40 MY HANDKERCHIEF GARDEN. 



spaded up roughly and left in that condition all win- 

 ter. In the spring the fertilizers can be spread over 

 the surface and forked in as soon as the ground is 

 dry. Four pounds of commercial fertilizer, one pound 

 of bone-meal and half a bushel of wood ashes will 

 make a good mixture. There should be about five 

 pounds more of the fertilizer on hand for use at inter- 

 vals during the growing season. 



The thing to grow is lettuce. It is the most useful 

 crop we can have, one of the most simple and easy of 

 culture, and it is always acceptable on the table. If 

 you can raise but one crop, let it always be some 

 variety of lettuce. If you have a sunny window, you 

 will be 'surprised to find how many dozen heads of 

 lettuce can be gathered from this mere ribbon of 

 ground. The cost, including the fertilizer, will be 

 very small, and the only labor of any consequence 

 will be* in spading up the ground. This ought not to 

 exceed one hour's labor about six times each season 

 and the few moments* attention once or twice a day 

 from the first of March to the last of October. Much 

 of the time, however, there will be nothing to do for 

 weeks beyond the gathering of the daily crop. The 

 entire time spent in caring for the lettuce will proba- 

 bly be less than the time required to go every day to 

 the store to buy your lettuce. 



The first planting in a flower pot or small wooden 

 box should be about the first of March. These plants 

 should be set out in the little bed by the tenth of 

 April, setting the young plants in three rows one foot 

 apart each way. One-quarter of a ten-cent package 

 of seed will be ample for this first planting. A six- 

 inch flower pot will easily hold it, and if three dozen 

 plants are set out in the border, it will be enough for 

 the first crop. One of the best varieties to use is the 

 ''Boston Market" (or Tennis Ball). 



