A New Hart & Vick Service 
This year we at Hart & Vick want you to have 
the finest garden you have ever had. We want you 
to enjoy the maximum results possible for the ef- 
fort* you put into your vegetable or flower garden 
or your lawn. To help you, we are offering a soil 
analysis service. 
Soil testing Is not something new. For many 
years, the most successful market gardeners, 
florists and hobbyist gardeners have realized that 
their success depended upon a complete under- 
standing of the chemical and physical condition of 
their soil. We feel that you, too, will be greatly 
rewarded for the. time spent in investigating and 
correcting any deficiencies that may be prevalent 
in your particular garden soil. 
We would like to give you, as concisely as possible, 
a few of the important facts with which you should 
be familiar. 
The chemical nature of the soil is complex. Or- 
ganisms, fungi and minute animals break down or 
change chemical combinations, while synthesizing 
bacteria build up chemical combinations, all of 
which adds to the confusion of the layman. Then 
again, one is confronted with the fact that various 
groupe of plants, like animals, require different 
“diets.” 
Let us consider first, the important chemical con- 
ditions or elements which have, in each case, an 
important role to play in the success of any garden. 
The pH or the acid-alkaline condition of 
the soil. The chemist is aware that pH is a way of 
expressing, by a numerical scale, whether a liquid 
or other substance is sweet (alkaline), sour (acid) or 
neutral. A pH of 7 is neutral; above 7 is alkaline 
and below 7 is acid. Certain plants such as rho- 
dodendrons, azaleas, hollies, hemlock, blueberries 
and grapes require a soil pH between 4.5 and 5.5, 
Most of our garden vegetables and annuals prefer 
a neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Most of our 
weeds prefer a sweet soil. Our best lawn grasses 
like a slightly acid soil, with the possible exception 
of Kentucky blue grass, which will grow well 
when the pH is neutral. 
Strongly acid or alkaline soils are detrimental, 
for they tie up essential plant elements and cause 
plants to be stunted, sickly and non-productive. 
The first thing to consider, then, is how to bring the 
soil to the proper pH. 
Under normal pH conditions, the three main 
elements in the soil which play the most important 
role in a successful garden, are nitrogen, phosphorus 
and potassium. 
Nitrogen. This is the element that increases the 
size of the plant and flower. It intensifies the color 
of both the foliage and the flower. This element 
encourages quick growth of such crops as lettuce, 
endive, celery and spinach (the salad crops). It is 
important for a luxuriant green lawn. Radishes, 
beets or potatoes that are all “tops” may be caused 
by an over-abundance of nitrogen. Tomato vines 
that are rampant in growth but with few fruit, 
usually indicate high nitrogen and low phosphorus 
percentages in the soil, Plants over-succulent, 
sappy or spindly because of high nitrogen can be 
hardened and the condition corrected, usually with 
potassium in the form of wood ashes or potassium- 
carrying compounds, 
Nitrogen can be supplied to the soil by means of 
organics such as bonemeal, dried blood, guano, 
cottonseed meal, castor pumace, manures or 
chemically by means of ammonium sulphate and 
nitrates of sodium or potassium. 
Phosphorus. This element stimulates seed 
germination and increases flower and fruit forma- 
tion. It is necessary for all plants, to enable them 
to develop good root systems. It encourages the 
plant to put food away for a “rainy day.” Phos- 
phorus is necessary for all plants but particularly 
for all root crops and tomato, corn and fruits. 
Phosphorus is supplied to the soil by means of 
bonemeal, manures, mineral and rock phosphates. 
Potassium (water-soluble potash). This ele- 
ment increases the resistance of the plant to disease. 
It retards succulent growth. Phosphorus increases 
flower and fruit formation, as explained above but 
potassium will throw vigor into the flowers and 
fruit and increase their size. Crops such as po- 
tatoes require large amounts of potassium, in order 
to give the greatest yield. 
Potasstum can be supplied to the soil through 
muriate or sulphate of potash, wood ashes and, to a 
certain extent, animal manures. 
For the most part, from a chemical standpoint 
soil fertility hinges on the above conditions and 
elements. Certain areas are actually deficient in 
minor elements, some of which have a definite 
bearing on the success of a particular crop. Your 
local county agent is usually acquainted with 
what minor element deficiencies may be prevalent 
in your locality and can give you recommendations. 
We are In a position to give this information In many 
cases, but we feel that your state college and 
county agents are in closer contact with these 
problems and usually can give you more detailed 
information than we can. 
The only sure way, however, to determine pH 
or deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus and po- 
tassium is to have your soil tested. This is the ser- 
vice that we are pleased to offer to you. 
The texture of the soil, its physical makeup, is 
also important for success. When your sample is 
analyzed chemically, we are in a position to give 
you recommendations to improve the physical as 
well as the chemical condition. 
With every purchase of $10.00 or more, we will 
provide a free soil analysis. If the order is for less 
than $10.00, a charge of $1.00 per test will be made. 
SOIL TESTING 
Soil testing is important! It is the only way to determine what plant nutrients are available 
in the soil. This information is necessary before one can intelligently determine what ad- 
ditional nutrients are necessary. In most soil used for intensive horticultural enterprises, the 
continued use of complete fertilizers of a standard analysis has resulted in a nutritional un- 
balance of the soil. Generally, an accurate soil test, intelligently mterpreted, can prevent or 
correct such a condition. 
RICHARD C. ANDREASEN 
Ass’t Professor of Floriculture 
Cornell University 
