Vegetable-growing 283 



QUESTIONS 



1. In general what are the differences between market-gardening 

 and truck-farming? 



2. What kinds of soil are best for vegetables? Why? 



3. Why should a farmer have a good home-garden? 



4. For what reasons should a wide range of crops be grown in the 

 home-garden ? 



5. Name some hardy vegetables that can be planted early. 



6. Why do vegetables require large quantities of fertilizer? 



7. State the advantages of using modern tools in caring for a 

 garden? 



8. Why is too wide planting not advisable for some vegetable 

 crops ? 



EXERCISES 



1. Farm-garden. Plan a garden for your own farm, taking into 

 consideration vegetables for spring and fall planting, the arrangement 

 in the garden, the methods of planting, the quantity of seed required, 

 when each lot of seed should be planted, and other similar matters. 



2. Method of growing cucumbers. This method of growing 

 cucumbers is applicable especially to a small garden. The equipment 

 required is a sugar barrel, a quantity of manure, cucumber seeds, a 

 brace and one-inch bit, a hammer, nails, and a short strip of wood. 



Remove the top from the barrel and bore three one-inch holes in 

 each stave, spacing them about six inches apart. Bore the first hole 

 six inches from the bottom. Nail the pieces of the head together with 

 the strip of wood to form a cover for the barrel. Dig a hole in a fertile 

 spot in a garden and place the barrel in this hole so that about half the 

 barrel is above the level of the ground. Fill the barrel with manure. 

 Make a mound of fertile soil around the sides of the barrel, extending 

 to within six inches of the top. The soil should be about twenty inches 

 thick at the base. Plant six or eight hills of cucumbers in the mound 

 of soil around the barrel, placing eight or ten seeds an inch deep in each 

 hill. 



Pour water on the manure in the barrel each day. This forms a 

 liquid fertilizer that will pass through the holes of the staves and fur- 

 nish plant-food and moisture to the cucumbers. Keep the cover on 

 the barrel, except when watering the plants. Flies will breed rapidly 

 in the manure unless the barrel is kept covered. As soon as the plants 

 start to run to vine, remove all but the best three or four in each hill. 

 This will leave more fertility and moisture for the others. Carefully 



