56 MY HANDKERCHIEF GARDEN. 



planting of the vegetable garden, and the investment 

 once made pays its little dividends year after year. 

 Of course the first cost will be much greater than for 

 seeds, but this is offset by the fact that the invest- 

 ment is made for years instead of weeks. At the 

 regular catalogue rates the rhubarb will cost about 

 $i.oo ; 75 asparagus plants, $i.oo ; 350 straw^berries, 

 $10.50 ; 12 currants, $1.50, and 16 grape vines, $8.00. 

 This would be $22.00 for the whole. The labor of 

 planting, fertilizers and tools would be the only addi- 

 tional expense, and once set out all expense would 

 cease for at least two years, except the very slight 

 expense of keeping the place in good order. From 

 November 15th (in latitude of New York) to April 

 15th there would be absolutely no outlay whatever. 

 On the other hand, we must forego all returns till the 

 second year, and even then be content with only par- 

 tial returns from a portion of the in^^estment. On 

 the third year everything would pay a dividend, and 

 with the exception of the strawberries continue to 

 pay every year for at least three years, and for the 

 grapes, asparagus and rhubarb for from ten to twenty 

 years to come. It costs more at first, yet in the long 

 run the fruit garden pays as well, if not better, than 

 the kitchen garden. 



The care and culture of such a handkerchief fruit 

 garden is simple and inexpensive, and when once 

 planted consists chiefly in keeping the ground clean 

 and open to the air. As in building a house, the first 

 care is to get a secure foundation, so in our fruit 

 garden the first consideration is the soil. It must be 

 good and it must be dry. A clay soil, where the rain 

 lingers on the surface after every shower, will never 

 do, and if there are little pools to be seen for an hour 

 or two after the rain has ceased to fall, the place 

 must be drained, or it is better not to plant anything. 



