Economy of Intensive Cultivation 25 



There should be uo idle land in a well- managed gar- 

 den. As soon as one crop has matured or passed its 

 usefulness, the land should be thoroughly prepared, and 

 general!}^ well manured, and a succession crop planted. 

 Winter crops may be grown between asparagus rows 

 and other plants which are practically dormant, such as 

 lettuce, cabbage, radishes, etc. 



Plots which are occupied by okra or other annuals 

 until severe frosts, should be manured and plowed sev- 

 eral times during the early winter, and planted in peas, 

 beets, salsify, or potatoes from January to March, 

 according to latitude. Frequent winter plowing incor- 

 porates the manure with the soil, and the soil is pulver- 

 ized and improved by the effects of severe freezes and 

 numerous insects are destroyed in the larva or pupa 

 stage, while hibernating. This is especially true of 

 cutworms. 



INTENSIVE GARDENING 



The southern gardener is much disposed to imitate 

 the southern farmer in half- preparing, half- fertilizing 

 and half- cultivating a large area instead of concentrat- 

 ing his efforts in all of these respects on one -half or 

 even one -fourth the area. It costs less to cultivate one- 

 fourth acre on the most intensive system than it does 

 to treat an acre in the usual slipshod manner. One- 

 fourth of an acre properly handled will supply an aver- 

 age family with enough vegetables for their daily con- 

 sumption and a sufficient surplus to pay for the labor of 

 cultivation. 



The most advanced intensive system means thorough 



