STORY OF A MINNESOTA GARDEN. 105 
not. The object sought is the retention of moisture. A few days after seeds 
are planted, the ground over them is stirred to destroy sprouting weeds and 
to retain the moisture, and this is sometimes done a second time. The sur- 
face of the ground between the rows is stirred frequently with a hoe, even 
though weeds are not present, to keep the moisture from escaping? No irri- 
gation has been used, and not much hand watering during any season. Of 
course, much promptness was exercised in planting a crop as soon as the 
previous one had been removed. Scarcely any of the plants were ever start- 
ed in a hotbed. All, or nearly all, were sown where they grew. The cab- 
bage plants were obtained from seed sown somewhere on one side of the 
garden. They were thus always at hand when wanted for transplanting. 
No artificial fertilizers were used, but farmyard manure was applied as 
follows: One large load or two small ones from the horse stable, and con- 
taining much straw, were used in banking the cellar in the autumn. This 
manure was removed in the spring to the rear of the garden, and in a sense 
composted, though earth was not admixed into it. This heap was made 
the receptacle for grass cut from the lawn and around the borders of the 
garden, and also the refuse vegetables when these could not be buried while 
green; but when it was practicable to bury them in the garden in the green 
form this was done, to hasten decay in the raw soil brought up from below. 
The waste water from the house, or at least much of it, as suds, was also 
conveyed to the compost heap. In the autumn the accumulation from this 
heap, much reduced by that time, was spread over the surface before the 
garden was dug. A portion oi the wood ashes from the cooking stove were 
also spread over the same, after having been bleached, the residue going 
to the lawn. 
It was interesting to note the changes that went on continually in the 
mechanical condition of the soil. When the sub-soil was first brought up, 
it was a yellowish red in color, and was more or less tenacious, because 
of a peculiar clay content in much of it. This,gradually became darker in 
color, and more friable; hence the fine mechanical condition of the garden 
at the, present time. No one knows sufficiently the value of vegetable mat- 
ter to the soil of Minnesota when judiciously added to them. It was also in- 
teresting to note the slow decay of vegetable substances put into the soil ,as 
compared with the same in damper and warmer climates, a truth the value 
of which is beyond all estimate to the future of our agriculture. 
One-half of the garden will henceforth be devoted to the production of 
small fruits, particularly strawberries and red and black raspberries. These 
are among the easiest grown in the line of small fruits, and none but the 
hardiest varieties will be used. The object is to obtain a sufficient supply of 
these, and at a minimum of labor expenditure. It is thought that the other 
half of the garden will now supply vegetables enough for two families, omit- 
ting altogether potatoes and celery. 
_ It was not intended that the experience in handling this garden should 
be held up as a guide to the farmer in his operations when growing vegeta- 
bles for his home. With the farmer land is so plentiful that he can grow 
his garden supplies with less labor. But the results should encourage the 
artisan and the laborer in towns and cities to cultivate land that may ap- 
pertain to the dwelling in which he lives. Even the space of one rod square 
may be made to yield vegetables of the small varieties to an extent that will 
astonish the grower. 
