ABOUT MAKING GARDENS 81 



Spinach is not my hobby, although I like it well, 

 and in the South I am able to grow, or collect, all 

 that I want of scoke and sorrel. The first of these 

 is called the " Southern spinach." The easiest of 

 all greens to grow is Swiss chard a plant closely 

 resembling the beet, but without eatable root, while 

 the whole strength of the plant goes to making leaf 

 stalks as large as small rhubarb or pie plant. Chard 

 will live through several seasons, and you may cut its 

 stalks all through May and June. 



Of course we want rhubarb or pie plant and we 

 must have asparagus. Both of these need good 

 strong soil and to be kept clean of weeds. Pie plant 

 can hardly be overfed. Its delicious stalks can be 

 hurried somewhat in the spring by setting over them 

 headless barrels. I believe that everybody consid- 

 ers beet greens one of the best early vegetables. To 

 get these, sow the old-fashioned blood beets and not 

 the new-fangled turnip beets, which do not have any 

 stalks worth the mention. 



For late corn, string beans, and peas, one must 

 not only plant in succession, but understand a few 

 tricks of the gardener. I am able to have string 

 beans, that is of the pole varieties, until the very last 

 of October sometimes well into November. This 

 is done by breaking down a few poles and throwing 

 corn litter or straw over them on freezing nights. 

 The beans will go on forming, and string beans 

 are always delicious. I do not grow the little runted 

 sorts that are found in the market, but varieties 



