CHAPTER XVI 
GROWING EARLY VEGETABLE PLANTS 
UNDER GLASS 
21 x. Soil supply. — Soils for growing early vegetable 
plants should absorb water readily and dry quickly on the 
surface. A sandy loam furnishes ideal conditions. Heav- 
ier soils can be improved by the addition of sand and 
rotten manure. Suitable soil for this work can often be found 
in garden or field, or it may be prepared by composting. 
The most convenient method of preparing soil for this 
purpose is to select a suitable area and apply manure 
freely. Spread the manure to the depth of 4 or 5 inches, 
plow the land and harrow once or twice. This work 
should be attended to in the spring as soon as the ground 
is dry enough for plowing. After the manure is partially 
decayed, plow and harrow again, and repeat these opera- 
tions occasionally during the summer. The soil should 
be in excellent condition for storage in the fall. 
Manure and sod, stacked in alternate layers of 4 to 6 
inches deep, also make a soil of superior character for 
starting early plants. When soil is prepared in this man- 
ner, about a year is required for the thorough decay of 
the materials composted. Shoveling the pile over a few 
times during the latter part of the period of composting 
helps to secure a fine and well-mixed soil. Whatever 
soil is selected or prepared great care should be exer- 
cised to avoid germs of troublesome diseases. For ex- 
ample, soil for raising cabbage plants should never be 
taken from a field where any plants of the cabbage 
family have been recently grown. When dry enough to 
handle without injuring the texture, it should be stored 
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