THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 195 



Other conditions are favorable, it is. But new land 

 alone will not yield profitable returns, however 

 lavish nature may have been in its preparation. 

 The most profitable crops ever grown here were 

 from a lively, deep loam, and as a second crop, the 

 first being early peas. As soon as the peas were 

 gathered the ground was cleared, plowed deeply, 

 and made as fine as the disk harrow could make it. 

 The land had a liberal dressing of well-rotted 

 manure before plowing. 



'' After harrowing the ground is marked out with 

 a small plow in rows 4 feet apart each way. At 

 the crossing of the furrows, which marks the 

 hills, a shovelful of well-composted manure is 

 worked in and covered slightly with soil. From 

 six to eight seeds are dropped in a hill. A small 

 handful of complete fertilizer, 'with an equal amount 

 of nitrate of soda, is then strewn around the hill, at 

 the rate of 200 pounds to the acre. None of this 

 manure comes within 3 inches of the seeds. Cover 

 the seeds not deeper than one-fourth inch with 

 soil made fine and pressed firmly over them with 

 the hoe or the feet. This completes the first im- 

 portant step in cultivation. 



'* As soon as the first two leaves appear the battle 

 commences. There will be weeds on every side, 

 and bugs on every plant, if they are neglected ; cul- 

 tivation, however, should be so thorough that no 

 weed will ever show itself. A cultivator should 

 go over the ground once each way, before the 

 plants appear, and just as the weeds break through 

 the soil. The surface should be stirred frequently 

 by the cultivator, or at least soon after every rain. 

 This is necessary to prevent evaporation. As soon 

 as the plants are nicely growing, and thinned out 

 to four in the hill, lay aside the cultivator. In its 



