THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



balance the difference in time, and can usually be 

 trusted to overtake the earlier-planted seed plants. 



In my early gardening experience I was very am- 

 bitious about getting things started at the earliest 

 possible moment and to have things a little in ad- 

 vance of my neighbours, but several years of cover- 

 ing plants in the open ground to protect them from 

 frost has quite cured me of any undue ambition; 

 I am quite willing that my neighbour's tomatoes 

 shall ripen a day or two ahead of mine if in return 

 they will collect blankets, quilts, canvas, and other 

 protective material and spend frosty hours spread- 

 ing them over tender plants scattered over an acre 

 or two of ground and trail around in the dew of 

 the morning removing them, while I toast my toes 

 by the fire and read my evening paper. 



Unless the time and the condition of the ground 

 is entirely favourable, it will be well to plant only 

 a portion of the seed at a time, reserving enough 

 for a second planting should the first fail to come 

 up or the young plants be destroyed in any way. 

 Should the seeds fail to come up in a reasonable 

 time, do not be in too great haste to blame the 

 seedsman, but go over the operation carefully in 



your mind and try and see if the fault may not 



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