OLERICULTURE OR VEGETABLE GROWING 167 



to be much turning in preparing and cultivating the ground. 

 It is not necessary that every row be complete with only one 

 kind of vegetable. Several kinds can be planted in the same 

 row. If bush fruits are grown in the garden, they should 

 occupy one side of it so as to be out of the way as much as 

 possible. Such plants as hold their places for several years, 

 like asparagus and rhubarb, should also be put at one side. 

 If only annuals are raised the garden can have a place in the 

 corn field nearest the house, but this is usually not satisfac- 

 tory, because the men are not so likely to use care in cultivat- 

 ing the small garden plants as they would if the garden plants 

 were alone in a separate plat of ground. Then, too, the vege- 

 table garden should be near the house in order to be con- 

 venient. 



A rich sandy loam, or loam, soil is best adapted for most 

 vegetables. If the plat of ground slopes slightly to the south 

 or south-west it is all the better. A northern slope should not 

 be chosen unless one wishes to raise late vegetables. The 

 land should be well drained, either naturally or by under- 

 draining. If the subsoil is very hard and compact, subsoiling 

 will be helpful. However, under-draining and deep plowing 

 will make subsoiling rarely necessary. 



Land for vegetables should always be carefully prepared. 

 The seed is usually small and the young plants are weak, so 

 that it is necessary that the seed-bed be very fine and mellow. 

 Stable manure is the most widely used fertilizer. It should be 

 thoroughly rotted, so that the weed seeds are pretty well killed 

 out. Men who raise large quantities of vegetables for market 

 frequently use commercial fertilizers. The commercial fertil- 

 izers do not bring any weed seeds to the soil, while the stable 

 manures are often quite full of them. 



