FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 161 



dry, bare ground, the annual fever returns to prepare and plant a garden. One 

 year in three a light dressing of coarse manure is applied, and an attempt made 

 to plow it under. Instead of this, there should usually be added yearly a good 

 wagon-load of fine manure. The annual spring plowing is often rendered quite 

 impracticable on account of the scattered patches of perennials above noticed. 

 To spade the ground over is laborious, expensive, and generally unnecessary, if 

 the right plan is pursued. The small quantity of beets, onions, lettuce, peas, 

 radishes, etc., thought necessary to raise, are often sown in close, short rows, 

 running across beds which are elevated six: inches or a foot above the path which 

 surrounds each bed. Once sown, they are left for two or three or four Aveeks, 

 iintil the weeds make a good showing. Tiie proprietor waits for the seeds to 

 come up. With much labor and perplexity, the weeds are taken out, and many 

 of the garden plants with them. In two to four weeks the beds perhaps are hoed 

 again, requiring a great deal of patience and perseverence for so small a patch 

 of ground. The shrubs and trees are left to ran about their own way. For a 

 great portion of the year it is a dreary and desolate spot, neglected and unfre- 

 quented, shut off from view by itself. When thus managed, tbe results are most 

 unsatisfactory, giving but a poor return of poor vegetables and fruits for the 

 labor bestowed upon them. 



The above picture is not overdrawn, and many a one will think the writer has 

 been looking over into the garden of the reader or that of some of his neighbors. 

 Much of this poor management comes partly from, ignorance and partly from 

 a, feeling that time spent in the garden does not jDay good returns. Many have 

 never been accustomed from childhood to have anything to do with planning 

 and tending a good garden. At table they never learned to miss many of our 

 best vegetables and berries in their season. They have looked upon everything 

 in this line as expensive luxuries, except potatoes, onions, beets, a few cabbages, 

 tomatoes, and currants. They have not realized the advantage of a liberal sup- 

 ply of gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, asparagus, rhubarb, celery, 

 salsif}^, parsnips, squashes, and Lima beans. 



I shall never feel satisfied until there is a society in our State, and others in 

 different countries, to offer liberal premiums for the best farmer's garden. I 

 see no way by which more good can be done than by awakening an interest in 

 this subject. There should be committees to visit such gardens, and report like 

 an orchard committee, which has been such an excellent feature of our State 

 Pomological Society. 



I will now suggest a few things by way of improvement on the f amide's gar- 

 den, as described above. In the first place, remove the fence on two sides, at 

 least, and leave a strip of grass on two sides or ends, wide enough for a horse to 

 pass onto and turn around without tramping down the cultivated plants. If 

 not naturally well drained, put in tile, or select another place for the garden. 

 Put on manure as above mentioned, thickest where certain crops are to grow 

 Avhich require the most manure. Plant the currant bushes, jiie plant, asparagus, 

 raspberries, and all other perennials at one side of the garden by themselves, 

 thus leaving the space for the annuals all in one piece, which may be easily 

 plowed. Waste no time in making raised beds, which is labor worse than thrown 

 away. Make a i^lan of the garden, at first designating just how much space 

 shall be devoted to each variety. Do not plant every thing at once, but leave 

 .space for planting more for a succession. Draw a long stout line (the size of a 

 pipe-stem) across the garden or lengthwise of it, making the rows as long as the 

 shape of the land will admit. Plant by the line, or by the marker which runs 



