| Show BACK YARD FARMER Interesting Pointers on Gardening Gardening Gardening Garden Garden- ing for the City Man or I I Suburbanite WHAT TO PLANT AND WHEN Advice by an Expert on Agricultural Matters Proper Matters Proper Care of the Garden Gar Gar- den Notes den Notes on en Horses Horses Midsummer Mid summer Plantings By PROF JOHN WILLARD BOLTE With proper soil treatment the average garden will produce a half more t than an it now does Most amateur ama eur gardeners have bave neither neith neith- er the time nor the inclination to master master master mas mas- ter the fundamental principles of gardening gardening gar gar- dening as it involves too much research research research re re- re- re search work and the unavoidable study of a lot of unimportant matter in order order order or or- der to get to the important facts For this reason tills this series of articles is designed to present actual concrete facts regarding this and allied lines and they will be presented in such a away away away way as to be immediately applicable to the everyday problems of any of our readers who may be interested The garden plot should be well drained and It must not be shaded to toan an any extent Drainage takes away surface surface surface sur sur- face water rapidly and keeps the soil water away from tb the surface so that the roots can grow deep and the air can enter the soil and aid in decomposing decomposing posing it All soil Boll is composed of a mineral rocky body usually clay or sand and a varying amount of organic organic organic or or- ganic matter that is decomposing plant and animal remains The growing lives principally on oxygen taken from the air and nItrogen nitrogen nitrogen ni nI- ni- ni trogen phosphorus and potash which are taken from the soil The nitrogen Is produced from the organic matter la Ii the soil and is liberated by the action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion of bacteria bacteria which rot this organic organic organic or or- ganic matter These bacteria cannot work unless they get air hence the necessity for drainage The same principle holds good for the liberation liberation libera libera- tion of or the potash and phosphorus although although although al al- al- al though frost action is more potent than bacterial action here The necessary necessary necessary sary phosphorus and potash are d de derived rived from the mineral el element ment of the soil and all three of these soil foods are sucked up into the plant through the roots with the water This water Is evaporated through the plants' plants leaves and the plant foods are retained and digested in the leaves and stems This digestive process is carried on In the little green cells which give color to the leaves These cells called chlorophyll cells cens for short will work only with the help of the sunlight If shaded too much they lose their color go into a decline and the plant dies Again let us state that a good garI garden gar gar- I den must be sunny and well drained and nd now you know why The next feature is fertility Almost Almost Almost Al Al- I most all soil contains an immense amount of plant food Ordinary virgin virgin virt vir vir- t gin clays mucks and loams learns contain enough potash and phosphorus for tor hundreds of years Why then do such soils Rolls peter out and fall to produce good crops after a aI awhile awhile while Usually b because cause the elements I and the bacteria cannot decompose the soil fast enough to get the plant foods into such shape that the plants can take these foods up and use them It also may happen that continuous growing of the same crop will poison polson the soil as far as that crop is con con- I. I The nitrogen gives out first Brat usually I and it is most moat easily renewed by usI using us us- I tog ing ng stable manure This will also help belp by releasing other elements and is allI all I most gardens ever need The need Is shown by low growth and pale color color color col col- col- col or or in the plants It helps to loosen the heavy soil gives light soil bod body and water holding capacity prevents L surface washing and introduces vast vastI I quantities of beneficial bacteria Phosphorus Phosphorus I is secured in the form of bone meal or mineral phosphate and potash potash potash pot pot- I ash comes in various commercial l fertilizers fer fer- fer- fer Care of Horses It is a 3 very good practice to to clip horses partly or in whole at this time of the year We believe bellevo that the European custom of at clipping the legs and belly as high as the traces come is ia rather better than our own usual method of either clipping cUpping all over or stopping Just above the knees and hocks Any clipping which frees the lower part of the horse borsetI body from long hair Is a decided advantage while the muddy period lasts and this is particularly true during the raw cold coldspring coldspring coldspring spring v eather and late winter tha than to save the horse Half clipping allows what mud adheres ad ad- beres heres to the belly and legs to be easIly easily easily ily removed and the skin then dries rapidly Nature is surprised by the first warm weather in the spring the horse still sUll has his heavy beavy coat of wint winter win win- t ter er hair and he be perspires profusely at al athis his ordinary work Most o of the sweat oaks Boaks down on the legs legs and Jelly belly keeping the whole horse borse wet from its vapor It If this can be overcome the rest of the horses horse's body can be dried off oft with comparative ease Tho The only way to overcome it at this time o of year is Is Isto to to clip cUp tho the lower half balf of all rill o othe of the body Clipping the lower part of tho the legs only simply aids in itt keeping these parts free from mud and this sort o of clipping Is done moro morn to save aavo work There are aro not many who advocate or er practice cUpping clipping the entire body I early in the spring This Is a valuable valuable able and perfectly feasible practice I the tho driver knows ws his his' business I and protects the tho horse from sudden i I changes and bad weather but it is safer sater to follow Collow the halt half clipping plan for Cor most horse owners until warm weather has come to stay and with its ts advent most of tho the reason Teason for clipping clipping clipping clip clip- ping horses borses departs Pneumonia and kindred diseases are more prevalent at this time of year than han at any other and this prevalence is s duo more to changing seasons and work vork than to any other one cause As Asar Asfar Asfar far ar as possible avoid avold getting your horses too warm and protect them carefully while they are cooling and drying off orr While it is desirable to get them dry dryas as soon as possible after stopping topping work they must not risk of chilling while drying Where horses have box stalls or can roll oil around on an ample supply of dry bedding bedding they will dry out fairly soon If f there are a large largo number of them I in n the same flame room means must be provided provided provided pro pro- vided to drain the liquid manure from he the stall floors as fast as possible and the stable room must be thoroughly thor thor- ventilated without drafts Horses which are clipped cUpped all over overdo overdo overdo do not suffer from the first warm wea weather her as much as unclipped or partly party part part- ly y clipped horses They perspire less and hence dry off orr faster For this very ery reason it Is necessary to blanket them hem carefully during cool weather in order to keep them from drying too rapidly and contracting colds With the opening of the spring seaon season season sea- sea son on many horses borses which have been doing doing dong do- do ing ng but light work wark during the winter winter will b be required to start in doing a a a. full ull days day's work and this change will willbe will wille be e made very suddenly As a result they tiey will develop the various troubles that hat afflict green horses and it Is well wello to o take all possible precautions against such troubles Start them In Ins inas inas as s easily as possible Increasing the tho work gradually Midsummer Plantings A good many of the short season garden pr products ducts can still be planted Onion sets will mature nicely before rost if planted now and onion seed can be planted and harvested as onion sets ets ready for planting next year Radishes should be planted every two or three weeks as late as September There is no reason why you cannot cannot cannot can can- not have a steady supply of radishes for or your table until the frost Good late crops of lettuce and spinach spinach spinach spin spin- ach may be had by planting now Although peas will not grow well Inthe in inthe the he hot weather a very excellent late lato crop may be had by planting the seed about four inches deep in drills two feet apart at this time of the year This will insure deep roots and hardy plants The general rule for midsummer planting Is to keep the plants well shaded during the hot part of at the day This means of course protection from he the sun as it is quite necessary for forthe forthe the he plants to get the morning and evening sun If you have bave no natural shade in your your- garden and do not want to go to the trouble pC of building artificial shade for Cor the midday sun still good results can be had by plantIng planting plant- plant ing ng your seed quite deeply Pl Plants put ut in at this time of year must be kept thoroughly watered and of or course e cultivation Is an present ever-present necessity |
