80 MY GROWING GARDEN 



that land, nor have I yet seen anyone who has 

 seen it. As nearly as I can manage it now, I put 

 on, and dig in, and plow in and down, all the 

 manure I can obtain, about twice a year, with the 

 result of beginning to see that the ground is happy 

 and productive. It is not too rich, nor nearly 

 rich enough, and I think the available manure 

 supply and my ability to obtain a reasonable por- 

 tion of it will for a long time prevent the calamity 

 of over-richness here ! 



At first, as I have said, a little manure went a 

 great way, and it did little for the land. I know 

 now that I need to trench or dig over to at least a 

 foot in depth every inch of land that is to grow 

 vegetables, and to supply very nearly two feet of 

 fertile facility for flower-borders and beds. About 

 all the early six-inch preparation of those first 

 years has been gone over by now, adding manure 

 lavishly, and removing, or breaking up the hard 

 shale substratum. 



And I have used considerable dynamite to 

 loosen this heavy shale bottom. It appears that if 

 the shale is broken up, and any sort of humus 

 admitted, either of manure or of plant roots, the 

 strong, basic fertility of the soil is unlocked, so 

 that fine growth results. One plot was sub-soiled 

 by digging holes about eight feet apart and two 



