WHAT ABOUT THE 
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Soil conditioning, in the broad, general 
sense, is anything but new. Ever since 
man first raised crops there has been 
soil conditioning of one kind or another, 
and if there hadn't been we'd probably 
still be living in trees or caves or bur- 
rows or wherever we first lived. 
But in the narrower sense, as distinct 
from cultivation and fertilization, soil 
conditioning is of recent origin, or at 
least the idea behind it is. Anyway, in 
recent years, and up until this year, 
“soil conditioner’ has usually meant 
peat-moss, leaf-mold, humus, composted 
garden refuse or any of quite a few 
crop by-products low in plant nutrients 
but consisting of organic matter. 
Now, ‘soil conditioner’’ has been taking 
on a still narrower meaning to garden- 
ers who've followed the news stories 
and advertisements of a host of products 
ENnGing an) ime il, seit, is ack sancsthe 
like. It has come to mean a chemical of 
“SILVER SWEEP" 
The Broom-Rake that really sweeps clean! 
Weighs only 30 ounces, The 22 closely 
spaced spring steel tines make a clean 
sweep 19 inches wide, Every tine touches 
the ground evenly and lightly at any angle, 
without injury to the tenderest new grass. 
Made of special metal alloy to withstand 
constant flexing without breaking. 
Special riveted construction 
—tines will not loosen, Buy 
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oo 10 
NEW , 
Below is an eroded, grassless slope 
where grass is virtually impossible to 
grow, because the seed is lost by 
erosion before it can germinate. 
Here is the same slope treated with 
Soil Conditioner. Use of the soil con- 
ditioner gives the seed a chance to 
germinate and provide good lawn 
growth, 
some kind that ‘conditions’ soil by 
causing the clay particles in it to stick 
together in small lumps or aggregates. 
This aggregation of clay particles makes 
the soil “loose” or ‘‘friable’’ in a some- 
what different way than the addition of 
organic matter does, but apparently it 
serves pretty much the same useful pur- 
pose by increasing water penetration 
and retention, by making for better 
aeration, by facilitating plant root de- 
velopment, and so on. 
Quite likely the development of these 
new materials will prove to have been 
the most important thing that happened 
to gardening around the mid-point of 
this century. Its impact on the minds of 
gardeners—highlighting the nature and 
importance of soil structure—is alone 
enough to benefit gardening more than 
anything else that’s turned up in late 
EROSIONET 
PROMOTES LAWN GROWTH 
ON STUBBORN TERRACES 
A strong, economical, open-mesh fabric 
made of tightly twisted paper twine. 
When placed over any seeded surface 
its Y4 inch mesh forms millions of tiny 
dams which catch and hold seed and 
soil firmly in place. Prevents damaging 
washouts on slopes and terraces, Made 
in 45-inch width, 
Lineal yard, 2lc; 25 yds. up @ 20c; 100 
yds. up @ 19c; 250 yd, roll $42.50. 
years. And even if the soil conditioners 
themselves do less than one-tenth what 
some people expect them to do they'll 
still have worked minor wonders on 
gardening progress, 
Just how some of these new materials 
will work for individual plants in in- 
dividual gardens only time will tell. It 
goes without saying there'll be reports 
of unqualified success and others of 
complete failure, and although there'll 
be reasons for both it may not always 
be easy to pin them down. The recom- 
mendations for using some or all of the 
products will probably be revised from 
time to time and the same goes for the 
directions on the packages and the 
claims of the advertisements. The ma- 
terials are that new. 
Reprinted Courtesy 
THE FLOWER GROWER 
