Chapter VI. 



MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 



TO a very small extent garden vegetables get 

 their food from the air. The amount ob- 

 tained in this way however, is so infinitesi- 

 mal that from the practical standpoint it need not be 

 considered at all. Practically speaking, your vegeta- 

 bles must get all their food from the garden soil. 



This important garden fact may seem self-evi- 

 dent, but, if one may judge by their practice, ama- 

 teur gardeners very frequently fail to realize it. The 

 professional gardener must come to realize it for the 

 simple reason that if he does not he will go out of 

 business. Without an abundant supply of suitable 

 food it is just as impossible to grow good vegetables 

 as it would be to train a winning football team on a 

 diet of sweet cider and angel cake. Without plenty 

 of plant food, all the care, coddling, coaxing, culti- 

 vating, spraying and worrying you may give will 

 avail little. The soil must be rich or the garden will 

 be poor. 



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