152 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



SUCCESSIONS AND ROTATIONS IN CALIFORNIA 

 GARDENS. 



Naturally, an all-the-year growing season suggests con- 

 stant use of the ground and the possibility of turning the 

 soil over several times in the course of the year. This can 

 be done by quick revolution, like the following : 



Where water is handy, two, three, or even four crops 

 can be grown on the same ground in the year. Start April 

 1 and sow the plot to lettuce, and with proper cultivation 

 it will mature in two months. Resow with turnip-radish, 

 which is a good summer variety. These will be fit to use 

 in three weeks, or by the first week of July, when the 

 ground will be ready for late cucumbers, which will occupy 

 the ground until the first frost, or till nights become too 

 cold for them to fruit. Now plant to carrots, beets, or 

 onion sets, and any of them will be ready for use in Febru- 

 ary or March. Here we have four crops within the twelve 

 months, and no two of them occupying the ground at the 

 same time. There are other combinations that would do 

 as well. 



Though this rapid work is quite feasible, as shown, and 

 many plants can enter into such combinations, the two- 

 crop plan will probably be as fast movement as most farm 

 gardeners will keep up with, and that consists in fall sow- 

 ing of hardy vegetables for winter and spring use, fol- 

 lowed by spring planting of tender vegetables for summer 

 and fall use. Occasionally there will be intervals in this 

 rotation for a third or catch crop of lettuce, radish, etc., 

 which takes a very short time. This will be a vast im- 

 provement on the present popular conception of garden- 

 ing possibilities, and if the hint of a fall crop of tender 

 vegetables like melons, beans, corn, etc., planted in July 

 to come on fast in the heat, followed by fall planting of 

 the hardy list for winter use, these two crops will be 

 gained before the outbreak of the usual * ' garden fever, ' ' 

 which rallies all garden forces in February and March. 

 The agencies to demonstrate this broader conception of 

 our gardening possibilities are Will and Work and Water, 



