VACANT CITY LOT CULTIVATION 31 



the plowing and harrowing for you all, thus saving a large 

 amount of labor. 



After your garden has been well dug, it must be fertilized 

 before any planting is done. In order to produce large and 

 well-grown crops it is often necessary to fertilize before 

 each planting. Very good prepared fertilizers can be bought 

 at seed stores, but horse or cow manure is much better, as it 

 lightens the soil in addition to supplying plant food. Use 

 street sweepings if you can get them. 



The manure should be well dug into the ground, at least 

 to the full depth of the top soil. The ground should then be 

 thoroughly raked, as seeds must be sown in soil which has 

 been finely powdered. 



Lay out the garden, keeping the rows straight with a line. 

 Straight rows are practically a necessity, not only for easier 

 culture but for economy in space. 



After you have marked off your rows, the next step is open- 

 ing the furrow. (A furrow is a shallow trench.) That is 

 done with the hoe. (Best and quickest with a wheel hoe. 

 Ed.) After the furrow is opened, it is necessary that the 

 seed be sown and immediately covered before the soil has 

 dried. In covering the seeds the soil must be firmly pressed 

 down with the foot. This is important. 



In buying seed it is best to go to some well-established 

 seed house, or, if that can't be done, to order by mail rather 

 than to take needless chances. With most kinds of seeds 

 a package is sufficient for a twenty-foot row. 



Begin to break up the hard surface of the soil between the 

 plants soon after they appear, using a hand cultivator or hoe, 

 and keep it loose throughout the season. This kills weeds ; 

 it lets in air to the plant roots and keeps the moisture in the 

 ground. 



