172 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
marked than in our own state, with its 
wonderful climate and wide choice of sub¬ 
tropical plants, both native and intro¬ 
duced. No matter how small the estate, 
or how commonplace its surroundings 
may be, it can be made both attractive to 
the passer-by and homelike to the owner. 
The first consideration in planning such 
an improvement is the soil. There are 
many plants whose natural habit of 
growth is in swampy places that can be 
planted on sandy soils if proper care and 
cultivation are given. On the other hand, 
no one builds a home on a place too low 
and swampy to be drained. As a rule 
the soils O'f this state require considerable 
fertilizer, especially when the plants arc 
first started. While there is considerable 
latitude, the choice of plants adapted to 
certain conditions must be borne in mind, 
and this choice must be governed some¬ 
what by conditions. 
PREPARATION OF SOIL 
In preparing the soil, it must be spaded 
or plowed very deeply, and a lot of well- 
rotted barnyard manure should be well 
worked in. Where the soil is dry and 
sandy, muck and clay or other decayed 
vegetable matter should be added and 
well incorporated into the soil. This 
should be at least 18 inches deep, or for 
trees and deep-rooted plants, still deeper. 
If hardpan is near the surface, it should 
be well broken up, and the beds may be 
raised in order to secure proper drainage. 
Cow manure and stable manure, the latter 
thoroughly rotted, are the best materials 
to use if obtainable. Unrotted stable ma¬ 
nure is liable to heat and burn out the 
roots. If sufficient cow or stable manure 
cannot be obtained, a liberal application 
of muck that has been well decomposed 
should be made. Commercial fertilizer 
will be found indispensable. Cottonseed 
meal is among the best materials. Potash 
and phosphoric acid will not be needed so 
much as in groves and for field crops. 
Bone meal will give fine lasting results. 
Certain soils may require liming, but it 
must be borne in mind that some plants 
do not do so well with lime. As a rule, 
the more slowly available fertilizers 
should be used for shrubs and trees, and 
quickly available for herbaceous planting. 
Special care must be given to the soil 
preparation for foreign or introduced 
plants. Our native plants are more used 
to the condition they find- here. 
The first essential in improving the 
home grounds, no matter how the location 
is to be treated, is a good lawn, and the 
ground must be properly graded for this. 
Without a green lawn, no matter how 
much care is given to the ornamentals, 
the premises will always have a bare ap¬ 
pearance, and even the best ornamentals 
will not show off to* advantage. With a 
good lawn for a foundation, a few plants 
may be made to give most ornamental 
effects, and such a place would be more 
attractive than a large number of plants 
on bare sand. No picture is complete 
without a background. 
As a rule, plants should be chosen of a 
size to correspond with the extent of the 
grounds and to harmonize with the archi¬ 
tecture of the home. Too heavy a plant¬ 
ing around a house will tend to make it 
damp and gloomy and impart a “shut-in” 
feeling, especially during the rainy sea¬ 
son, when a thorough circulation of air is 
necessary for health and comfort. 
