COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER There is no infallible rule for de- 
. termining what fertilizer to apply. 
The grower must study his conditions and judge for himself. A 
little experimenting will help or advice may be given by the State 
College of Agriculture or local farm bureau agent. Usually a 
fertilizer containing 4% nitrate, 12% phosphate and 6% potash is 
satisfactory. Application may be at the rate of 2 or 2 pounds to 
each hundred square feet of garden. When fertilizers are relied 
upon, some form of humus should be supplied. This can be done by 
_ turning under green crops or applying rotted leaves, peat moss, 
_ manure, etc. Lack of humus cannot be made up by increasing dose 
of commercial fertilizer. : 
PLANTING Planting time is where the gardener arrives at the 
es crossroads and considerable judgment must be ex- 
 ercised in selecting the seed to be planted and the methods of 
_ planting. The soil should always be moist, not too wet and not too 
_ dry. Use a good drill, seeing that the amount of seed dropped and 
_ depth of planting is correctly gauged, also that the presser wheel 
_ properly firms the soil over the seed row. If under irrigation and 
_ furrowing attachments used, make certain that none of the shovels 
are throwing soil on the seed row. Always plant in good straight 
rows unless contour farming is practiced. Appearance is not only 
better but cultivating is easier. If hand planted, make certain that 
the soil is firm around the seed row by tamping down slightly 
with a garden rake, hoe or with the flat side of a board. Use as 
long rows as possible and space wide enough apart to admit the 
free use of a wheel hoe or tractor cultivator. 
Pay particular attention to depth of planting. Seeds often fail 
to come up from being covered too shallow or too deep. Early in 
the spring when the soil is moist, seeds should not be covered as 
deep as later in the season when the ground dries out more 
quickly. As a rule, the smaller the seed, the shallower the depth 
of planting and this applies to small flower seeds as well as vege- 
tables. If: not familiar with the soil temperature required for 
germination of each kind of seed, study our cultural directions or 
ask some experienced gardener in your neighborhood. Some seeds 
like parsnip cannot be made to grow well after the ground becomes 
too warm. On the other hand some, like watermelon, if planted in 
cold wet ground will rot. If rains occur after the seeds are sown 
and a crust forms, this should be carefully broken, otherwise the 
tender plants will not be able to get through to the surface. Some 
seeds are slow to germinate and these should be sown thickly in 
order that the plantlets may break the crust of the soil. It is a 
good plan to sow a few quick germinating seeds such as radish, 
cabbage or turnip with slow germinating celery, parsnip, carrot 
and the like. This will mark the row for early cultivation and help 
break the soil crust. 
All garden space should be growing crop from early spring until 
late fall. After harvesting an early crop of peas, radishes, spinach, 
onion, or lettuce; a succeeding crop of beets, celery, Swiss chard, 
sweet corn, lettuce, or if late enough, turnips may be planted. 
Unused garden areas will harbor weeds and should be planted to 
some cover crop. Rye or winter wheat sown one pound to each 
1000 square feet are good. 
_. From Brenham, Texas: | 
Am sending you a snapshot of some watermelons to show you 
what your seed will do in our good Texas. 
Fifty percent of the melons tip the scale from 45 to 66 pounds, 
and they keep so long after pulling. I had ripe melons first week 
in June. 
