Reports of IvOCal Societies. 247 



is level fall. Each fall, after frost has killed the tops, they should 

 be cut away and the row receive a liberal mulching of barn-yard 

 manure. Every spring as soon as the frost is out and the ground 

 drv enough, rake off the straw and coarsest manure and dig the 

 remainder in with a fork, not deep enough to disturb the roots; 

 a few days later plow a shallow furrow each side and leave it 

 open, throwing the loosened soil over the plants, and smooth and 

 fine off the top with a rake, leaving a bed about throe feet wide, 

 and do not allow ijrass or weeds to get a foothold. Toward the 

 last of June, after the season of cutting is past, the earth thrown 

 over the plants should be thrown back with the plow, first scat- 

 tering manure in the open furrows. Hun the harrow over it to 

 level off, and let the plants do their best in growing for the rest 

 of the season. This will orive the roots strength and mature the 

 buds for the next year's crop. The first year no cutting should 

 be done. The second, a few messes may be taken from it. Ever 

 afterwards keep it cut clean as fast as the shoots get six inches 

 above ground, until toward the last of June, using a long knife 

 and cutting below the surface of the ground, and let the whole 

 grow as before the balance of the season. A dressing of salt 

 after the cutting is done will do no harm and probably not much 

 good. 



The remainder of our acre is designed for the growing of veg- 

 etables, and may be arranged to suit the different plantings and 

 planted in varieties and quantities to suit the wants of the family. 

 The ground can be fitted mostly with the farm plow and harrow, 

 and to insure the greatest success, each species of vegetable 

 ought to be planted in its appropriate season. Peas, onions, 

 beets, radishes and lettuce, for the earliest crop, may be planted 

 with safety as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. 

 Onions for the fall crop will do better if sowed early, and a few 

 early potatoes should be planted as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground. It is useless to plant beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, 

 etc., until about the first week in May, or until the ground be- 

 comes somewhat warm and dry. Cucumbers and melons may be 

 hastened a few days by placing over the hills a box without top 

 or bottom and covered with a light of glass for each hill. An 



