SHELTER BELTS. , 343 



easily, is a nice ornamental tree and makes a good shelter. The 

 Black Hills spruce is still hardier and tougher in every way, but so 

 far has proved a slow grower with me. But my decided choice 

 among spruces is the Colorado blue. It is not only the hard- 

 iest but also the most beautiful of all evergreens in my collec- 

 tion; it stands without a blemish, that is, good specimens raised 

 from plants gathered on this slope of the mountains in Colorado; 

 as grown from seed in the eastern nurseries it is not as hardy nor 

 as nice. This tree will make a most perfect shelter. It is very easy 

 to transplant and seems remarkably well adapted to our needs. 



Instead of buying four large evergreens to set in the sod in the 

 front yard, get a hundred or more stocky transplanted trees, twelve 

 to eighteen inches high, and plant only on soil and site where you 

 would expect to raise a good crop of corn — of course, you want them 

 where they will do the most good when grown up. Manure should 

 not come in contact with the roots. Plant firmly, cultivate thor- 

 oughly, and don't doubt for a moment that you will have the finest 

 and best shelter belt in the state. 



A VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR A VILLAGE LOT. 



E. A. CUZNER, MINNEAPOLIS. 



First on the list of early vegetables comes asparagus. I plant 

 mine twelve inches from row to row, and ten inches from plant to 

 plant in the rows, and six inches deep, omitting every fifth row. 

 This gives room to cut the crop easily, and this space can be used 

 for a few summer lettuce or cauliflower. A thin crop of radish can 

 be grown on the asparagus beds without doing any harm. 



The Egyptian onion is one of the few things that can stand our 

 long, cold winters, and the top sets planted in the fall make a very 

 fair onion for early spring. I put mine twelve inches from row to 

 row, putting the sets about two inches apart, and leaving a perma- 

 nent bed in some corner for sets. 



Rhubarb should be in every garden, but be careful and get some 

 good sorts. Victoria and Linnaeus have been as good as any for 

 general use. Mine is near the fence, where it will take half its food 

 from the street. 



I like to lay my ground off in plats about one rod in width, with 

 alleys about eighteen inches wide. A few rows of early potatoes 

 are always acceptable. After potatoes a crop of turnips may be 

 had. After laying off my ground for tomatoes, it is then cropped 

 between the rows with spinach or early beans. By growing corn 

 next to my squash, the vines can use the same ground to advantage. 

 A few early peas on the other side will also give room for the vines. 

 Ivate corn I once planted in with early cabbage, leaving single stalks 

 eight feet apart. The cabbage seemed to do as well as it would 

 alone. The ground had been well manured. Then comes onions 

 from seeds, and beets, salsify, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, sage, par- 

 aley, summer savory, kohl rabi, cucumbers and celery. 



My tender plants are started near where they are intended to be 

 used. The kitchen stove and window is brought into use, sowing my 



