GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



Bead before the Society, March 22, A. D. 1877. 



BY SYLVANUS SEARS, OF "WORCESTER. 



The first garden we have any account of in Sacred or Profane History, 

 was the Garden of Eden. It was certainly the most beautiful, as it con- 

 tained everything that could delight the eye. It was certainly the most 

 useful, as it contained everything that was needed, both for the food of 

 man and beast. It was certainly the most comprehensive, as it contained 

 not only all the flowers of fields, and all the vegetables that grew out of 

 the ground, but also all the trees whose fruits were pleasant to the eye or 

 good for food or any other use. That garden has passed away and the 

 place where it was supposed to have been is now a howling wilderness. 

 But man transgressed and was driven out of that garden, and since then 

 he has been obliged to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. But I 

 am digressing and must come at once to my subject. 



The great secret of success in market gardening lies in the succession 

 of crops, heavy manuring, thorough cultivation and a good market; but 

 all of these will not give the best results without the gardener's skill in 

 keeping the ground fully occupied, and in that more than all other things 

 is where not only gardeners but farmers fail; they keep loo much unoc- 

 cupied land, for if it is not occupied with crops it soon will be occupied 

 by weeds. 



In selecting a location for raising vegetables many have made great 

 mistakes; first in locating too far from their market. It is done perhaps 

 because the land is much cheaper, but they find their mistake when they 

 come to transport their fertilizers to their land and cart their vegetables 

 to the market. The cost of manure is very much enhanced by carrying 

 it a long distance, and the vegetable gardener must have a good supply, 

 else his crops will be meagre and of small size, and his profits will be 

 proportionately small, and if his vegetables must be carted six or eight 



