82 THE FARM. 



the Golden Dwarf; and the next season is likely to develop a great improve 

 ment in the Nfew White Walnut celery — a stout, soUd kind, lla^'ing a rich, 

 walnut-like flavor, and graceful feather-like foliage. In lettuce, the black- 

 seeded Simpson and the White Summer Cabbage lettuce now lead all the 

 out-door varieties. In muskmelons, the Hackensack, of which many thou- 

 sand acres are grown for the New York maricet, is ahnost exclusively planted. 

 In peas, a great improvement is develojied in the dwarf variety known as 

 American Wonder, though for general early crop the improved Dan O'Rourke 

 is best. Potatoes vary so much in different localities that it is difficult to 

 say which of the new sorte are most valued; we find, however, that in our 

 general trade more of Beauty of Hebron is planted than any other of the new 

 sorts. In radishes, the Eound Dark Red is now the main favorite, while 

 next in order comes White Tipped Turnip. In spinach, the Savoy and the 

 new Thick-Leaved are the best for general crop, though we find that the 

 Savoy should not be sown in spiing, as it runs too quickly to seed. Though 

 every year brings out new claimants for favor in tomatoes, it is my convic- 

 tion that we have not advanced one day in earhness, unless in such varieties 

 as Key's Prolific and Little Gem (which are of poor quality), in twenty-five 

 years, although we have now many varieties somewhat improved in quahty. 

 The varieties now most popular with New York market gardeners are Acme 

 and Paragon, though, from the unusual advertising given to Trophy, the 

 general cultivation of that is greater than any other; but, as it is usually 

 found now, it is far inferior to many others, besides being one of the latest. 



Retatlon of Oarden Crops. — Have you not frequently noticed that 

 some men change their garden spots every few years ? If you ask them why 

 they do so, they will tell you that vegetables don't seem to do well there 

 after a few years' cropping. 



In starting a garden on an ordinary piece of ground, which has not before 

 been used for this pui-pose, two or three years are required to get it pul- 

 verized and enriched sufficiently to produce a firet-class crop, hence the 

 necessity for retaining the same piece of ground for garden purposes. This can 

 be done by adopting a proper system of rotation. It is a good plan to make 

 a diagram of the plot used for a garden, and have it marked off into divisions 

 of suitable proportions for the vegetables required. Each division shoiild be 

 numbered, or, what is just as good, the name of the vegetable raised there 

 written upon it. These diagrams drawn each year should be carefully pre- 

 served, so that, by referring to them, one could ascertain just what had been 

 raised on each jjarticular division for years back, and by this means keep u}) 

 a systematic rotation. 



For convenience, the garden-plot should be long and narrow, thuM 

 enabling a horse cultivator to be used to advantage. I have noticed that 

 most gardens are nearly square in form, but have never yet been given a 

 good reason for this. 



A garden 8x20 rods in size can bo cultivated with a horse at less expense 

 and with less work than a garden Sxi rods can be worked by hand, as gar- 

 dens of this size usually are. 



Such garden vegetables as rhubarb, asparagus, and others of a like kind, 

 requiring two or more years to reach the proper bearing condition, should, 

 of course, be given a perinancnt place for several seasons; but they, too, 

 need renif)viug about once in four yeara, in order to get the best possible re- 

 sults. Tliey should never be so located as to interfere with the cultivati .a 



of other Vf;.7'tHbiL'b. 



