8 



ten found serving the purpose of a family garden under 

 country conditions. They are too small to be prepared 

 and cared for cheaply and for this reason soon become 

 neglected and overgrown with weeds. From one-half 

 to an acre of land should be given over to the farm 

 garden, not because this much land is necessary to 

 produce sufficient supply for the family under the most 

 intensive methods, but because it also provides for ro- 

 tation and easy horse cultivation. It isn't neces- 

 sary under farm conditions that peas and beans, 

 lettuce and radishes and beets be grown in rows 

 from 10 to 12 inches apart and cultivated with the 

 wheel or hand hoe. They can be planted from 20 

 to 30 inches apart and the greater part of the cultiva- 

 tion done with the horse. Of course, the yields per 

 acre are not so large as by the former method, but the 

 chances are greatly increased that the crops grown 

 by the latter method will be better cared for than 

 by adopting a system calling for so much hand 

 labor. The garden should be about twice as large 

 as necessary. One-half can be devoted to growing 

 of vegetables and the other half sown to clover dur- 

 ing the same season. The following season the half 

 in clover should be plowed and vegetables planted, 

 while the half in vegetables should be sown to 

 clover. This gives all the advantages of crop rota- 

 tion and at the same time should greatly increase 

 the production and fertility of the soil. 



Southern or southeasterly slopes are usually 

 most satisfactory because the soils warm up 

 more readily in the springtime and quicker and 

 easier results are secured. Sloping land gives better 

 water drainage as well as better air drainage. The 

 latter is important in that the danger from frost is 

 greatly lessened on the higher lands. 



