No. 4.] THE HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN. 299 



between seedlings is very delicate work, the 2-foot limit should 

 be maintained if so much space can be afforded. It will be 

 observed that the tall plants (corn and pole beans) are to- 

 gether, to prevent shading smaller plants. The legumes are in 

 a solid block. Companion and succession cropping are planned 

 for as much as seems wise in a home garden; much cover crop- 

 ping, which means enriching, can be done. The potato patch 

 may be added or not, according to farm or garden conditions. 

 On the margin of the plan a table of approximate planting 

 dates is given. 



The beginning of this season of planting varies in Massa- 

 chusetts from early until late April, according to four condi- 

 tions. Toward the south, or near the sea, the season is much 

 earlier than near the Vermont hills. The nature of the soil, its 

 texture and drainage, next influences earliness, but is the one 

 factor which can be changed. Exposure (easterliness or w'ester- 

 liness, and the valuable protection given by a windbreak) may 

 make a difference of several days. Finally, the season itself 

 varies considerably from year to year. Distrust an early spring; 

 it may be treacherous. Correspondingly, a backward spring 

 may be kindly. Never be in a hurry to plant the whole-season 

 crops, such as parsnip or late cabbage. With them a few days 

 counts for little. 



In studying the garden plan the reader may find names of 

 plants which he has never grown. Yet none of them are 

 merely "fancy." Chard and New Zealand spinach are very 

 dependable summer greens, yet on many of our farms and 

 gardens they are still unknown. Thin chard to 18 inches; 

 plant the spinach in hills 4 or 5 feet apart; both plants may be 

 picked all summer. Kohlrabi is an above-ground turnip; it 

 should be picked young. No garden should grow pumpkins 

 when it can grow squash, except for jack-o'-lanterns. Vegetable 

 marrow is a summer squash which bears very freely and can be 

 cooked in several ways. The small marrows are excellent for 

 canning. As for carrots, no one knows how good they taste 

 until he tries the small forcing varieties. Okra is for gumbo 

 soup. Savoys are more delicate than common cabbage. En- 

 dive (do not get the root-crop kind) is a fall lettuce, which to 

 be at its best should be blanched by tying up the heads. Sugar 



