OUT-OF-TOWN PLACES 



system it has simply the appearance of a thor- 

 oughly plowed surface. Nothing more is 

 done until the young shoots begin to appear; 

 at this time the Scotch harrow is put on, and 

 the land completely weeded and levelled, lit- 

 tle or no harm being done by this procedure to 

 the starting crop. The whole field has thus 

 the evenness and the cleanness of a garden. 

 Three weeks later, especially if the season be 

 favorable to weed growth, it may be neces- 

 sary to go between the rows— now most dis- 

 tinctly and luxuriantly marked with tufts of 

 green — with the cultivator; and no future 

 culture is needed until the "earthing up" pro- 

 cess is accomplished with a double-mould-board 

 plow. This done, the crop takes care of itself 

 until harvesting time; no hand hoe, or further 

 culture being essential. I venture to say that 

 the cost per bushel is twenty per cent, less 

 than that by the ordinary, hap-hazard hand til- 

 lage. In addition to this there is the delight 

 to the eye of trim rows of luxuriant foliage, 

 interlacing by degrees, and covering the whole 

 ■jurface with a rich mat of green. If the ex- 

 perts in the growth of this old esculent — 

 whether in Maine or on the Bergen flats — 

 have any fault to find with the method, I will 

 be a patient listener. 



136 



