272 THE HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN 



can be kept in a loose, friable condition, the moisture retained 

 and the weeds given no chance to start. 



The efficiency of a rake as a tillage tool depends upon the fre- 

 quency of its use. If a crust is allowed to form, or the weeds to 

 start, the rake is rendered useless, and the only resort is the hoe. 

 This is a more effective tillage tool than it is sometimes credited 

 with being. Much of the dissatisfaction in the use of the hoe is 

 due to the misconception that a hoe is necessarily dull. As a 

 matter of fact, to do effective work, a hoe must be kept sharp 

 by the occasional use of a file. 



While the rake and hand hoe are well adapted to the tillage 

 of a small garden, the real pleasures of gardening remain unknown 

 to the person who has never used a wheel hoe. This modern 

 invention stimulates good gardening. Like the rake, however, 

 it is useless in badly crusted or weedy ground. The experienced 

 gardener will use it often, and thus keep the soil of his garden in 

 ideal condition. 



THE CITY GARDEN 



In the city garden, in order that maximum crops may be 

 produced from a minimum space, it is essential that the ground be 

 kept fully occupied all the time. This means not only that the 

 rows of vegetables will be planted close together, but that short- 

 season crops will be planted between the rows and even the plants 

 of longer-season crops, and that as soon as one crop is harvested 

 another will be planted in its place. Also, transplanting may be 

 practiced to a considerable extent to save space during the early 

 growth of the plants. The full amount of space required by a given 

 plant at maturity is allotted to that plant the shortest possible 

 time. Extremely rapid growth is made possible by making the 

 soil very rich and applying water copiously. The land is kept at 

 work from early spring till late in autumn, and two or even three 

 crops may be harvested from the same area. 



Kinds of Vegetables. — Since planting must be close, and a 

 large amount of edible product secured from each square foot of 

 ground, it will be necessary to omit from a garden of this kind 

 some of the larger-growing vegetables which yield a relatively 

 small edible product for the amount of space occupied. Predomi- 

 nance should be given to the vegetables which produce the largest 

 amount of edible material in proportion to the space occupied 

 by the plant, and the length of time this space is occupied. Sweet 



