CHAPTER II 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL - LAYING OUT OF 



LAND FOR THE DIFFERENT CROPS - ROTATION 



OF CROPS - MANURES - THEIR APPLICATION 



PROPER preparation of the soil, prior to 

 sowing or planting, is one of the most impor- 

 tant conditions involved in the process of getting 

 a crop. We shall not aim to discuss at length 

 the principles on which it depends, but confine 

 ourselves in the main to simple and practical 

 directions as to the work to be done. 



Ploughing, subsoiling, harrowing, raking, and 

 (at some stage of the process) manuring these 

 constitute the main operations by which the land, 

 after being stripped of a crop, is put into condition 

 to be planted with another. 



For all market-garden crops we recommend 

 that the ground be ploughed once before an appli- 

 cation of manure is made. In the case of all leaf 

 crops, like celery, cabbage, etc., eight inches 

 would be a sufficient depth for this first ploughing, 



[36] 



