1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



645 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE GARDEM" IN DECEMBEB. 



The faithful engineer of a railroad train 

 keeps a sharp look-out ahead, to see that the 

 track is clear that accidents may not happen. 

 Like him, the good gardener is always on the 

 look-out, and providing for the future. The 

 gardener who neglects his garden as soon as 

 the last crop is off and frost causes vegetation 

 to cease, and gives it no more thought and does 

 nothing to forward future culture till spring 

 opens, is always behind hand ; while he who is 

 constantly on the look-out, anticipating what 

 may be, and keeping everything in readiness 

 to take advantage of the changing seasons, al- 

 ways has earhj vegetables, late vegetables, 

 and vegetables throughout the whole season. 



Although December days are short and cold, 

 yet there may usually be some time found in 

 ■which something may be done in the garden at 

 clearing up, pruning, repairing tools, hot-bed 

 frames, sashes, stakes, trellises, &c. ; and the 

 long evenings are just the time to get all the 

 information of the best practices of others with 

 which to compare our own. Resolve and plan 

 that the future garden shall excel the past in 

 more respects than one. With the practically 

 useful, let there be a proportion of the orna- 

 mental. The latter need not be of the expen- 

 *■' sive sort, but such as may be done at odd in- 

 tervals, of home manufacture, from home ma- 

 terials. Rustic seats for some shady nook may 

 be made, from materials brought from the 

 woods. Vases, arbors and other useful as well 

 as ornamental things may be constructed from 

 rough material selected from limbs, branches, 

 &c., of trees and shrubs. 



Botation of Crops ajid Plan of Garden. 



If -we would preserve the fertility of the 

 soil in the garden, and still obtain the greatest 

 possible products, we must plan for, and adopt, 

 some rotation of ci'ops — it is as essential here 

 as on any part of the farm. 



The best form for a garden is a rectangle 

 or parallelogram ; it may then be divided into 

 foui; equal portions, exclusive of the borders, 

 to be occupied by asparagus, rhubarb, and like 

 perennial plants, by walks through the centre 

 and cross ways. Thus we have four compart- 

 ments, giving us an opportunity of a four- 

 course rotation. No one division can be ex- 

 clusively devoted to one article, or variety, as 

 we wish to grow so many kinds ; but we must 

 group them, so as to occupy the division to 

 which their nature suits them. In the border, 

 some three feet wide with path next inside 

 two feet wide around the garden plot, we 

 have room for beds of small things, as well as 

 for those requiring a more permanent location. 

 Within, we have a rectangle divided into four 

 main compartments, with a narrow border 

 walk. These may, for convenience, be num- 

 bered 1, 2, 3, 4. 



In No. 1, potatoes may be planted, to be 



followed bycabbage and its tribe, transplant- 

 ed between the rows ; after the potatoes are 

 dug the cabbage will occupy the ground, which 

 after the cabbages are removed in the fall, 

 should be ridged, and deeply dug over, so as 

 to expose the soil to the action of winter frosts 

 &c., and permit the free escape of surface 

 water. 



In No. 2, Corn and Lima beans. These the 

 second year to occupy the plot No. 1. 



In No. 3, plant onions, spring spinach, ear- 

 ly beets, early cabbage, transplanted, celery, 

 okra, tomatoes and egg plants. Some of these 

 will have to be planted between the rows of 

 others as intermediate or stolen and succession 

 crops, while the early maturing crops are re- 

 moved to make room for the later. The sec- 

 ond year these crops occupy plot No. 2. 



In No. 4, plant peas, string, or snap beans, 

 long beets, carrots, parsnips and salsify. Ear- 

 ly crops as removed may be succeeded by tur- 

 nips, and spinach for fall and winter use. The 

 second year these crops occupy plot No. 3, 

 and are succeeded, the second year by the 

 crops on No. 1, the first year. Thus we com- 

 plete the round. 



There are many kinds grown that are not 

 here mentioned, which are introduced between 

 the others and grown as stolen crops. Our 

 object here being more to suggest a system- 

 atic course, by mentioning a few of the main 

 crops. Experience teaches the gardener where 

 and how to obtain best results ; and it can 

 hardly be expected that the inexperienced will 

 meet with the same success even though he 

 may have the best theory in the world. Ex- 

 perience as well as good judgement are re- 

 quired in order to know how to adapt fertiliz- 

 ers to crops, how to fit the soil, and in short 

 the whole routine of culture. The mere rota- 

 tion will do little towards obtaining large crops. 

 There must be skill in adapting means to ends. 



Celery. — Protect the tops by means of 

 leaves or litter. A small quantity may be pro- 

 tected and sheltered by means of boards with 

 straw or hay underneath, and can be reached 

 during mild weather. 



Cold Frames.— The chief points in suc- 

 cessfully wintering j)lants in these are to give 

 proper ventillation, without too great exposure 

 of cold, and to keep the plants perfectly dor- 

 mant and yet healthy. Last season letters of 

 inquiry came to hand asking if a bed of snow, 

 as it fell, over the frames would do harm ? 

 Snow seldom is injurious to pants in cold 

 frames properly constructed, and may lie on for 

 some weeks without detriment, oftentimes. 

 Mice sometimes are destructive to the plants ; 

 give them poison or trap them. Keep shut- 

 ters and mats in readiness for use in severe 

 weather. 



Manure and Compost. — The winter sea- 

 son is the time for accumulating a full supply 

 of fertilizers. The stables, yard, piggery, 

 privy and hennery, are to be made the most 



