168 Gardening 
‘Fic. 92. Making ready for planting. 
The surface of the soil should be raked 
fine before marking out the rows. 
is about the tempera- 
ture most favorable 
for vigorous growth of 
the plant. 
Preparing the ground 
for planting. Before 
planting, the ground 
(which hasalready been 
well spaded or plowed 
and perhaps raked) 
should be raked to 
break up or remove 
lumps and to secure a 
surface layer of fine 
soil. It is usually best 
to plant a well-drained 
and well-tilled garden 
soon after spading, be- 
fore the top layer be- 
comes dried out. But 
if a garden soil is poorly 
drained and cold, it 
may be spaded and left without raking, both in au- 
tumn and in spring. For a time this will make the 
soil cold because of the evaporation of water from 
it; but after the free water is gone, it will quickly be- 
come warm. Before planting, however, the surface 
should be well raked. The lumps will break up more 
easily and a better supply of moisture will be held in 
the ground if this is done as soon after a rain as the 
soil will work properly. The surface mulch will check 
