GARDENING AND TRUCK FARMING. 285 



the manure to maintain uniform heat throughout and decompose, 

 so as to be in the best condition for plant food. Except when 

 starting a garden on new land, I find the greatest benefit from 

 using manure at the surface, and thoroughly incorporating it 

 with the soil by repeated harrowing and stirring with the culti- 

 vators. Be careful to avoid getting small stones on the garden 

 with the manure. It is often the case that manure from the 

 village is thrown into a graveled alley and mixed with small 

 stones, which would do little or no harm in a grain field, but 

 which dull the hoes and give great trouble in the garden. 



If starting a large garden, and manure enough can not be 

 had to put it in good condition, it will pay to devote a part to 

 green crops for manure the first year. A crop of rye sown in 

 the fall can be turned under in May, and followed by buckwheat, 

 which would be ready to turn under early in July. Then a sec- 

 ond crop of buckwheat or one of sowed corn can be grown, and 

 plowed down in time to seed again with rye, and this will make 

 the land so mellow and clean that it will grow good crops of 

 many kinds with but little manure. 



The vegetable and fruit gardens should be kept separate, for 

 if currants, raspberries, blackberries, etc., are allowed in the 

 garden, they are almost sure to spread until they take up too 

 much space, and too often to be choked with weeds and seed the 

 balance of the garden. 



Laying out the Garden. The old plan of a grass bor- 

 der and narrow beds sowed crosswise, to be cultivated entirely 

 with the hoe, is no longer followed by experienced gardeners. 

 Whether there is a fourth acre to be cultivated for family use, 

 or the market garden of five or ten acres, it should be laid off 

 so that every thing can be planted in long rows, and cultivated 

 by horse power or with the hand plow. We shall never be able 

 to dispense with the hoe or hand work in the garden ; but by 

 proper management and keeping the soil free from weed seeds 

 we can greatly reduce the labor. 



No weeds should be allowed to go to seed in the garden 

 under any circumstances. It is not so difficult to prevent this 

 as is often supposed. In most gardens which are allowed to 



