FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
87 
crates just $160 an acre. He would be willing to sell his 
land for less money than that, and we have this drawback to 
contend with. While I think vegetable growing, with the 
proper men to grow them, is profitable, I do not think the 
indiscriminate growing of vegetables is advisable. 
C. A. Bacon —How does Mr. Gaitskill fertilize, and what 
does he use? I suppose he uses any fertilizer he cau get. 
What is the state of the soil? One of my neighbors remarked 
to me the other day: “I am sorry we cannot use stable man¬ 
ure.” I used it but it killed my plants. The manure did not 
kill the plants, but the worms in it did. I do not under¬ 
stand how to apply it to orange trees, and 1 cannot use it on 
vegetables, on strawberries or onions. I would like to know 
how to use it. I want to keep stock, and I want to save 
every cent I can. I think the manure should pay for one 
half of the feed, but I cannot use it. 
Mr. Gaitskill —That is rather a new idea that you cannot 
use stable manure. I have a small kitchen garden something 
larger than this room. I have three horses; I feed them well, 
and I put all the manure in that garden. I never had the 
trouble you speak of. I used good quantities of potash 
along with the manure, and that may have had something to 
do with it. As to the fertilizers we use. We use all sorts of 
fertilizers; some use cotton-seed meal only for tomatoes, 
and various kinds of fertilizers for various crops; some 
use one brand and some use others. As to what is best, 
I cannot say. 
In regard to Mr. Moore’s report on potatoes; I have pota¬ 
toes all the year round. I cover them about a foot deep 
with straw, and when they mature I go and dig'them. I do 
not find anv trouble with them. I do not even take the 
trouble to dig them, but let them stay in the ground until I 
am ready for them. 1 use stable manure on potatoes and on¬ 
ions successfully; at the same time, as I say, I use lots of 
potash, too, and use -some phosphoric acid in the shape of 
dissolved bone. I have more trouble with moles than with 
anything else; they follow after an application of cotton-seed 
meal, but I do not use much cotton-seed meal. 
Question—How do you get rid of the worms? 
Mr. Gaitskill—I don’t try to get rid of them. I try to 
get enough feed in the ground for the worms and the plants, 
too. I find the best thing to do is to feed the worms. 
Mr. Bacon —How do you apply the stable manure; for in¬ 
stance, to cabbage, Irish potatoes and general garden truck? 
Mr. Gaiaskill—B efore the ground is broken up for the 
crop I distribute it and plow it under, The ground is not 
