d about six
years ago. Two sons, James, of St. Paul, and Robert, of Sauk Rapids, and
two daughters, Mrs. Annie Nicholson, of Hamline, and Mrs. Emma
Sovereign, of Sauk Rapids, mourn her loss. Our society has lost a most
loyal friend.--Mrs. Jennie Stager, Sauk Rapids.

GARDEN HELPS

Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society

Edited by MRS. E. W. GOULD, 2644 Humboldt Avenue So.
Minneapolis.

Notes from Prof. Alway's interesting and instructive talk on
"Maintaining the fertility of our gardens."

Requisites for proper plant growth are warmth, ventilation, root room,
the absence of harmful alkalies or animals that destroy the beneficial
bacteria in the soil, water and plant food.

By far the most important requisite for growth is water. More plants and
crops fail because of the lack of a proper amount of it than from any
other cause.

Plenty of fresh air is needed by the plants, as they derive a portion of
their food from it.

They adapt themselves largely to conditions as to root-room, a plant
thriving in a pot, but spreading to much greater root space when grown
in the open with plenty of room. The more restricted the root space, the
more food and water it will require.

The fourth requisite for growth does not concern us as there are no
alkali lands in the counties near the Twin Cities, and the harmful
minute animals that destroy the beneficial bacteria in the soil are as a
rule found only in greenhouses.

The best fertilizer for the garden is the thorough use of the hose.

Each year stable manures become harder to obtain, but the fertility of
the garden can be maintained by the use of commercial fertilizers, which
are more concentrated foods and are much easier to work with.

The perfect plant food consists of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. We
can obtain these in separate form and use as we need them.

Nitrogen comes in the form of a salt, called nitrate of soda, and in
dried blood. The nitrate of soda is very soluble in water and is taken
up at once by the plant. It can be scattered upon the ground near but
not touching the plant, as in the latter case it would burn it. It can
also be dissolved in water--a tablespoonful to a pail--and the ground,
but not the plant, watered. Dried blood is slower in action and requires
warmth, so should not be used early in the season. Nitrogen promotes
quick and luxuriant growth of leaves and stems and is good to use when a
green growth of any kind is wishe