OCR Text |
Show CULTIVATION IS GREAT NEED It Keep Weeds Down and Allow Air to PaM Through Soil Havo Rake and Hoe Handy. (Prepared by the United States Department Depart-ment of Agriculture.) A well cultivated garden produces tho best crops both qunllty and quantity quan-tity considered. In fact gardon crops will not give good results unless tho soil is kept cultivated. Cultivation Is 'not Intended prlmnrlly to kill weeds, although this Is Important, but to loosen the surface and let air into the soil so ns to provide a more congenial environment for the roots of the plants. Plants In soil which Is too wet turn yellow und If not relieved by proper cultivation nnd drainage, languish lan-guish nnd die. Too much wnter In tho soil dilutes the soil solution, impedes im-pedes the formation of nitrate, destroys de-stroys desirable soil organisms and permits the development of undesirable undesir-able ones. , Soil which has been too wet, if allowed allow-ed to dry nnd bake, offers an environment environ-ment as uncongenial for plants as when too wet. Either extreme, thcrofore, should bo guarded against. If tho home garden Is located nenr tho kitchen door, the hoe und rake can bo kept conveniently near bo thnt odd moments can be spent In cultivating. |