34 Southern Gardener^s Practical Mammal 



the soil to absorb surplus water from excessive rainfall 

 and restore it by capillary action to the plants in periods 

 of drought. 



Straight rows. — The appearance of the garden is 

 improved by having the plants grow in accurately 

 straight rows. Besides, the plants are more easily culti- 

 vated when thus planted. 



The drill -marker enables the gardener to lay off all 

 the rows straight and absolutely the same distance 

 apart. This is easily made with the tools that should be 

 found in every gardener's collection, viz. : a hand-saw, a 

 brace with bits ranging in size from one inch down to 

 the gimlet, a square and a drawing knife. It consists of a 

 piece of lumber 2 inches x 2 inches x 6 feet, into which 

 one-inch holes are bored twelve inches apart. Pins made 

 of some hard wood are inserted in these holes, alternate 

 pins extending through so as to form a double marker, 

 one side marking drills one foot apart and the other 

 two feet apart. The first row is marked b}' a line on the 

 garden reel or simply tied to two common stakes. The 

 outside tooth of the marker is drawn in this guide 

 furrow and, returning, it follows the outside one, and so 

 on to the completion of the area. The marker should 

 have two shafts rigidly fastened to it and properly 

 braced. This prevents wobbling and secures straight 

 rows. The same tool may be used to check across those 

 rows to insure having the plants uniformly distributed 

 along the drills. 



The push- ploiv has become an indispensable implement 

 in both the domestic and the commercial garden. The 

 simplest and most useful form consists of handles like 



