PRIZE PICKINGS 291 



sketch of a rough and ready support for vines comes 

 from the same source. The stakes are from tree brush, 

 to which is fastened a single wire. 



Best Time to Work the Garden. — Cuhivating and 

 hoeing in the early morning when the dew is on the 

 earth is far preferable to doing it in the heat of the day. 

 I arise at four o'clock and breakfast at six in the sum- 

 mer season. In the meantime I devote from one-half to 

 two hours in the garden, hoeing, weeding, cultivating 

 and gathering cool, crisp radishes, lettuce, cucumbers, 

 peas, beans, squash, beets, etc., for the morning and 

 noontime meals. Vegetables gathered when the dew 

 is on them are of the finest quality. Early to bed, early 

 to rise, gives a good appetite for breakfast, and adds 

 days to our lives. — [L. E. Dimock, Connecticut. 



Hand IVeeder. — I have a patent device which 

 makes the work a little harder and slower than without 

 it. So I broke a foot of¥ the point of an old scythe, 

 bent two inches of the top at right angles, sideways, 

 hammered the edge of the rest down, wrapped it in a 

 rag for a handle, and found it very useful in some cases. 

 But thumbs and fingers must do most of the fine work. 

 ~[A. P. Hitchcock, New York. 



Clean Digging. — We have found that for a small 

 acreage, a fork is the most economical instrument with 

 which to dig potatoes, because the plow or potato 

 digger covers a great many which can never be found. 

 Do not put potatoes in the cellar until seasoned. — [A. 

 Brackett, Minnesota. 



The potatoes were dug by turning a light furrow 

 from either side of the row, and then raking over the 

 center with the potato hook. This method is used here 

 more than any other. As yet no potato digger has 

 been found that does its work satisfactorily. — [Charles 

 P. Augur, Connecticut. 



