42 PETER HENDERSON & CO.— VEGETABLE CULTURE. 



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SOIL. — A good soil is the base of success in all operations of the garden. 

 What are the properties of a good soil is not very easy to convey in writing, as 

 quality is not always confined to a particular color or texture, though the 

 practical horticulturist can nearly always tell, by turning up with a spade, 

 the relative qualities of a soil. If selection can be made, for general purposes, 

 a rather dark-colored soil should be chosen, neither too sandy nor too clayey, 

 and as deep as can be found, but not less than ten inches, or the chances are 

 that it will not be of first quality. It should overlay a sandy loam of yellowish 

 color, through which water will pass freely. The condition of the subsoil is 

 of the first importance in choosing soil. Sandy loam we believe to be the 

 best ; next to that a porous gravel, and the least to be desired is a stiff blue 

 clay. Land having a clay subsoil is always later in maturing crops than one 

 having a sandy or gravelly subsoil ; and if the land is at all level, draining is 

 indispensable at every fifteen or twenty feet, or no satisfaction can be had in 

 culture. It is a common belief that poor land can be brought up by cultiva- 

 tion. A portion of the land used by us has the blue clay subsoil above 

 referred to, and although in the past twenty years we have expended large 

 sums in the draining, subsoiling and manuring, we have failed to get it into 

 the condition of other portions of our grounds having the proper subsoil, and 

 do not think that any culture would bring it into as good shape. 



SOWING is one of the operations of the garden that it is easy to give 

 instructions in, and if they are carefully followed there need never be failure. 

 One of the most important things is the condition of the soil, which should 

 be as thoroughly broken up and pulverized by plowing and harrowing, digging 

 or raking, as its nature will admit, care being taken that it is worked when 

 in that state that is neither too dry nor too wet. If too dry, particularly if 

 the soil is of a clayey nature, it can not well be got in the proper friable con- 

 dition without an unusual amount of labor; and, on the other hand, if too wet. 

 it clogs and bakes and becomes so hard that the air cannot penetrate, leaving 

 it in a condition from which good results cannot be obtained. We have seen 

 stiff, clayey land that has shown bad results for years after by being plowed 

 and harrowed while too wet. Another condition of the soil before sowing 

 seeds is to have the surface as smooth and level as possible. Seeds can either 

 be sown broadcast or in drills, but for all garden operations the sowing is 

 mostly done in drills. If sowing such vegetables as Parsnips, Onions, Beets 

 or Carrots is to be done on a large scale, the use of the Seed Drill will save 

 seed and labor ; but if for ordinary garden use it had better be done by hand. 

 If only a small quantity is wanted the drills can be made with a hoe ; if larger, 

 a simple implement known as a Marker had better be used. It is often given 

 as a rule that seeds should be covered with soil only as deep as their own 

 bulk; but this rule can hardly be followed in our dry climate, as many kinds 

 would dry up or shrivel with such slight covering. As an example, Onion or 

 Carrot seed should be covered from a half inch to an inch, while Beans or 

 Peas should be covered from two to three inches. For other instruction about 

 Seed Sowing, see " Use of the feet in Sowing and Planting," page 6. 



