^50 ANNUAL REPOKT. 



forward most rapidly to the earliest maturity. For a general 

 gardening business a variety of soil is desirable; if but one vari- 

 ety can be secured a deep, dark, sandy loam overlying a subsoil 

 of a porous nature, that soon becomes dry enough to work after 

 heavy rains, is the best. A light land, with sand and gravel 

 subsoil, is not favorable for raising late crops of cabbage, cauli- 

 flower and celery, but will do very well for the earliest crops of 

 lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, melons, etc., etc.; and a stiff clay 

 loam with a hard-pan subsoil is exactly the reverse. 



The garden site is best, if nearly level, with a slope to the 

 south or east, just sufficient to secure good surface drainage, as 

 such a slope gets the benefit of the most direct rays of the sun 

 in early spring. The garden site ought to be protected from 

 cold winds by hedge, wall, or tight board fence upon the north 

 and west sides. Belts of evergreens, groves of timber, or high 

 walls upon the north side afford good protection. If possible to 

 do so we should avoid selecting soil that is naturally poor, or 

 that has been worn out by excessive cropping, for the reason 

 that soils that have been exhausted of their fertility will at the 

 start require a great outlay for manures and cultivation to re- 

 store the fertility. Those naturally poor, although they may be 

 greatly improved by manuring, cannot be relied upon to pro- 

 duce the best quality of crops. But it might be better to locate 

 upon such soils than at too great a distance from the market, for 

 the reasons that it will afford better facilities for selling prod- 

 ucts, procuring manures and extra help when needed, as well as 

 consuming less time in going to and from the market. For suc- 

 cessful gardening the application of fertilizers to the soil is of 

 the utmost importance. For most garden crops the ground will 

 require libeial and frequent manuring; in fact too much manure 

 can hardl}' be applied for such crops as asparagus, cabbage, caul- 

 iflower and celery. Stable or barnyard manure, well decom- 

 posed, is the best for general purposes. It is the bank stock 

 which will supply nearly all of the ingredients from which grow- 

 ing vegetables draw their sustenance. The gardener who has a 

 huge pile of it always at hand has deposits in a bank that never 

 fails or suspends payments. Lime, ashes, salt, and every waste 

 from the house or garden have great value as fertilizers, and 

 nothing should be wasted. I never yet have seen a soil so rich 

 that it would not bring a better crop by the judicious use of ma- 

 nure; the kind and quality to be governed by the variety of vege- 

 table to be raised: but an occasional rotation with Peruvian 



