CULTIVATION IN SMALL GARDENS 83 



kept in good absorbing condition and is also carried on its way to 

 the best conserving condition as well. Weed growth, which is 

 moisture wasting, is also prevented. 



Then comes the summer cultivation to retain such an earth- 

 mulch as has been described. If it proceeds upon previous good 

 work in clod and crust preventing the vegetable grower is fortunate. 

 If not, he must have recourse to whatever implements for clod 

 crushing, cutting, chopping and grinding, work best in his soil, for, 

 as there can be no best plow for all soils, so also there can be no best 

 cultivator. The grower must learn to recognize the condition which 

 he wishes to attain and then experiment with tools until he finds the 

 best for his soil. Summer cultivation means cultivation all summer, 

 or at least as long as growths are still progressing. To reduce to 

 good tilth in the spring and then "lay by" the garden or else to count 

 upon later cultivation only in the case of later rains, is not adequate 

 cultivation for moisture conservation. The earth mulch will have 

 its capillarity restored by its own absorption of moisture from below 

 or from the air, and it will lose its efficiency as a protecting cover 

 even though no rain falls. Therefore frequent stirring to the ade- 

 quate depth but without soil-turning must be maintained at intervals 

 both to restore the mulch and to destroy weeds which may start late 

 and pump moisture away from the plants in almost incredible 

 amount. Remember, though no crust forms and no weeds start, the 

 cultivator must frequently restore the surface layer to its condition 

 as an efficient mulch if the greatest possible amount of moisture is 

 to be conserved. 



CULTIVATION IN SMALL GARDENS. 



Work with spading-fork, hoe and rake in the hand-made 

 garden is subject to exactly the same requirements as those de- 

 scribed for the horse-power garden or vegetable field. Early and 

 deep digging for moisture reception and storage, as well as to wel- 

 come root-penetration, must be followed by coarse raking to main- 

 tain a surface fit for absorption and not favorable to crusting while 

 the rainy season advances, and, after the rains have ceased, there 

 must be frequent deep hoeing and fine raking to maintain the earth- 

 mulch which has already been characterized. 



The Man with the Hoe. The use of the hoe at different sea- 

 sons in the California garden and the contrast between summer 

 hoeing as practiced in arid and humid climates is so strikingly 



