Page 745 - Reading Mercury

The value of a little faith in our medicine—be it prescribed for ourselves or for the
crops we grow—cannot be overestimated; in fact, gardening and farming require
more faith than most occupations and we set about our tasks with much more hope
when we are fortunate in getting the things we have faith in.
The plotholder who has his favourite fertiliser needs little advice. It may be a well-
balanced mixture that almost everything he grows will respond to; but I would suggest
that in addition to his favourite fertiliser he should secure a few pounds f Sulphate of
Ammonia. There is nothing at the price so quick and magical in its effects for such
things as giving a start to young cabbages that have come through a severe winter.
Spinach, lettuce, and other crops that look in want of a pick-me-up respond in a way
that is surprising. But give the sulphate sparingly and never fail to water it in; in fact it
is best applied dissolved in water, a tablespoon to a gallon of water is enough for most
things, so along with your order for fertiliser don’t forget a few pounds of sulphate of
ammonia.
Making use of the greenhouse
Those fortunate enough to possess a greenhouse, heated or unheated, can now begin
to put it to use. Sowings of such things as onions, lettuce, early cabbage and
cauliflower can safely be made. It should be remembered that the onions take over a
month to germinate, so that there is little danger in having them too early for a sowing
in a cold house. Fill the box with a mixture of soil as virgin as possible—fresh loam
with a little leaf soil and sand is ideal—and sift it so that the young seedling onions
can be taken out of the soil without breaking the roots. Sow thinly and the plants will
be all the more sturdy.
It is particularly important that all vegetable seeds sown under the glass should be
sown thinly and transplanted at the right moment. They go wrong much more quickly
indoors than in the open, and unless they can be well attended to, it is largely wasted
effort. If you have a greenhouse, and the time to give attention to the seeds of the
crops you are very fortunate and can bring many things on. You are certain to have
neighbours who have no greenhouse, so if you have any space not in use, an offer to
house a few pots of early vegetables seeds or a box of onions will be greatly
appreciated.
A false economy
I am asked once again if it is necessary to buy new vegetable seeds every year, or
can those left over from last year be used this spring. It is far better and more
satisfactory to get a fresh outfit of seeds every spring. It is true that certain vegetable
seeds retain their powers to grow for several years, but this depends on how they have
been kept. And there others that lose their power very rapidly.
There are things we could, and perhaps should save and be very economical over ;
saving and using up old seed is no economy, however, but it is likely to end in a
serious loss and much disappointment.

th
Sat 6 Jan
R.A.F. AWARD
Flight-Lt. John Stewart Fifield (83294), R.A.F.V.R., 169 Squadron has been
awarded the D.F.C. Flight-Lt. Fifield has set a fine example and skill, keenness and
devotion to duty. He has completed a very large number of sorties and throughout, his
determination to inflict loss on the enemy has been most commendable. Among his
successes is the destruction of two enemy aircraft at night. This officer was born in
1917 at Hurst and his home is at Wokingham.

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