THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 117 



or other gayly colored flowers can be tucked 

 away where they will not interfere with culti- 

 vating, thus lending a color note to the vege- 

 table beds' expanse of green. Nature herself 

 gives us a hint here in the pumpkin flower, al- 

 though she is less generous in effectiveness with 

 other plants in the vegetable garden. 



In starting out to plan for the coming season 

 the garden-beginner must be cautioned against 

 expecting good results from poor soil, poor 

 seed and after neglect. Vegetables should 

 have good, deep soil. For extensive garden- 

 ing it is essential for the garden-maker to know 

 the various sorts of soils to which beets, car- 

 rots, peas, corn, potatoes, etc., are best 

 adapted. But in the small home garden one 

 grade of soil will probably prevail. Fertiliz- 

 ers, excellent and necessary though they are, 

 require a proper soil condition to receive them. 

 Thus the soil of the vegetable garden must be 

 worked into shape by spading, etc. 



Where it is possible to obtain it, there is no 

 fertihzer better for the vegetable garden than 

 well-rotted stable manure. Any commercial 

 fertilizer should contain, as nearly as possible, 

 4 per cent, of nitrogen, 8 per cent, of phos- 



