with. There is perhaps no cheaper nor more practical means of increas- 

 ing the fertility of wet lands than by deep under- drainage, which instead of running all waste which 

 will float into the rivers and lakes after heavy rains distributes vegetable-producing matter from the 

 earth and from the air along the course the water takes on its way to the tile, inviting plant roots to 

 follow, which they do readily, placing them in a position to take up any matter within their reach for 

 which they crave. In fact making the whole stratum of soil on a level with the tile available for plant 

 growth . 



Experience has also proved that during periods of drouth plants suffer less on well drained lands. 

 The soil being looser the moisture is retained longer than on lands which become packed during wet 

 weather and baked and cracked by the hot sun of summer, debarrkig the roots from reaching down for 

 moisture. 



Good cultivation is as essential in growing crops as fertilizing. Few plants will thrive if not proper- 

 ly handled. This is especially true of the finer strains of the different varieties of vegetables. Several 

 successive deep plowings should be given to the land in all cases before planting, and if a strata of clay 

 underlies the surface s.'.il, sub-soil plowing to get gradually a part of that clay intermingled with the 

 top soil is especially beneficial. Heavy soil is best broken up after harvesting the late spring crops 

 when the soil is dry enough, and left lay in clods exposed to the action of the sun and subsequent rains, 

 when it soon becomes friable and mellow. 



Unde~ no circumstances should the soil be worked when wet, as this is more injurious than benefi- 

 cial. While occupied by growing crops, the land should be frequently worked, the surface stirred up as 

 often as necessary, and should never be allowed to become baked or crusty. Frequent stirring up of the 

 soil, even during dry spells, not only destroys the weeds which are apt to spring up, but also causes the 

 soil to absorb more moisture from our damp atmosphei*e and retains it much longer than unworked 

 land. The cracking of the soil during dry spells is the result of bad cultivation, or the land having been 

 water-soaked. 



A Few Remarks on Raising Vegetables for Shipping. 



During the last few seasons our Truckers who grow largely for shipping to Northern and Western 

 markets have not been as successful as before for various reasons. First is over-production, and second 

 late frosts. When we note the fact that we have almost the whole country north of us for a market, it 

 would seem that over-production is an impossibility', and that paying prices could always be had for all 

 our products. But when we take in consideration that some years late frosts either destroy the entire 

 crops or retard them to such an extent that our neighbor State Florida gets ahead of us, we must natur- 

 ally see the necessity of guarding against such calamities by either building structures heated by other 

 means than horse manure, or by protecting our plants in such a manner that freezing is impossible. 



It is of the greatest importance to our truck farmers who grow principally for shipping to be ex- 

 tremely careful in selecting not only such varieties of vegetables as bear transportation best andean be 

 most profitably grown here, but also in selecting from such only the best and most perfect. Imperfect 

 and poorly grown stuff will not even pay transportation costs and should never be shipped. Careful 

 culling is also of great importance. We would rather advise to make two grades of the article to be 

 shipped and mark them accordingly, than to have the least inferior mixed with what should be strictly 

 first class, as it will not take the buyer long to find out the deception. Be sure and have your packages 

 neat, no matter whether barrels, cases or crates ; pack your goods tight, using your own style about 

 and we ars sure you are bound to make a demand for your products. 



We raise as early Vegetables for shipping" as any other Southern State. 



