106 TRANSACTIONS OF TIIK ILUNOIS 



eighteen feet long, and one and a-half feet deep, evenly spread and 

 pressed down by laying a board across it and walking upon it. Our box 

 is then made, sixteen feet long, six feet wide and fifteen inches deep on 

 the upper side, and eight inches on the lower side. This is set upon the 

 manure and filled half full or more with rich soil prepared the fall before. 

 But usually several beds are made at once, in which case the area of 

 manure may be sixteen feet by thirty-four feet. When the boxes are set 

 on, manure is packed in between them, or banked up to the top of the 

 box, to retain the heat. 



The Hanson and Boston Curled lettuce, especially the former, we 

 do not like ; it is more green and less tough than leather. We do not 

 eat it, because we can get better. We can buy nothing in the seed 

 stores that gives us as much satisfaction as a variety that has been in the 

 hands of Alton gardeners for more than a dozen years past. I suppose it 

 started with what was the Early Curled Silesia, but it is improved till it 

 is far ahead of that now. It is light-colored, curled and crisp, makes 

 only a moderately compact head, and, when well grown, is good enough 

 to set before a king. 



We grow the Trophy tomato, but do not like it because of its hard 

 core and imperfect ripening. H^thaway's Superior and Cook's Favorite 

 will be tried by us another season, as I am inclined to think they will suit 

 better. 



Dr. Long — I want to call attention to the garden as indispensable to 

 every man who owns ground enough to make a garden. Garden vegeta- 

 bles are necessary for the body, giving vigor and life and health. It is a 

 pleasant recreation to be up in the morning and out in the garden at work 

 before breakfast. 



In regard to time of preparation, now is the time to prepare your 

 ground ; plow deep, manure heavily, and ridge \ip the land, so as to get 

 the benefit of the frosts. As to kinds and varieties, the radish, I think, 

 a bad thing. It is not fit to eat ; but the Bassano beet is a good thing, 

 and there is, perhaps, no beet earlier or better. Other kinds are good, 

 but this is good enough. Then come peas and early corn. The Golden 

 .Sweet corn is the best and earliest. I have never eaten any thing nicer 

 than this. I have sweet corn for the table from about the 25th of June 

 till the first of September, or later, by planting every two weeks until the 

 5th of July, which will carry me till frost. Early Rose is my potato, both 

 for early and late use. I plant and cover two inches with dirt, and then 

 cover with straw, and I have good crops. For late use I plant late, my 

 last planting being about the loth of July. They are superior to the 



