THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



The choice of vegetables is a matter of indi- 

 vidual taste, and for some reasons it is best to 

 allow children to make their own selections, espe- 

 cially if the plots are small. But when the space 

 is large the best results are undoubtedly secured 

 by having uniform planting. Squashes, lettuce, 

 radishes, red beets, carrots, spinach, peas, beans, 

 tomatoes, potatoes and corn yield satisfactory 

 returns and produce good material for educative 

 purposes. Marigolds and Nasturtiums were se- 

 lected for bordering the path because of their 

 dwarf habit of growth. Cannas and Castor-Oil 

 Beans make an effective background for the 

 whole. A good border for the front may be 

 made of scarlet, white and sweet-scented Gerani- 

 ums, or any annual or perennial flowers, pro- 

 vided the color tones are not discordant. 



The greatest care is necessary in planting, 

 which must be done in a systematic, orderly 

 manner. A garden-line is a necessity. There 

 is a great moral force in a straight line. Chil- 

 dren are apt to plant seed too thick. Definite 

 instructions must be given and plants must be 

 properly thinned out. Weeding is easily done, 

 but watering and conserving moisture are the 

 important things. When rain falls or the earth 

 is sprinkled, the surface of the soil becomes 

 compact and the spaces between particles of soil 

 are so small that soil-moisture rises by capillary 



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