no 



VEGETABLE GARDENING 



lightly with an ordinary fine-toothed rake, even before the 

 crop appears above the ground, providing the work is so 

 carefully done as not to disturb the seeds. This is an easy 

 matter in case of the larger garden seeds, while it would be 

 impossible with the finer seeds, as they are invariably 

 planted shallow. When the seed is sown with a drill the 

 line of the row may be plainly seen even before the plants 

 come up, thus making it easy to commence cultivating in 



Fig. 8. Types of garden hoes. 



advance of the weeds. In case of such crops as carrots, 

 onions, beets, and parsnips, which are quite delicate when 

 young, cultivation should begin with some hand garden 

 cultivator, even if it is intended later on to cultivate with 

 a horse implement and the crop is planted with this pur- 

 pose in view. Such close and careful work can not be done 

 with any horse implement now in use as with the best hand 

 implements. 



Careful early cultivation is of the utmost importance, 

 since if the weeds are removed when they are young the 

 work of weeding is small. If allowed to remain until well 

 rooted, their removal is often a very serious matter, and 

 frequently, if neglected at this early stage, the weeds become 

 so firmly established as to make it a question whether to 

 remove them or to plow under the whole crop ; and often it 



