CHAPTER III 



GARDEN TILLAGE 



Objects of Tillage. By the proper cultivation of the 

 garden we accomplish three things : (1) The weeds are kept 

 out so that they do not shade or take away valuable plant 

 food and moisture from the plants which we desire to 

 perfect. (2) The surface soil is brought into best condi- 

 tion to resist drought, that is, into the best condition to avail 

 itself to the utmost of the stores of water in the subsoil and 

 to prevent the evaporation of this water from the surface 

 soil. Erosion or washing of the soil is also prevented to 

 some extent. (3) The inert plant food in the soil is made 

 soluble by chemical action, due to the letting in of water, 

 heat, and air by the stirring of the soil. 



Prevention and Killing of Weeds. The methods 

 best adapted for keeping weeds out of the garden are many 

 and varied. They depend much upon the condition and 

 kind of soil in which the weeds grow, and upon the kind of 

 crop and the habits of the weeds themselves. The most 

 important step in making easy the prevention of weeds in 

 the garden is the harrowing or other thorough cultivation 

 of the land just before the planting of the seed, to kill the 

 young weeds. If this is done thoroughly the weeds do not 

 have any better chance than the crop. If this is not done 

 the weeds will be ahead of the crop in growth, and if started 

 ever so little when the crop is planted the result generally 

 is that the crop is seriously overgrown by them before it is 

 large enough to be cultivated. 



When garden seeds that require a long time to germinate 

 are sown, it is an excellent plan to rake over the land 



