PLANNING THE GARDEN 189 



flower and onion sets. The early plants will be picked in 

 time for the later ones to have the ground to themselves. 



The only common combination of two long-season plants 

 is the planting of pumpkins between the hills of corn. 

 But since both these plants send their roots widely, they are 

 likely to interfere with each other. 



You will notice that I speak of hills. These are the spaces 

 at which large plants, such as squashes, corn, and pole beans, 

 are to stand. We usually calculate them as at the corners 

 of squares, so that these plants are said to stand three feet 

 or more apart "each way." Hills, however, are always in 

 rows, unless we are able to tuck them in odd corners of an 

 irregular garden. 



As you plan the garden, mark lightly on the paper the 

 rows and the names of the plants. If you have square ruled 

 paper, the squares will show the exact distances. Study 

 carefully whether neighbors are not too near or far apart, 

 whether you have too much or little of any one thing, whether 

 plants will follow or live with each other successfully. Give 

 to this all the time you can, consult your elders about it, 

 and make all the changes you desire. Your forethought 

 should be well repaid, for a garden should not be a happy-go- 

 lucky thing. Real success in any garden cannot come by 

 accident, and both knowledge and taste are • needed in 

 planning. And mere thinking the matter over, without 

 making a plan on paper, is a mistake. To plan a garden as 

 you plant it is merely to invite regret for wasted space and 

 effort. 



If your garden is being planned for the second year, be 

 sure to shift the positions of the plants. This is because 

 plants, as a general thing, should not be grown twice on the 

 same ground, either because disease is likely to result ; or be- 

 cause they have used up the chemicals which they need ; or 



