THE LOCATION OF THE GARDEN 



soils, like well-drained marsh lands, are ideal for 

 certain vegetables, such as celery, cabbage, and 

 the like, but less valuable for general use. 



On the small village lot one must, perforce, take 

 what one has, and it is doubtful if there is any bit 

 of land but what may be made, under careful 

 management, to produce a fair amount of vege- 

 tation. The fertility of a small area of land is so 

 easily increased that no plot of land need be con- 

 sidered hopeless on that score. The mechanical con- 

 dition is more apt to cause trouble. When a piece 

 of land has been used for a dumping heap for 

 years, probably beginning with the erection of the 

 house, when all the excavated subsoil was dumped 

 upon the ground and levelled off instead of being 

 carted away, as it should have been, and succeed- 

 ing years have left their accumulation of ashes, 

 rubbish, and old cans to further injure the soil, 

 there does not seem to be much to do, especially 

 if the first deposit consists, as it probably does, of 

 gravel and hardpan, but to first remove all rubbish 

 and then to dig up the surface dirt down to the 

 original soil and have the refuse carted away. As 

 there is always a demand for dirt for grading in 

 a place of any size, the expense of digging up the 



[15] 



