A previous article dealt with the conditioning of heavy Shang the methods of maintaining good with ibod also. Tt will now be noted that {in the various methods to be described, mechanical condition and food: supply will be intimately connected, Shanghai soil, according to cheical analysis, is poor in time and organic matter. The Chinese farmer counteracts these deficiencies tora certain extent, using' the means at his disposal, with the re: sult that the earth, not only. Shanghai, but throughout China, is the lurking unpleasant possibilities, that even handling it is apt to be dangerous to the health. This however is digressing. Organic matter being a necessity in any well-ordered. soil, it is fortunate that other sources are available, for example cow and hors¢ manure, Plant refuse, feathers, waste silk, wool, hair, ete.
The vs of organic matter in the preparation of soi] lies in its of forming innumerable Tittle pockets in the soil where (1) sticky' soil particles cannot case together (2) moisture can be retained (3) air and consequently warmth can obtain entry (4) roots can penetrate more freely (5) plant food is produced as the matter decays. Yet, it must be remembered that raw organic matter transfused into soil that will shortly carry growing plants is certain to
Jfiret place there maybe a rapid ote harm than good. Tu the release of ammonia in process, as especially likely with fresh horse manure, Young roots stand-up agai result will be a whole plant, Again the presence of fresh manure containing cellulose (tray, ete.) while itself potentially nutritious is, contrairiwise, apt to variety which. has been buried, underground for a year or two and is therefore easily passed, as a final precaution, through a & inch riddle. Finally—as we are discussing mechanical conditioning as well food supply—large raw lumps of organic matter will not blend properly with fine soil particles and form a homogeneous mass. In a word, soil constituents should all be drawn from good old vintage stock.
Before passing on to the discus-slon of other materials used for the improvement of soil, just a word fon drainage, a vital factor in the maintenance' of good soil condition. The importance of drainage is perfectly well understood by all Shanhai gardeners and there is no need to enlarge on ways and means. It must, however, be clearly understood that the object of drainage is not only to keep water from standing fon the surface or near it, but is also intended to promote the much needed circulation of air down into the soil through the suction exerted by the draining water; further. more to prevent evaporation of "free" water at the surface with consequent deposit of salts and other impurities which not only cause surface caking but may be directly harmful to the plant itself, The danger of imperfect drainage is well illustrated in the ruin which overtook certain irrigated orchard ands in Egypt. The system itself was all right, that is to say there were regular channels for bringing the water in and for letting it out again, All drains, however, were kept brimming, both inlet and out-drain the soil of nitrates in the|let, until the' ground was well Yielnity of said cellulose, because] soaked. Then the water was the bacteria, to whom is allotted allowed to get out as best it the task of reducing this material could. It took that soil about to its lowest terms, nitrate them-six years to become unfit for selves to keep going. Yet again,|plant' growth and it may still fresh manure of any kind is more ikely to harbour cutworm eggs and similar pests than the wil rotted peso. The moral is to sce that your drains drain and do not act as reservoira—C. 'T, BrnpwooD,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.