IRRIGATION. OF THE GARDEN. 271 



coarse feeder and does not need the manure to be 

 thoroughly rotted. Cover the manure with three or 

 four inches of earth, making a perceptible hill. Sow 

 four or five seeds in each hill as soon as danger of frost 

 is over. When in second or third leaf, thin to two 

 plants in a hill; and if the ground is rich they may, 

 with advantage, be again thinned to one, when danger 

 from the striped bug is over, about the time the plants 

 begin to run. They should be cultivated alternate 

 ways every two weeks immediately following irriga- 

 tion; thus they will very soon completely cover the 

 ground, and so keep the weeds down themselves. No 

 irrigation is needed after the pumpkin is half grown 

 unless the season is unusually drouthy. Squashes, 

 eggplants, and gourds are handled pradlically in the 

 same manner. It is a good rule to recoiled: that these 

 vines require but comparatively little water until in 

 blossom, and the greater amount of irrigation should 

 be applied from that time until the fruit has grown to 

 half size or over. 



Sweet Corn. — Sweet corn should be cultivated 

 and kept free of weeds, but irrigation must be delayed 

 if possible until the corn is in tassel. As soon as the 

 tassel begins to appear on the most forward stalks 

 the water should be turned in and irrigation made 

 thorough. The best method of irrigation is the furrow 

 system. This should be carefully arranged so as to 

 prevent the water running diredlly around the roots or 

 stalks. A healthy, well-developed tassel makes a good 

 crop of corn, hence care should be taken to prevent it 

 from becoming stunted or killed from lack of water, 

 also to keep the water from running around the stalks. 



