368 ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN BOTANY 



nized. It is surprising how many young people there are 

 who can recognize vegetables when served on the table, but 

 who cannot recognize many of them as they appear in the 

 markets. 



In the following account of some of the more common vege- 

 tables, suggestions as to cultivating them are often included, 

 not because pupils can do such things in connection with this 

 study, but because they should know something of such 

 details, and chiefly with the hope that some of them may be 

 interested in cultivating home gardens. 



76. Gardening. The cultivation of vegetables is usually 

 called gardening, as distinct from farming. A few genera- 

 tions ago almost every family had a home garden, the prod- 

 ucts of which were for family use. In general, this was 

 amateur gardening, and the results were extremely variable. 

 There was no opportunity to select especially favorable soil 

 and climate, for the garden had to be near the home. The 

 general purpose was to secure good quality, a continuous 

 supply, and as great variety as possible. 



With the growth of large cities a new phase of gardening 

 was developed, known as market-gardening or truck-garden- 

 ing, the products being for sale just as are the products of a 

 factory. This kind of gardening became professional, and 

 the product became very uniform in standard. In establish- 

 ing an industry of this kind, it was possible to select the most 

 favorable soil and climate, sometimes within easy reach of 

 the market, sometimes at great distances from it. The 

 general purpose of a market garden is to secure uniformity, 

 high productiveness, quick growth, and comparatively few 

 crops. 



77. Garden soil. There is a general uniformity in the 

 character of good garden soil, no matter what vegetables are 

 to be cultivated. The soil should be not only rich in the 

 materials for plant food, but also light and loose, which means 

 good drainage. Such a soil is called a " quick " soil because 



