THINGS ALWAYS DESIRABLE 93 



Let it be understood, rather, that the grower must be always on the 

 alert to do certain things without suggestion from any one, viz. : 



First : Stir the ground as soon as it will take tools well after 

 the young plants have appeared above the surface, and thin the 

 plants in the row to allow proper space for attaining good size. 

 With some strong growing shoots from large, deeply covered seeds, 

 it may be sometimes desirable to lightly harrow or rake the whole 

 surface before the shoots appear: it is better to break off some 

 shoots than to have them all under a crust. Light, mellow soil can, 

 of course, be raked sooner after rain or irrigation than heavy soil 

 the latter must not be disturbed when sticky or sodden. 



Second : Continue stirring afterward whenever the soil works 

 well, for weed killing if there be any; if not stir the surface just 

 the same. 



Third: Continue stirring so long as the cultivator does not 

 seriously injure the plant by breaking its stems and foliage, and 

 then use the hoe carefully to prevent the ground becoming com- 

 pacted near the stem in places not reached by the cultivator. 



Fourth: Keep the condition of the plant constantly in sight 

 and thought, to train or trim its growth to attain best results. Such 

 treatment for each plant will naturally be noted in the place devoted 

 to its special consideration later. 



Fifth: Watch for the attainment of such degree of maturity 

 as makes each plant most desirable for food purposes. The slack 

 gardener is apt to allow his vegetables to become stale or over-ripe 

 in the rows, and in that way miss their best estate. 



Sixth: Gather promptly and dispose of each, either by eating 

 or selling, when it reaches this condition and quickly clear away the 

 remains of the growth for stock feed or for the compost heap. 

 Do not allow the plants to stand for the purpose of gathering seed 

 from the culls which are rejected at picking. Select the earliest and 

 best specimens for seed if any seed is to be saved. It is, however, 

 only in exceptional cases that the farm gardener should save his 

 own seed. It is better to buy up-to-date varieties from those who 

 make a business of selection and improvement of garden varieties. 

 Keep the garden always clean and ready for something else. It 

 is a mistake to let the garden lie neglected' until the time for a 

 spring revolution and upheaval, like that which eastern gardeners 

 are forced to content themselves with. Of course, the error of 

 stirring the soil when too wet must be carefully guarded against, 

 but there is much besides digging involved in gardening. 



Seventh : Irrigate, if necessary, and work the soil at once after 

 cleaning up. Do not lose moisture by allowing the surface to be- 

 come hard. No matter whether the ground is to be used for an 

 immediate succession or whether it is to lie for some time, break 

 up the surface and make it fit to receive water or retain water, as 

 the case may be. 



