34 Market Gardening. 



between a soil which has received this thorough tilth, 

 and one which has not ; the latter looks well enough 

 early in the season, but is burned up when the sum- 

 mer heats begin ; while the deep-tilled land, on the 

 contrary, holds the moisture like a damp sponge, down 

 below the reach of the sun; and its presence there is 

 plainly visible in the crop. 



Laying Out Land for Crops. 



A careful and definite plan, to be adhered to with 

 as much strictness as the nature of the case will 

 admit, is essentially necessar>' at the verj- outset of 

 operations. If one is w^ell acquainted with the land he 

 is cultivating, and knows what crops have been grown 

 on each portion of it the previous season, of course he 

 can make his plans accordingly. But if it be the first 

 season of his occupation his arrangements must of 

 necessity be guided by such information as he has. In 

 that case, they will be partly experimental, and changes 

 will be from time to time inevitably incurred ; but this 

 disadvantage should be avoided as far as careful atten- 

 lion to the subject will enable him. 



It is a good idea, when practicable, to have a plan 

 of the garden on paper, and to have this made during 

 the winter ; so that the intended arrangement of crops 

 can be mapped out for the coming season. This will, 

 of course, be a convenient guide in placing the manure 

 for each crop at the point where it is to be used, in 

 procuring supplies of seed, and also in many other 

 details. 



In mapping out afield in this manner, a person must 



