186 ELEMENTAKY AGEICULTUEE 



many different sorts of blades made. Markers for 

 keeping rows straight and a small hand roller, are 

 great helps. .The wheel hoe is the best cultivator. 

 Every farmer should have blades of different sizes 

 and a set of disks which can be used on the culti- 

 vator. 



Mulch. We know that a covering of fine, dry 

 earth, or a dust mulch, prevents moisture from es- 

 caping from the ground. ^'A finely raked garden 

 bed is dry on top, but the footprints of the cat re- 

 main moist for days, because the animal packed the 

 soil wherever it stepped, and the water climbed up 

 from one grain of earth to another until it reached 

 the surface." Besides convenience in cultivating, 

 it is wise to plant seeds in rows, instead of in beds 

 which have been raised or hilled up, with high beds 

 and low places between. When we leave the ground 

 rough, or make large holes around our garden 

 plants, we leave more soil exposed to the air, and 

 this helps moisture to escape from the ground. In 

 a very wet season, it is well to hill up crops like 

 potatoes or corn, because we then wish to get rid 

 of part of the moisture. 



Planting. We are usually told to make the earth 

 firm and well packed over newly-planted seeds, be- 

 cause thi-s brings moisture to the seeds lying near 

 the surface and so hastens the sprouting. As soon 

 as the seeds have sprouted, the ground should be 

 loosened to stop evaporation. Large seeds can be 

 planted deep and the earth well packed over them, 



