THE LOCATION OF THE GARDEN 



of tops drain all the moisture and much of the 

 nourishment from the soil, much to the detriment 

 of any crop which may be planted in their imme- 

 diate vicinity. 



Low, wet land should be avoided unless it can 

 be thoroughly drained, in which case it often makes 

 excellent garden land. I have such a spot on my 

 own land which for a number of years was too 

 wet to work to advantage in any but very dry 

 seasons, and in the spring thaws and after every 

 hard summer rain was under water for a foot or 

 more. Finally after losing a dozen fine Brahma 

 fowls (which had been shut up in a temporary 

 coop to break them of setting) by a sudden sum- 

 mer rain, which flooded all of that part of the 

 premises, it was drained by the very simple and 

 inexpensive expedient of digging a deep hole, six 

 feet deep and five feet in diameter, and filling this 

 up with all sorts of rubbish from about the place 

 old tins, broken crockery, and the like. This proved 

 perfectly successful and no trouble has been ex- 

 perienced since, the ground being in shape to work 

 but a few days later than the rest of the garden 

 and not delaying cultivation to any extent at any 



time during the remainder of the summer. It has 



[13] 



