The Preparation of the Garden 



other, fall plowing is advisable. But I would not 

 advise fall plowing for the garden whose soil is 

 light and porous. Not that plowing in fall would 

 injure it, but no particular benefit would accrue, 

 and it is just so much unnecessary work. 



Do not make the mistake of applying manure 

 in fall, unless you have so much of it that you 

 can afford to waste the greater portion of the 

 fall application. Even if plowed under, much 

 of its beneficial effect will be lost during the 

 late fall rains, which will leach it away to such 

 an extent that next season's crops will get but 

 little good from it, and, later, by the evapora- 

 tion which takes place during winter under 

 the action of frost, unless the ground is well 

 covered with snow. The idea of evaporation 

 in winter may seem absurd to those who have 

 given the matter but little thought and have 

 not made it one of personal study and investi- 

 gation. But it is a fact, nevertheless, that a 

 large share of the nutritive properties of man- 

 ure applied in fall will be dissipated and lost 

 by freezing and thawing. Therefore, unless, 

 as has already been said, you have more manure 

 than you can use to advantage, hold the supply 

 in reserve for spring application. 



29 



