78 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



will be of approximately equal depth over the whole area. 

 At the shallowest places the water should stand about a foot 

 above the plants. The water is usually let on the bog early 

 in December and kept on until April or early May. No flood- 

 ing is done during the rest of the year unless there is some 

 particular occasion therefor. 



All the wild and turfy growth should be taken off the 

 bog before the vines are set. This is done either by digging 

 it off and removing it bodily, or by drowning it out by 

 means of a year's flooding. The former method is gen- 

 erally considered to be the better. After the turfy growth 

 is removed, the bog is smoothed and covered 2 or 3 in. 

 deep with clean sand. The vines are now set, the lower 

 ends of them being shoved through the sand into the richer 

 earth. In order to prevent a too rapid and tangled growth 

 of vine, it is customary to resand the bog every three or 

 four years to a depth of one-fourth or one-half inch. 

 When sanding is not practicable, the vines may be mown 

 off when they become too luxuriant. 



The plants for setting are merely cuttings or branches of 

 the vines. These cuttings may be from 5 to 10 in. long. 

 They are inserted into the ground in a hole made by a 

 crowbar or stick. They are usually planted at distances of 

 12 to 18 in. each way, and the vines are allowed to cover 

 the entire ground as with a mat. In three years a good 

 crop should be secured, if the weeds and wild growth are 

 kept down. A crop ranges between 50 to 100 barrels per 

 acre. 



Cress. The Upland Cress, or the true PEPPER 



GRASS, may be grown on any garden soil. Sow early in the 

 spring. It makes a rapid growth and can be cut from 

 four to five weeks. Succession of sowings must be made, 

 as it runs quickly to seed. The curled variety is the one 

 usually grown, as the leaves may be used for garnishing as 

 well as for salads. One packet of seed will be sufficient for 

 each sowing. Any good soil will do. Sow thickly in drills 



