ABOUT MAKING GARDENS 91 



people have the more uncomfortable they are about 

 boundary lines. 



Apples that fall over the bounds belong to the 

 land where they fall. If a grapevine creeps in- 

 quisitively through the fence your neighbor may 

 shear it off close to the boards that is, if he have 

 a bit of spite in him. A quarrel is always in reach 

 of the quarrelsome. Vegetables make less quarrels, 

 but you may as well be careful about your compost 

 piles and not have them where the drainage can be 

 complained of. 



I can hardly escape the necessity of making one 

 or two lists for you in the way of best things to 

 plant, the real invaluables for a quiet country gar- 

 den, the varieties that I have tested and am willing 

 to endorse as first rate. Of asparagus there is noth- 

 ing to compare with the improved French Argenteuil, 

 a variety that was brought to this country and first 

 planted in South Carolina. It is the earliest by ten 

 days, the largest, and most delicious. In market it 

 brings twice the price of any other variety. 



If you love this vegetable as I do, you will have 

 a tidy bed at least two rods square, and it will be 

 absolutely clean of weeds. A good plan will be to 

 throw some litter over your asparagus bed as a win- 

 ter covering and then burn it over as soon as the 

 snow thaws in the spring. The Conover's Colossal 

 is the variety generally grown and is very good, but 

 by no means equal to the Argenteuil. 



