VEGETABLE-GROWING 89 



144. Thinning. Plants are thinned to give more space 

 for growth. If just enough good viable seed is planted, no 

 thinning is necessary; but it is advisable to plant an abun- 

 dance of seed so that if the plants do not come up well or if 

 cutworms or frosts kill part of them, there will still be a 

 sufficient number. Any surplus may be thinned out later. 



145. Watering. The soil, if at all dry, must be moistened 

 thoroughly as soon as the seeds are sown. Water should be 

 applied freely to transplanted vegetables as soon as they are 

 set. Thereafter a good soaking occasionally is better than 

 light sprinkling often. After light sprinklings the water soon 

 evaporates, with harmful rather than beneficial results. The 

 watering-pot or hose may be used on small areas. A method 

 of watering with overhead pipes known as the " Skinner system" 

 is sometimes used, but is expensive. Irrigation by furrows is 

 common. The raised-bed system (in which the bed is above 

 the surrounding ground) is frequently employed and is adapted 

 to rather heavy soils. Water is applied in ditches around 

 the bed and soaks up into it. The depressed-bed system is 

 adapted to rather light soils. Under this system the bed has 

 a ridge of soil around it, and the water is carried along a ditch 

 in the ridge on higher ground and soaks down into the 

 bed. 



146. Diseases and insects. Sucking insects (for example, 

 plant-lice) are killed with Black Leaf 40, a nicotine spray, 

 or with other contact sprays. Biting insects (cutworms for 

 example) are killed by poisons. Insects which work under- 

 ground or at the surface like the cutworms, are especially 

 difficult to destroy, since poisons sprayed on the plants cannot 

 reach them. Late fall plowing helps to eliminate such insects 

 by bringing the nests to the surface of the ground where they 

 are destroyed by the winter's cold. Cutworms can be killed 

 by putting poisoned bran on the ground close to the plant. 

 The grubs usually prefer the bran to the plant. Sometimes 

 pieces of tin or even thick paper may be placed around the 



