THOROUGH CULTIVATION 201 



As soon as the heavy frosts are over and the ground is 

 tillable we may plant onions, lettuce, spinach, radishes, 

 beets, parsnips, carrots, parsley and peas. The normal 

 season for planting these crops is when the farmer is 

 sowing his oats. 



The warm season crops are subject to injury by frost 

 and can not safely be planted until the weather is com- 

 paratively warm. The different crops in this group, how- 

 ever, differ in respect to the intensity of heat they re- 

 quire. Thus, sweet corn and string beans are usually 

 planted early in May; lima beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, 

 melons and squashes are planted from one to two weeks 

 later, while sweet potatoes and egg plants should be kept 

 in the hot-bed until the last of May or the first week in 

 June. 



Lettuce can be grown successfully on poor soil, but 

 only through the early spring and the late fall, as the 

 ground becomes so hot that it will burn in the head, and 

 then it is ruined for market. On rich land there is always 

 a certain amount of moisture that remains in the soil, and 

 then the evening dews help to keep the ground cool. Keep 

 the land free from weeds. The more frequent the culti- 

 vation the larger the yield. 



Where garden peas and beans are grown, earliness and 

 tenderness are greatly desired, as well as flavor. These 

 qualities will be found where a good supply of nitrogen 

 and phosphoric plant food are available. A suitable fer- 

 tilizer for these crops is 600 pounds per acre carrying 4 

 per cent nitrogen, 8 per cent phosphoric acid and 10 per 

 cent potash. 



Tomatoes, corn and potatoes enjoy a medium long sea- 

 son of growth, therefore it is necessary that they have a 

 sufficient supply of the correct food elements to satisfy 

 their requirements throughout their growing season. The 

 market demands a smoothly formed, solid, well-colored 

 tomato, and juicy yet well-filled corn. 



