SOIL, DRAINAGE AND PREPARATION". 31 



is like a chain, and if an obstruction occurs it is 

 like a link broken the drain is rendered useless, like 

 the chain. 



PREPARATION OF THE GROUND. Assuming that the 

 ground on which the garden is to be formed is in 

 sod, the best time to begin operations is in Septem- 

 ber, October, or November. If draining is necessary, 

 that should be first completed. Before the sod is 

 plowed, it would greatly assist its rotting, if horse 

 manure can be obtained, to spread it over the sur- 

 face to the depth of two or three inches. In plow- 

 ing the sod under, care should be taken to have it 

 laid as flat as possible. This can be best done by 

 plowing shallow ; and at this time there is no par- 

 ticular necessity for deep plowing. After plowing we 



Fig. 4. BOARD DRAIN. 



find it advantageous to flatten down the furrows by 

 running over with the back of the common harrow, 

 or, better yet, with the shortened blades of the Acme 

 harrow (see implements). This mellows the soil, so 

 that it fills up the crevices left between the fur- 

 rows, and hastens the decomposition of the sod. If 

 the plowing has been done early enough in the fall, 

 so that the sod has had time to rot the same sea- 

 son, it will facilitate the operations of next spring 

 to cross plow and thoroughly harrow ; but if too late, 

 this had better be deferred until spring. After the 

 ground has been well broken up by this second plow- 

 ing and harrowing, ic should again be manured over 

 the whole surface with rough stable manure, as much 

 as can well be procured there is rarely danger of 



