38 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



PREPARATION OF THE LAND. 



To make vegetable growing a success, it is necessary 

 to select the proper kind of land. Nearly all vege 

 tables like a sandy loam or some other rather light 

 soil, that is at the same time well drained and yet not 

 thirsty. 



LAND WELL DRAINED. 



It frequently occurs that the very best vegetable 

 land is soggy and sour in its original state. When we 

 find a piece of land that is excellent in all other re 

 spects, but needs to be drained, the problem that then 

 concerns us is, How shall this be effected I When 

 there is plenty of fall to the land, this may be accom- 

 plished in one of two ways either by surface drain- 

 age or by underground drainage. The latter method 

 is the preferable one and the cheaper one in the end, 

 though the more expensive in the beginning. 



The method of surface drainage has the advantage 

 of being cheap and easily accomplished, though it 

 takes some time and attention to keep it in good run- 

 ning order. The merhod is simple. All that is neces- 

 sary is to make a ditch from one to three feet deep and 

 keep this open so the water will run off. 



The advantage of draining has been demonstrated 

 repeatedly in this country and in Europe. Plants on 

 tile drained land, and to a greater or less degree on 

 land with open ditch, will do better during a rainy 

 season, and, what seems rather contradictory, they will 

 give a larger yield in dry years. Crops are also earlier 

 on drained fields. In a clay country, land that is well 

 drained naturally will be benefitted by a well-planned 

 system of tile drains. Where land that is well drained 

 naturally can be obtained, this is preferred, of course, 



