100 



SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



plowed, it should be harrowed immediately. Plowing done 

 at a drying season of the year, either spring or summer, should 

 be harrowed promptly to prevent the formation of clods. This 

 plan will also preserve the moisture necessary for the future 

 growth of pla'uts. A period elapsing between the plowing of 

 the soil and the planting of the crop is often spoken of as 

 " bare fallow." During the bare fallow period the soil should 

 be kept well harrowed. If at any time the soil becomes beaten 

 together by heavy rains, it must be loosened up as soon as dry 



enough by the Mse of a harrow 

 or cultivator. This is one of 

 the important secrets of any 

 gardening. Never allow the 

 soil to become hard and crusty, 

 and never allow it to pack for 

 lack of prompt surface tillage. 

 Killing Weeds. — The bare 

 -m » w j^{ fallow period is the best time 



TV .-X ^^ ^ ^^^^ weeds. Weed seeds ger- 



minate from their coats at 

 varying conditions of moisture, 

 Fig. 59.— Garden-pea roots showing temperature, and depth below 



nodules containing the numerous bac- -c„„„ ^r^,^-,. .^-P j-l^^^.. ■ -m^ll 



teria that enable the plants to use nitro- SUrtaCC. iMauy Ot tlienl Will 



gen from air. germinate soon after plowing. 



The first harrowing will kill these by breaking the sprouts, and 

 bring other seeds into suitable conditions for germination. 

 These sprouts are broken by the next harrowing and so on. 

 Each harrowing kills large numbers of weeds too small to be 

 seen above ground; thus the weeds which would otherwise be 

 troublesome in midsummer are destroyed before the garden 

 is planted. The use of a harrow for this purpose before 

 planting time is a much bettor method than the use of a hoe 

 or other hand tools after tlio garden is growing. 



Other benefits derived from the frequent early harrowing 

 of the garden before planting are found in the warming of the 



