88 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



previous good work in clod and crust preventing the vege- 

 table grower is fortunate. If not, he must have recourse 

 to whatever implements for clod-crushing, cutting, chop- 

 ping 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 con- 

 dition which he wishes to attain and then experiment with 

 tools until he finds the best for his soil. Summer cultiva- 

 tion 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 through 

 no rain falls. Therefore frequent stirring to the adequate 

 depth but without soil-turning must be maintained at in- 

 tervals 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 fre- 

 quently 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 described for the horse-power garden or vege- 

 table field. Early and deep digging for moisture recep- 

 tion and storage, as well as to welcome root-penetration, 

 must be followed by coarse raking to maintain 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 charac- 

 terized. 



