120 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



"puttering job," most of the labor to be done by hand, and what care they 

 dc give it must be when the field crops do not claim any attention. But I 

 challenge any farmer to the experiment, that if he will select a good half acre 

 of land for a garden, and give it tlie proper care, and keep a true account of 

 the expense and returns at market price, it will pay him more than double hia 

 best half acre of field crops, besides the enjoyment he will get from the table 

 and the saving of expense in the form of doctor's bills. 



I know very well that if the farmer attempts the after-culture of his garden 

 altogether by hand he will fail, and very naturally conclude that it does not 

 pay. I would advise the selection of a plat, the length to be two or three times 

 the width, apply manure and plow in the fall, if possible; otherwise as soon as 

 may be in spring, and afterwards work up the soil fine, giving a top-dressing 

 of salt and ashes. Smooth over the ground with a rail under a harrow, and 

 then mark out in rows lengthwise of the plat. Two or three farmers could 

 club together and buy, a good seed drill, and, if desired, one with a cultivator 

 attachment, and the whole patch can be sown in two or three hours, and if the 

 manuring and plowing are done in the fall the garden can be planted in spring 

 and not interfere in the least with the preparation for field crops. Very early 

 in spring a hot-bed may be put up with very little outlay of money, in which 

 can be sown lettuce, radishes, early cabbage and tomatoes. 



I had thought to give a list of Avhat varieties I considered most desirable for 

 a farm garden, but as opinions differ so much I will forbear. 



Regarding the after culture of the garden, 1 would say that as soon as the rows 

 can be seen, run through with a hand-cultivator — which may be made cheaply, 

 with an iron wheel, which should run quite true in order to do good work, and 

 a blade in the form of a stirrup. A wooden wheel is not sufficiently heavy to 

 carry the cultivator steady. Afterwards, as soon as the weeds can be seen 

 peeping out, run through with a horse and cultivator, of adjustable width, 

 with very narrow teeth. If one already has a cultivator Avith shanks, any 

 blacksmith can make some good reversible points or blades out of pieces of old 

 buggy springs, which can be bolted to the shanks and answer a good purpose. 

 By stirring the ground very frequently the weeds are subdued, the plants are 

 kept constantly growing, and the effects of drought overcome to a greatdegree. 

 As soon as the plants are well up, they should always be thinned out, which 

 can be easily and quickly done with a narrow-bladed hoe, working crosswise 

 of the rows. It gives a two-fold benefit, both thinning and hoeing the plants. 

 I would suggest changing the relative positions of the various sorts each year, 

 as the elements of sod which one kind appropriates are often different from 

 those required for the successful growth of some other. 



The least expensive way of planting and caring for a garden, as well as any 

 other crop, is to do the work just as soon as it needs it, and if the farmer puts 

 the work off until there is nothing else to do, he will never have a good garden ; 

 when the work needs doing, if he cannot do it himself, he should, by all 

 means, set some one else at it. The Almighty did not say to Adam, "You 

 go out yonder into that SO -acre lot and go to work, and if it rains so you can- 

 not work out of doors, go and hoe in the garden." But he gave him as his 

 very first employment, on the great and glorious morning of his creation, to 

 "dress and to keep that garden," and I have often thought that perhaps it 

 would have been better for us all if he had obeyed his orders more closely and 

 not "meddled" so much with pomology. 



Mr. Gibson : I wonder that more people do not use a hot-bed and cold 

 frame. They are of such simple construction and really require but little tact 



