68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



while it doesn't cost me over, perhaps, $1.00 per year for celery 

 in my family. 



Mr. H. D. Brown — Some one has said something about the 

 farmer's garden being an acre. I have experienced one " acher" 

 about the garden, and that is a back " acher." I am in the nur- 

 sery business, and I know that gardening is hard work, and I 

 say, therefore, don't expect your ladies to do the work. Another 

 thing; get your peas, early beans and all such things in early. 

 Just as soon as you can, get at your planting, and never mind 

 about the frosts. 



Dr. Humphrey — Mr. Budlong, how do you plant and gather 

 parsnips? 



Mr. Budlong — I plant almost everything on level ground, and 

 I cultivate level. I don't even hill potatoes. I used to hill them, 

 but I have quit it, and I have got the best results without it. 

 For the cultivation of all those small roots, I make the ground 

 as level as possible. I plow the ground in the fall, because the 

 grub worm whose nature is to hatch in the fall, and then burrow 

 in the ground, thus stands a good chance of being frozen, being 

 turned up to the frosts. And if you plow in the fall, plowing 

 under manure, and the spring is wet, you can then cultivate with- 

 out plowing; while, if you wait till spring to plow, you may have 

 to plow when it is too wet. In the spring, if I can, I plow a 

 second time to bring the manure to the surface, and use a 

 smoother on the ground. Then for planting small seeds I use a 

 seeder. I use one putting in three rows at a time. I would not 

 recommend a machine so expensive as that to our farmers, but 

 you can put in the seed with your fingers, being careful not to 

 press the dirt down. I don't know anything that I want the 

 dirt pressed on. I never touch the ground unless it is in fit con- 

 dition. ■ You say, suppose the ground is diy, what do you do? 

 Well, it is seldom but that you can cultivate it to get moist dirt 

 to the surface, but if it is too dry, I leave it until it rains. My 

 early experience — some thirty years ago — was in New England 

 on sandy soil, and there it did not make so much difference, you 

 could handle the ground almost anytime, and still if I was there 

 again, I would do as I say now, only handle the ground when it 

 is in good condition. I think it was in '61, the second year that 



