The Preparation of the Garden 



year's vegetables will not be wholly plowed 

 under, in nine cases out of ten, and these will be 

 continually cropping up to clog the teeth of the 

 garden cultivator, and interfere with good work. 

 The cleaner the soil the better the quality of the 

 work you can do in it. Bear this in mind, and 

 never leave any refuse to be worked into it. 



When you are ready for plowing, spread 

 your manure. Spread it evenly, and use it 

 liberally. The ideal manure for the vegetable 

 garden is that made up largely of cow-drop- 

 pings which have lain long enough to be well 

 decomposed. If black and friable, it is in the 

 best possible condition.' I know of no accurate 

 method of determining the precise quantity 

 to use. Much depends on the quality of the 

 soil, and more, perhaps, on the strength of the 

 manure you use. That which has been kept 

 under shelter will be rich in nutriment, while 

 that which has been left exposed after leaving 

 the barn will have parted with a large percent- 

 age of its goodness. There is not much danger 

 of making the garden too rich. The principal 

 danger from excessive use of barnyard-manure 

 is in making the soil so loose that it dries out 

 more readily than it otherwise would more 



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