A Practical Treatise of How to Grow Flowers, Fruits, Vegetables, Shrubbery, Evergreens, Shade Trees, Ornamental Trees; Plant Pests, Diseases and Remedies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910. Excerpt: ... VEGETABLES. SITUATION OF THE LAND. For early vegetables or flowers the lay of the land should be considered as carefully as the condition of the soil, for therein lies the early or the late garden. If the land should be on the north side of a hill, it will naturally remain cold longer than a piece of land on the same hill, but on the south side, where the sun's rays strike more directly on the earth, warming the land at least ten days earlier than the land on the north side. Consequently vegetation will mature about ten days earlier when growing on a southern or southeastern exposure. The result should be apparent to a close observer. The rays of the sun when falling directly on the earth will radiate more heat than when falling on the earth at a longer slant. If the land is exposed to cold winds, a high, close board fence or close-growing hedge on the north and west sides will conduce to earlier crops. GARDEN SOILS. For all garden purposes the best soil is a deep sandy loam, not less than nine or ten inches deep. To convey our meaning we will state that any soil with an underlying stratum of sand or gravel is known as a sandy loam. If the subsoil is of clay formation, the top soil is usually of the same nature, and is what is known as '"' clay loam," which is more compact than sandy loam, and is heavier to work, being sticky when wet. It is a waste of time and of seed to attempt a crop on what is known as "thin land "--that is, clay only, with no top dressing of soil at all. It is true there are some plants that will do very well on such land, but they do not come under the head of what is known as "garden stuff." Such land will grow good crops of cow, clay, and whippoorwill peas; and these crops serve to improve such land. The goober pea will make good ...