30 Market Gardaiing. 



put to service. Lumpy, untven ground, or coarse soil 

 will never do to plant in : seeds will not catch uni- 

 formly or grow well in it ; the plants will lack uniform- 

 ity, and will not mature together. The importance of 

 this matter is too generally underrated ; very few peo- 

 ple have anything like an adequate idea of it. If the 

 ground is to be devoted to raising greens, or some 

 sowed crop where a drill is to be employed, a Meeker 

 harrow will smooth the surface nicely, so that the 

 seed-sower will do its work to satisfaction. A full 

 description of its operation may be found in the chap- 

 ter treating of Farming Implements, 



This harrow will prepare the surface sufficiently well 

 for such crops as onions, cabbages, or beets, and for 

 spinach and other sorts of greens ; but for such small 

 fine seeds as those of lettuce, or dandelion, the hand 

 rake must be brought into service. 



For root crops, at the first ploughing a depth of 

 twelve inches would be none too much. In ploughing 

 for deep-rooted crops, like parsnips, long carrots, or 

 horseradish, the second ploughing should be of eight 

 inches' depth ; and this should be followed by a " sub- 

 soil," after which use the Meeker harrow or leveller, 

 as already directed. 



After ploughing and harrowing, it is often advisable 

 to pass the roller over the land. The horse roller is a 

 very useful article, and is used very extensively. When 

 the ground has been harrowed, and the lumps not yet 

 broken are brought to the surface, the roller is put on 

 to crush and smooth them out. It is also very bene- 

 ficial on light land, in dry weather, to help the land to 



