PREPARING THE SOIL 255 



the roots apart. And when the object is to get out the roots, 

 the fork is a great help. After lifting the forkful of earth, 

 the loam is sifted down through the tines of the fork, the 

 roots are left, and these are easily tossed on to little heaps 

 which the worker jnakes every yard or two, and which may 

 be collected afterward. Or if roots fall through the fork 

 on to the ground, they are easily lifted with the tool, to pile 



FIG. 142. A root of witch-grass. In spading, take out every one of these. 



with the others. With the spade one has to stoop farther, 

 and lift the roots with the hand. 



Of course, it is wise to take out every stone as large as a 

 hen's egg. Pile them, to carry away later. 



Spading, properly done, is not an easy task. To get the 

 greatest possible depth, to keep the trench open, to take out 

 all the roots that will sprout again, and all the stones, is a 

 painstaking matter. And if this is not done, what is the re- 

 sult ? A badly spaded garden looks, when finished, just as well 

 as a well-spaded one ; but one sees the results in midsummer. 

 The roots have not been able to penetrate into the unspaded 

 ground, the plants have not so much food or water, and the 

 yield is poor. There has been a hard fight with the perennial 

 weeds. Since it is always too late to remedy this with the 

 present crop, the only thing to do is to spade thoroughly at 

 first. Yet I have never found it an uninteresting task. If I 

 hurry, nothing tires me more. But if I take and keep my 

 proper pace, with a moment of ease between every two 



