THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



ages of the squash bug, which must be liberally fed 

 to induce him to leave a plant or two for the 

 garden. 



Next in importance to the quality of the seeds 

 is the time in which they are sown. There are a few 

 seeds which may be gotten into the ground as 

 early as it can be worked. Beets, cabbage, lettuce, 

 onions, peas, salsify, spinach, and turnips are all 

 planted for early crops as soon as the ground can 

 be worked, but such early planting of corn, toma- 

 toes, melons, cucumbers, and other heat-loving 

 plants would simply result in the loss of both time 

 and seed. 



The condition of the soil, also, has a marked in- 

 fluence on the germination of the seed. When the 

 ground is still wet from the frost in spring it is not 

 in condition for successful sowing of seed; it is 

 better to wait until it has dried sufficiently to be 

 mellow and tractable before sowing any kind of 

 seed. Too dry a soil is seldom a cause of complaint 

 in early spring, but is a condition which sometimes 

 gives trouble in the summer, when seed of various 

 vegetables are sown for a succession as late corn, 

 turnips, and the like. As it is not expedient to wait 



for the rain at this time, the proper conditions are 



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