THE GARDEN SITE 173 



between two sites, then, remember that the nearer one may 

 make it possible to spend a few more minutes there each day, 

 or to carry there the few more gallons that will help the newly 

 transplanted seedlings to grow vigorously. 



It may so happen that we have not a true southerly 

 exposure, but must choose between a southeasterly and a 

 southwesterly. The easterly is better for two reasons. 

 The morning sun is better for the plants, since it begins 

 gently, and dries the dew before the plants can burn. But 

 the westerly garden first gets the sun when it is high and 

 hot, yet often while the dew is still om the leaves. We 

 learned in window gardening that the hot sun will scorch 

 wet leaves, and we are sure to find this true in the garden. 

 Our second reason for preferring the easterly exposure is 

 that the east winds are warmer and gentler than the west. 

 Easterly gardens are therefore earlier than westerly ones ; 

 yet because the southerly garden gets on the whole more 

 hours of sunshine, it is the best of all. 



Another consideration is not to be forgotten. A garden 

 in a hollow gets the earliest and the latest frosts. On the hill 

 top it may get biting winds, but in the valley it will get the 

 killing cold. Unless you cannot help it, therefore, do not 

 put the garden in a hollow. 



But we have said nothing of soil, which is extremely im- 

 portant. And here we may be puzzled, for the frosty valley 

 in the hollow will doubtless have the deepest loam, the wash 

 of the hillside for many years. Tested for sourness, however, 

 with a bit of litmus paper, the reddening of the blue slip 

 may show the soil to be more sour than the soil higher up. 

 Or if we dig and with some of the earth in our hands try to 

 see if it is ideal garden soil, dark colored, but light in texture 

 and falling easily apart, we may find it clayey and sticky. 



Again, dig deeper still, and below the loam find the sub- 



