IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19032, 21 June 1927, Page 5

IN THE GARDEN.

♦ WORK FOR THE WEEK. .SPECIAL!.! WSITT3K 70S THE TRESS.) (By J. T. Sikclaif..) •WSWBRS TO CORRESPONDENTS. St. Martins. —Tlio growths of your POtted daffodils and iressias will be pro ouite well from froet if you Jay * p , of brown paper overturn iLnttve there is a likelihood o£ trost. the paper in the morninff. If y« ireesias are doing we!!, y°-» havo plenty of bloom in Auju:-. manures. The throe principal ingredients in plant food are phosphates '(the main constituent of seeds., pods, roots, an fruit), nitrate, which promotes I* growth, and potash, *hidi make, the wood matter in plants. \Vhcn the e is a shortage of any of the tnee the soil, growth is proportionately reduced; when the shortage amounts to complete absence, no growth take place. ilfarmyaid and stable manure are oi "t-eater importance than an\ ot artificial manures, the reason tliat they contain all the demerits, •i plant's nutrition; at the same tim ■> thi balance is not by any meauspafget. because the phospnonc ac d m farmyard manure is comparative small. Stable manure is light, and has a high temperature, and is & for working into heavy, cold soil. of the principal values of these manure is that they supply luimus, as they rot down in the soil, and thus alon contribute largely to the fertility the soil. > „„i v Artificial manures are now largelj omploved in both gardens aud farms, the principal phosphatic manures are bonedust, basic slag, and supcrpho - pbates. Bonedust can be used at tlio rate of 4oss per square yard and is «ood for light or ordinary soil. It is slow acting,'and should be applied at least two months before the crop requires it. Basic slag is slower in its action, and is useful on heavy soils. It can bo used at the rate of from Doz to 4oa per square yard. Jnis manure is a chemical product, and tne finer it is ground down during the process of manufacture the quicker will it dissolve. Superphosphate is splendid for light and ordinary soils, and is best applied in spring. It can be used at the rate of 2oz per square yard. , . t Potash is supplied by kainit, muriate of potash, nitrate of pot-ash, and sulphate ot potash. Kainit is slow acting, and is a mineral salt, and comes from Germany. It is used at the rate of loz to two square yards. .Nitrate is very expensive for an amateur to use. Muriate is used at the same rate as nitrate and kainit. The first ana second should be ■ applied in .spring. Sulphate of potash can bo given at tne rate of loz per square yard during spring. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, a very valuable home-made potash, manure is wood ashes, but the greatest care should be taken to keep the ash dry. The greatest deficiency usually occurs in nitrogen, because it is the most soluble, and, therefore, drains rapidly away. Nitrate must be. used at once after it is applied, or it is wasted. In consequence of this wastage, any fresh addition brings a quick response m increased growth. The two principal sources of supply of nitrogen are nitrate of soda, a mineral salt from South America, and sulphate of „g.mmpnia r a by-product in the manufacture of coai gas. The nitrate is rapid in its action, and is suitable for light soils.' It should not be applied at a heavier rate than loz per square yard. On heavy soils loz per square yard of the ammonia can be given. It is slower in its action than the soda, but more lasting in • its effects. . All vegetables do not require the same kind of. plant food, but as a general rule vegetables grown _ tor their pods and roots should bo-given phosphates. The cabbage . family grow better when given nitrogen; but, and this is important, it should not be given until- the plants . are beginning to heart up or huge leaves and small hearts 'will be the result. Leguminous crops, such as beans and peas, are able to obtain nitrogen from tlie atmosphere and are not dependent on nitrogenous manures. A good general manure containing the primary constituents of plants can be made, up by blending three parts of superphosphate, one part sulphate, ot ammonia,- and one part suiphate. ol potash. This should be well mixed and- kept quite dry and be used at the rate of 4oz per square yard H not used to supplement some othei manure. „ Fruit trees, like nh other crops, exhaust the soil in which they grow of the nutriment it contains. 1' ! should therefore be renewed at least every vear with fresh supplies o< : appropriate food in order to maintain ' the vigour and productiveness cf the ! trees. This is a matter that is nol often considered by amateurs gener allv, but it is very important, auc L were it' better understood anu pro jjerly practised by them greater suei cess would be attained in fruit-grow-l img than they usually have. Perhapi ■ the difficulty in obtaining good stable or farmvard manure, which is poihapi i the best manure to apply to> frui trees is the reason why '.hose who d< | not know the advantage . cf givinj [ their trees a mulching of n-over then roots do not apply it.. Uie laboui I also which is involved in lianolin" i ' is no doubt, in many cases, more thai , t-hev are able to do in their time, but there are none of thes< l difficulties when artificial manure i used the application of which ;s eas: ! and 'takes but little time. Thc prc portions of the different fertiliser , mentioned above are applicable t< j fruit trees. Bonedust, basic slag > and kainit should be applied now, til' 3 superphosphates i'.nd . mineral salt ; later on. If applied m liquid ftrr { when growth is native, superpnos 7 pliates, nitrate of soda, ar.d f-tilpnat' ' of ammonia can be given at the rat* of ioz per two gallons of water ; liaJ the'strength of sulpli.ite of potash cai 3 be given. In most cases it is best fo. • the amateur to apply artificial man e ur pg separately, as it sometimes l.ap e pens that when two different kind ' are mixed together the one spoils th - other. When soil is sour or sick lime is a most valuable substance a a a corrective. It .is a ' K ° valuable fc ) making heavy toil more orous am ' t productive. It makes over-manures e soil sweet and makes soluble much in ert fertility. It can be applied a B the rate of half a pound to the squar 1 vard, and as it has a natural tendenc ° to sink, it need not be dug deeply in e Lime is an excellent substance to us e qq land which is affecicd with an, of the slime fungi such as club root.