CULTI V.A T I O N 
progress, learn to interpret their appearance, whether 
stunted and bushy; long, lean and lanky; bright, clean 
clear green in color (dark, or light, according to vari 
ety); or dull and yellowish as to foliage; buds blasting 
here and there. You can in time readily ascertain if 
your plants are growing well, are flourishing and healthy, 
or are backward and in a deplorable condition. Half- 
formed, one-sided flowers indicate that the plant has 
"bloomed itself out," or is starving. The application 
of fertilizers (a table-spoonful of nitrate of soda to a 
gallon of water for a quick-acting one) will make the 
plant vigorous if not too near the end of the growing 
season. If, in prolonged dry spells, despite a faithful 
keeping up of the indispensable dust mulch (or even of 
other mulches), your plants show unmistakable signs 
of needing water (yellowish foliage, blasting buds, slow, 
poor growth), apply water until the ground has been 
soaked for a foot in depth. This will require a large 
amount of water, and a good deal of time. Probably 
you have seldom watered anything so thoroughly. If 
you can adjust piping or hose so that a spray falls just 
sufficient to soak in as fast as it reaches the ground you 
are fortunate. Let the spray fall unceasingly for 
hours — until the ground a foot down has been saturated. 
Repeat this when needed (until weather conditions 
improve), but not oftener than once a week. More 
frequently would be decidedly harmful. 
