24 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



necessary constituents for plant development and 

 those most often lacking : nitrogen for vigor, phos- 

 phorus and potash for good results. A complete 

 fertilizer, one good for potatoes, will answer at 

 first very well. It contains all three of these 

 necessary foods in a proportion ready to feed the 

 average plant well. The biggest part of the bulk 

 is made up of a filler, a material used to save waste 

 in handling and storing and to make it possible 

 to distribute the chemicals evenly. When large 

 quantities are needed, or when one kind of plant- 

 food is to be used for a special purpose, the chemi- 

 cals should be bought separately and mixed as 

 needed. Spread it broadcast, evenly, thickly 

 enough to show a little gray on the surface. Now 

 comes the dragging, the finishing. For that pur- 

 pose, any farm tool useful in the preparation of 

 the cabbage field is satisfactory. The drag, the 

 harrow, any fine horse tool will do. Drag lightly 

 but thoroughly. In the best way possible, with 

 the best tools accessible, the work must be con- 

 tinued until the soil is as fine and loose, as mixed 

 and mellow as it can be made. Now, at length, 

 our much-hoped-for garden is ready for planting, 

 waiting for the seeds. 



Perhaps now, after all that has been said con- 

 cerning the important matter of getting a garden 

 ready, the little back-yard garden plot may seern 

 to have been forgotten. That is far from true, 

 however. Size does not matter, you know. There 



