252 ANNUAL REPORT. 



is a ruinous policy to allow tools to be dropped and left where 

 last used to rust and rot until wanted again. The indispensable 

 garden tools are a two horse steel plow, a harrow, cultivator^ 

 horse or hand wheel hoe, seed drill, Ames' spade and shovel, flat 

 tined spade, fork, manure fork, steel rake, draw and shovel hoes, 

 pronged hoe, wheel harrow, reel and line, watering pot, and 

 market wagon, the first cost of which would not exceed $300. 

 Another important item is that of seeds. It is not practical for 

 every gardener to raise his own seeds on account of the liability 

 of many varieties to intermix when grown near together on 

 small farms. Of many varieties those grown far north and west 

 will be found superior to all others for earliness of maturity: 

 especially is this the case with lima beans, sweet corn, and toma- 

 toes. My advice would be to raise only such seeds as we have 

 the facilities for growing in the greatest perfection, and purchase 

 the rest of some reliable seed house, patronizing one at home in 

 preference to one no more reliable away from home. Never pur- 

 chase any seed simply because it is cheaper than others sell the 

 same variety; good seeds bear about the same price everywhere. 

 In raising seed select the best and truest type of the variety to 

 prevent deterioration. Crossing or mixing takes place through 

 the agency of the winds and insects, conveying the pollen when 

 in bloom from one flower to another. It seldom does any injury 

 to the current crop of cucumbers, melons, squashes and such 

 other crops as the seed is produced within the part that is valu- 

 able as a food, but the next crop grown from such seed wall be 

 worthless. • Corn is affected the same year in which it is crossed 

 and the seeds of cabbage, turnips, and many other plants are 

 nearly worthless when so grown. 



To grow vegetables to perfection requires the constant atten- 

 tion of the gardener in keeping the weeds out and the surface of 

 the soil mellow and loose. As the earliest vegetables always 

 command the best prices and meet with the readiest sale it is 

 policy for the market gardener to use every device within his 

 knowledge to hasten the season and be the first in market; espec- 

 ially is this the case with early lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, 

 cabbage, cauliflower and tomatoes. The man who has cucum- 

 bers and tomatoes before his neighbor, will often realize more 

 from the sale of a dozen than after a few days from a bushel or 

 hundred. 



To secure this end in a climate like ours, glass structures are 

 very essential, and the man who has not the ability to manage 



