THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



condition as possible. I like to have the ground lie a 

 few days after being prepared before planting, 

 in order that it may settle somewhat, and if a rain 

 follows the preparation, all the better. Land moist 

 from rain will not need to be tramped down over 

 the seed, as will be absolutely necessary in the case 

 of dry soil. 



As a general thing, root crops should not succeed 

 each other, but be rotated with vine or leaf crops. 

 Root crops leave nothing in the soil and take 

 largely from it. Vines and other forms of vege- 

 tables leave a large proportion of the growth to be 

 returned to the soil, and are, for this reason, less 

 exhaustive of fertility. Of course this is not of as 

 much moment on the limited area of the kitchen 

 garden, whose fertility is easily maintained by the 

 application of animal fertilisers and the humus 

 from a compost heap, which the debris of a town 

 lot will maintain, but, in acreage planting, it is of 

 great importance. 



BEETS 



Sow beet seeds as early in the spring as the ground 

 may be worked up fine and mellow. Light, well- 

 enriched soil suits them best. The seed should be 



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