384 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [MAY 



The various kinds of gourds, which are more cultivated for orna- 

 ment than use, may be sown where they can be trained to trellises, 

 fences, walls, or to cover arbors. 



When you intend to cultivate either melons, cucumbers, squashes, 

 pumpkins, or the like kinds, on a large or extensive scale, you can 

 prepare the ground with a plough, which will save much labor ; and 

 also, afterwards, as the weeds advance, plough and harrow between 

 the plants till they begin to run, after which, the hoe must be used. 



SWEET POTATOES. 



The sweet potato requires a very light, sandy, and tolerably rich 

 soil to bring it to good perfection. The time to plant it in the middle 

 States is the first ten days in May, or more generally it is planted 

 about the eighth or tenth of the month. It is remarked that the 

 earlier and more forward crops are always most productive and best 

 for eating; and several people, to accomplish this end, first sprout 

 them in hot-beds, and then plant them out in the following manner. 



The ground being first well pulverized by ploughing and harrow- 

 ing, &c., is afterwards laid out by the plough in squares of four or 

 five feet each, and at the intersections of the scores or furrows, hills 

 are made, in the manner directed for melons and cucumbers, on page 

 382 ; into each of these, one or two good sets are planted, and covered 

 about an inch deep, or a little better ; as they advance in growth the 

 hills are enlarged by drawing the earth up around them with a hoe ; 

 or, by first cross ploughing the ground, harrow it with a very narrow 

 harrow, and then finishing and rounding the hills with a broad hoe. 

 They ought to be kept constantly free from weeds, and the frequent 

 enlargement of the hills will encourage the growth and increase the 

 number of roots. 



When they are cultivated upon a small scale in gardens, all this 

 work may be performed with a spade and hoe. 



INDIAN CORN. 



The Zea mays, or Indian corn, is frequently required from the 

 gardener for early use. For this purpose, procure some seed of the 

 earliest kind, and select a piece of dry, sandy, and tolerably rich 

 ground, in a warm exposure. After preparing it as if for peas, &c., 

 form shallow drills about two inches deep, at the distance of six feet 

 from each other ; drop the seed therein two feet and a half asunder, 

 and two grains in each place; strew a little wood ashes in the drills, 

 then cover the seed as you would peas. As the plants advance in 

 growth, earth them up two or three times. For an early crop you 

 may plant the seed, in the middle States, about the first of this 

 month, or ten days earlier should the season prove very favorable. 



This method is exclusively intended for the garden culture of the 

 small early kinds. 



