THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 77, 11 April 1918, Page 1

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

(W. H. Taylor in Journal of Agriculture) VEGETABLE CULTURE. Turnips for winter use should be sown at once in most places, 1 but a month or more later will be s soon enough in northern districts. It is a good plan to sow two kinds —a white, such as Snowball, for first use, and a yellowfleshed variety for late use. The latter should be thinly sown, and thinned early to about 4 inches I apart. For the white variety I ( commend the market-garden plan | —namely, to sow in rather broad . drills so that the turnips do not stand in single file, thinning being confined to pulling some out where extra thick, and the rest done by pulling for use as they become fit. The produce of such a bed is many times greater than if thinned to single file, as usually advised.

The spring and early summer supply of cauliflowers is obtained by sowing seed during the last week in March or the first week in April. For first use sow Early Snowball or Early London. It is important that the plants be kept growing, as they are likely to bolt to head prematurely if subjected to any check. Where frost is severe the protection of a frame is necessary. It is better to sow in the soil than in boxes. The frames should be shallow, and lights should be taken off whenever weather allows. For later use sow Autumn Giant or one of that type, which are not prone to premature heading. Cabbages should be sown at the same time as cauliflowers. Flower of the Spring, Sutton’s April, and Early Etampes are the leading earlies at preset!t, while Early Jersey Wakefield and Winnigstadt are also good. For later use sow one of the Enfield Market type. Autumn is the proper time to sow the giant kinds of onion, of which Ailsa Craig is at present the best. Sow in a temporary bed for transplanting in spring. In places where onion-mildew is troublesome sow also a keeping variety of Brown Spanish type. Bulbs from this sowing mature early, and usually escape mildew. It should be understood that they do not keep as long as spring sown bulbs, but they grow to a larger size. Spinach for winter use should be thinned to not less than 8 inches apart. If the plants are not growing freely give a topdressing of nitrate of soda, 1 oz. per square yard. A like dressing of nitrate of soda will assist the heading of cauliflowers now coming in, also the growth of broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbages. It will be particularly beneficial to any that were planted late. ’PREPARING THE SOIL. The breaking-up of new land should be done while the soil is moist; it is easy to work in that condition, and can be more thoroughly broken up. Autumn is the best time, as the soil will then be brought to a better condition to pass through winter, and will have time to settle before being put to use in spring. Drainage should also be attended to at this season. Though soil that is waterlogged during the winter months may produce a summer crop, it is rarely possible to avoid a late start. The soil in a garden should be in fit state for use all the year round. Soil that contains too much water is termed “sour,” while that which is hard and impermeable is said to be “ inert.” Fertility in soil depends on the activity of certain microbes. The life of microbes depends on the presence of air, a certain degree of warmth, darkness, and an amount of moisture. Lacking these, soil, cannot be fertile. When soil is waterlogged during winter it becomes very sour and cold. In spring a lessened rainfall may allow the surplus water to slowly drain away, but much of it escapes through the surface by evaporation,. The result of evaporation is a lowering of the temperature at the place of evaporation, this lowering being in proportion to the heat of the sun. The hotter the sun the more sud" den the evaporation and the lower the temperature, the latter frequently being near freezing point. Soil in that condition is not fit for use till late in spring.

When surplus water is drained away there remains only the amount that the soil can hold in suspension. This varies to some extent according to the class of soil; puggy soil and clay containing an excess of humus hold most moisture, and sand least. Clay is adhesive because of the exceeding fineness of its particles. Quicklime mixed with clay breaks it up, separates and surrounds the particles, and keeps them apart, thus making it more porous and admitting air, which warms the soil increases the activities of soil-microbes, and so imparts fertility. Clay land that is wet in winter, and parts with its surplus water largely by evaporation, is very dry and hard in summer ; it shrinks in bulk, and cracks. Drainage and lime will correct this. Clay soil that is not waterlogged in winter to any extent is similarly affected in summer and requires treating in the same manner. Drains increase the supply of air, and lime renders it porous.

Boggy land usually contains too much humus. Here also drainage will carry away surplus water, and render the soil pervious to air. Quicklime will act upon the humus, which will slake it; and the lime will absorb some of the moisture, making the soil warmer. Being a strong caustic alkali, lime will act chemically on the vegetable matter, combining with part of it, burning up another part, and laying it open to the oxidising action of those microbes whose life-work it is in the presence of lime or other alkali to consume organic matter, converting its carbon into carbonic acid and its nitrogen into nitric acid, both of which combine with lime, and thus furnish a valuable contribution to the fertility of the soil. Vegetable refuse, such as weeds, etc-., which is incidental to every garden, is rendered valuable by making a heap of the stuff, and sprinkling a little quicklime as each layer is added. An objection to this method is that the lime generates ammonia, which escapes, carrying away nitrogen; but this can be prevented by covering the heap with a layer of soil. When rotted down there will be valuable material for digging in. Lime sprinkled on vegetable debris also prevents the growth of injurious fungi which cause losses in the vegetable garden. As quicklime burns a portion of the humus in soil, it would not be right to dig it in to land deficient in humus, except in the case of clay land. My own opinion is that special liming is rarely necessary in a well-cared-for garden. I have not seen a garden that had not its share of slugs, snails, etc. The only effective way I know of dealing with these pests is by scattering lime among the crops in the evening or early morning while the pests are active. The lime used should be air-slaked quicklime. Moisture on plants and soil further slakes the lime, and the action of air converts it again into carbonate of lime. In that form it will not burn humus, and is fit for digging in. If this is consistently done it will give the soil sufficient lime, and I am satisfied will do much to avert attacks from fungoid blights.