20 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



or the deposition of various matters washed down from tlie 

 hills, and has generally a large proportion of vegetable 

 matter. It is exceedingly well suited for the kitchen 

 garden, requiring little manuring, and not suffering from 

 drought, but is not so well suited for fruit trees, with the 

 exception of the apple. 



A peaty soil consists generally of vegetable mould, in a 

 state of very slow decomposition, and possesses generally 

 too much acidity for profitable cultivation, but when dried 

 and combined with the lime and salt mixture described 

 hereafter, and composted with animal matter, is a most 

 valuable addition to all soils. 



The depth of a soil is quite as important as its texture. 

 If not naturally deep, it must be made so by trenching. 

 Deep soils retain a constant supply of moisture in dry 

 weather, so that the plants do not suffer; and they do not 

 become too wet in rainy seasons, as the earth drinks in 

 and retains the rain below the surface ; beside, they are 

 not so liable to wash away. If equally rich, they furnish 

 plants with a more abundant pasturage and supply of food 

 than shallow soils. Especially for all tap-rooted plants, a 

 deep soil is indispensable. In the preparation of your 

 garden, see that the ground is dry, deep, and rich. Good 

 vegetables will not grow in a wet soil. A shallow soil 

 will not furnish them with a regular supply of moisture, 

 and the crops growing upon a poor soil never pay for the 

 labor bestowed upon it. 



A good garden soil must be not only of the proper depth 

 and texture, but, that vegetation may be healthy, must 

 contain not only alumina and silex, or, in other words, 

 clay and sand, in proper proportions, but also the other 

 inorganic or earthy matters found in plants. These are 

 carbonate and sulphate of lime, potash, soda, magnesia, 

 sulphur, phosphorus, oxide of iron, manganese, and chlo- 



