The basis of garden success is the soil. 
Usually we have to work with what we 
have, but even if it is not good soil to 
begin with, much can be done to im- 
prove it. 
The ideal soil has four (4) definite quali- 
ties: 
(a) It is easy to work with (crumbles 
readily) 
(b) It contains plenty of humus, (partially 
rotted vegetable matter) 
(c) It has sufficient quantities of avail- 
able plant food 
(d) It is well-drained. 
If yours is not the ideal soil, here are 
some of the things you can do: 
TOO HEAVY SOIL 
Heavy soil which will bake hard and not 
drain properly can be made friable 
(crumbly, loose) by working in one of the 
new chemical soil conditioners, peat moss 
or vermiculite, or old ashes, fine cinders, 
humus, fine gravel or fine limestone 
screenings. This will make the soil work- 
able as well as letting excess water es- 
cape, admitting air into the soil, and per- 
mitting roots to grow freely. 
IF SOIL NEEDS CONDITIONING 
If your soil needs improving, it can be 
greatly benefitted by application of one 
of the new soil conditioners or of well- 
rotted stable manure, leaf mold, grass 
clippings, compost and other forms of 
decomposed plant material. Use up to 1 
bushel per square foot. 
When breaking new sod, if there are 
weeds or sod on the ground, apply lime 
and fertilizer to hasten decomposition, 
then turn under. These materials should 
be worked into the soil, They help to 
hold moisture, aid in drainage, prevent 
rapid changes in soil temperature, and 
are a source of food for soil bacteria and 
other micro-organisms which work in the 
soil to liberate nutrients for plants. 
Apply these materials before spading or 
plowing. 
Note, too, that when you put fertilizer 
into the newly spaded soil, it must be 
thoroughly worked in, so as to get it 
well distributed. 
SELECTING THE SITE 
If possible select your garden site near 
the house and close to a water supply. 
It should be in an area which has at 
least six hours of sunshine daily. The 
convenience of access plus the oppor- 
tunity of frequent observation of your 
garden are distinct advantages in having 
it close by. 
Moving the garden hose is much easier 
if your site is near water outlet. 
If your garden is to be located on a slope, 
plan your rows to run laterally on the 
slope. Rows that run down-hill will wash 
away valuable fertilizers and top soil 
during heavy rains. Also the water runs 
away without fully benefitting your 
garden. 
SPADING AND PLOWING 
The spade and the spading-fork are tools 
used to dig the soil in preparation for 
sowing and planting. The chief objects 
are to bury weeds and manures: to fine 
and aerate the soil and increase its po- 
rosity; to bring plant foods from lower 
levels nearer to the surface and to pro- 
vide deep, loose friable soil. If there is 
any slope to your garden, start at the 
lower end, as the natural tendency is 
for soil to work down grade. 
There’s a trick to spading for best results. 
Drive the spade or spading fork straight 
down. Dig a trench and lay the soil from 
the trench, aside at the end. Now spade 
with the blade not parallel to the trench, 
but at right angles to it. Lift it up and 
turn the spade over so that the top- 
soil, humus and plant food which you 
have added are dropped underneath and 
into the trench you have spaded previ- 
ously. When the last row is dug, carry 
the soil removed from the first row to 
fill in the last trench. If the good soil is 
deep, spade to a depth of 8 to 12 inches. 
If the top soil is shallow, avoid digging 
up the subsoil. Pulverize the soil, break- 
ing up the clods with an iron rake and 
remove stones or trash. Just before plant- 
ing any area of the garden, work that 
part finely and smooth off with a rake 
before laying out the rows. 
If you must plow, be sure the soil is 
right. Many good plots have been ruined 
by plowmen who insist on working when 
the soil was too wet. Before you decide 
on machine work, consider this: by work- 
ing only an hour a day for five days, a 
man of average strength can dig a good- 
sized garden and leave the soil in better 
condition than the ordinary tractor job, 
worked with farm equipment usually too 
heavy for garden use. 
BUILDING A LAWN 
1—Spade or plow area to an 8 or 10 inches depth. Pulverize the soil thoroughly. 
2—Distribute uniformly over the area, a well balanced fertilizer at the rate of four 
pounds per hundred square feet. 
3—Work the fertilizer into the soil with a rake. 
4—Carefully seed with one of our fine blends in the quantity recommended for the 
specific grass types. Sow half lengthwise and half crosswise for even distribution on 
a windless day. 
5—Roll well with a lawn roller to impress the seed into the soil. If the area is a 
small one use a wide flat board on the seeded area; walk heavily back and forth 
over it. 
6—Water well with a fine mist so the seeds do not become dislodged. If the normal 
moisture is enough to keep the lawn slightly damp do not water it again until the 
seed has germinated. 
SS EY OTIS IS TS TE EE ET a FEI ES St A ES PE LEI SSCL ID DIE EO EES OI ETEEOIE OE FE 
35 
