36 GARDEN PROFITS 



practical and a means for reducing expenses. One 

 tells us that if the asparagus beetle becomes trouble- 

 some, a few hens turned into the patch speedily 

 clean up the pests, with distinct enjoyment and 

 benefit to themselves as well. Ducks, on the other 

 hand, are connoisseurs on the subject of potato bugs, 

 and in not a few cases are regularly let in among 

 the potato and eggplant hills, to render unnecessary 

 arsenate of lead and "hand picking." I might 

 remind you, too, that poultry is of no little value 

 to the gardener as a manure producing element. 

 The refuse from the poultry house is an especially 

 quick, rich fertilizer, in fact, it must be used with a 

 little caution lest it burn the plants through too 

 intimate contact. 



THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL GARDENS 



The key to the situation in the matter of saving 

 space might be expressed as follows: Throughout 

 every foot of the garden, plan a second crop before 

 the first is harvested, and do not let the ground 

 remain idle between the two. This may be accom- 

 plished in two general ways; first by succession, 

 second by companion cropping. An excellent exam- 

 ple of the latter is the practice of sowing radishes 

 and beets, carrots or parsnips in the same row. 

 The radishes germinate first, break any possible 

 surface crust, and ripening rapidly, may be har- 

 vested before the permanent crop needs the space. 

 Radishes can be used in this way with a number 

 of other crops. One individual says: 



