CHAPTER II. 



HOW TO PLAN THE GARDEN. 



THE first thing in planning a garden is to decide upon 

 the location. If there is sufficient land so a choice 

 can be made always select the best land with the most 

 sunny exposure. If it has a southern slope it will be still 

 earlier and warmer. 



Enrich it with rotted stable manure at the rate of ten 

 cords or more to the acre. In the absence of stable 

 manure* use a liberal sprinkling of wood ashes, and bone 

 dust and apply a little nitrate of soda to the crops occa- 

 sionally, especially to the leaf crops. If there is a board 

 fence place the tall growing crops next to it, otherwise 

 place them on the north side. 



Do not try, at first, to grow rare or uncommon things. 

 Cover the fences with flowering vines, as nasturtiums, 

 morning glories, cobaeas, Japanese hop, etc. Any un- 

 sightly places may be covered with the above named vines 

 or with wild cucumber, gourds, squash or pumpkins. 

 Low flowers show best when planted along the path. 

 Taller ones may be planted back of them. Give every- 

 thing plenty of room. 



Rows of corn or potatoes should not be closer than two 

 and one-half feet in the garden, or three or three and one- 

 half feet in the field. Tomatoes should be three to four 

 feet apart, and hills of squashes and cucumbers should 

 never be closer than five feet apart, although other early 

 crops may be planted within four feet of them. 



A crop of lettuce, radishes, spinach or onions, may be 

 obtained from the spaces between the crops that are planted 

 more than two feet apart. Different kinds of corn should 

 not be planted in the same garden. Different varieties of 



•The street department will generally furnish plenty of street sweepings 

 for the School Garden. 



