204 



SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



Companion Cropping.^ — When school or home gardens are 

 smallj and indeed in many other cases, it is advisable to grow 

 crops of different kinds close together, or in the same row, 

 so as one crop is taken away in the early part of the season 

 the other kinds of crops will be already growing and will 

 occupy the ground. This plan of growing two or more crops 



Fig. 117. — Companion cropping with lettuce and cauliflower. The lettuce will 

 be harvested before the cauliflower begins to form heads. A good combination 

 for small gardens. (Cornell Reading Circle Leaflet.) 



together, and tilling them together for the purpose of keeping 

 the ground well occupied, is called " Companion Cropping " 

 (Fig. 117). In some cases other advantages are attained. 

 When radishes -are planted with lettuce, the strong radish seeds 

 break the crust and aid the weak lettuce seeds to sprout. The 

 radishes are harvested and out of the way before the lettuce is 

 large enough to need all the room. The radishes sprout so 



