THROUGH THE YEAR IN A GARDEN 203 



''sowing seed of turnips, bush beans, beets (early- 

 varieties) during the very first of the month 

 and a httle later he will be sowing spinach 

 seed. If there is a bit of idle ground which 

 the harvesting of an early crop has left vacant, 

 then peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and celery 

 can be transplanted and set out there. The 

 wise vegetable gardener never lets a square 

 foot of earth lie unproductive. He harvests 

 his early crops speedily and puts the idle 

 ground to some use. Our war gardens are 

 teaching us the valuable lessons of succession 

 planting. 



A word about watering the garden: when 

 doing this remember that one good, thorough 

 wetting-down of the soil will be worth more 

 than a dozen mere sprinklings. Surface wet- 

 ting may be better than nothing at all, but 

 plants are watered not alone to remove the dust 

 from their foliage, but to aiford the thirsty, 

 hardworking roots ample moisture for suste- 

 nance. 



July will find pruning to be attended to, 

 Roses — ^hybrid perpetuals — ^will need cutting 

 back five or six inches after their June bloom- 

 ing period is over. If they are diligently and 



