May 13, 1896.] 



Garden and Forest. 



195 



is to put the soil into the finest possible tilth before the seed is 

 planted, thus avoiding the injury to the plant which would 

 inevitably result from stirring the soil after it is filled with 

 roots. The labor spent in preparing the soil for the crop is 



and early sorts, like the Mohawk and Black-eyed Wax, quite 

 early, but the bulk of the crop should not be put in until the 

 ground is warm and settled warm and dry weather may be 

 expected. Just after the fall of the early apple-blossoms is 



■* ' 



i.-' iff 







Fig. 31- — Magnolia 9tellata in a New Jersey Garden. — See page 194. 



not wasted, for if it is well done there will be no need of later 

 cultivation, and surely it is easier and cheaper to do all neces- 

 sary cultivation before planting than after. 

 In garden culture it may be well to plant a few of the hardier 



usually the best time to plant Beans. As the seed is usually of 

 good vitality and so large as to be little liable to loss we should 

 use only a few more seeds than we expect plants. A poor 

 yield and a poorer quality is often the outcome of overseeding 



