GARDEN NOTES SOIL FERTILITY JUDGED BY CHIEF CONSTITUENTS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 8

GARDEN NOTES SOIL FERTILITY JUDGED BY CHIEF CONSTITUENTS

[Specially Written for ‘The Press”) tBV T. D. LENNDB, NJS.j

For the present, we will take it that soil is a ready-made material of which we must make the best, irrespective of the type at our disposal. Forces have been at work for ages and ages past in grinding, blasting, and pounding to make what we have. A fertile Boil is mainly composed of varying proportions of sand, clay, chalk, and humus, and the ideal sSii would be one composed of the font ingredients in the right proportion. many cases, there is an over-supply one of these, therefore we get the sandy, chalky, clayey or peaty soils, each being quite different in the character and each with its own problems..-

Sand consists of minute grains of quartz or other minerals and rocks. The impurities from these slowly decompose, forming a slight source of nourishment to plants. .

Clay is a mixture of very fine particles of sand and other inert materials cemented together with what is known as hydrated silicate of alumina—otherwise a mixture of silica, alumina and water. Some clays are very rich in potash, and it has been found that no land can be used economically unless a fair amount of clay is present.

Chalk and limestone are different forms of the same substance, carbonate

of lime. Chalk is an absolute necessity in the soil because it provides a real plant food, counteracts sourness, and is necessary for the preparation of plant foods in the soil. Even clay cannot retain the potash unless chalk is there to make it available to plant life. Chalk is the chief basis of fertility in the soil.

Humus is represented by dead animal and vegetable matter. It absorbs water and thus keeps the soil damper than it would otherwise be. Humus consolidates a light soil and makes a heavy soil more porous. Chalk and humus have a very rapid effect on one another, and without humus in the soil the chalk would just like inert It is humus which gives the dark colour and texture to the soil.

Loam is probably the gardener's ideal soil, which is a happy blend of day, sand, and humus.

Marl is the blending of sand, clay and chalk. Peat is mainly humus with sand and clay. Draining and liming are the first essentials for bringing fertility to peat: Good drainage is a necessity for soil warmth, as a wet soil requires an enormous amount of heat to evaporate the water. Of the ingredients of soil, sand has the least capacity of holding moisture; elay has five times as much; and humus has six times as much. FLOWER GARDEN Layering of carnations should be done. Budding, of roses and other plants is now general. It is the surest way of propagating many things, and a standard nursery practice. Watch out for black aphis on the top shoots of chrysanthemums. Spray with Blaek Leaf 40 or lindane. Mildew is veiy prevalent on roses, showing as a white film on new foliage and buds. This spoils the prospects of good flowers. The best control is cosan sprayed on at a strength of two teaspoons to the gallon of water. Perennials such as pansies, polyanthus, penshenars, Canterbury bells, and galllardlas can be sown for planting out in the spring. VEGETABLE GARDEN A row of dwarf beans can be sown; also red and silver beet, shorthorn or Chantenay carrots, endive, lettuce, parsley, radish and parsnips. Onions should be ready to mature. Bend over the tops, leave for a week, then lift.

Pick corn cobs when the tassel starts to wither. If left too long the corn becomes very hard and dry. Use the hoe often between plants and rows to conserve the moisture.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “Dessert,” Kaikoura.—Your apples must have come from an old orchard and a neglected one too, as neither is grown much today, though both were considered good apples in the past. The yellow apple is Newbown Pippin, and the small red one, Devonshire Quarrenden. Both are English varieties.