MarRcH, 1916 
Mh,  GeAGReDekeN | eMeATG A Zl NE 87 
gathered for the table each stalk was 
cut so the Gladiolus plants would have 
a good chance to ripen their bulbs. 
The beans_in this case bore remark- 
ably well, but the cucumbers were a 
total failure, not because of the multi- 
plicity of planting but because the 
heavy soil caked so badly after heavy 
rains that only one plant came up. In 
fact, all but four plants of the cucum- 
bers, squashes, melons, cantaloupes and 
wild cucumber (for ornament) failed 
for the same reason, so that out of a 
total planting of 40 or 50 hills all told, I 
secured only half a dozen squashes and 
one cucumber! I have no doubt that in 
a favorable season or with transplanted 
“cukes” the plan would have worked as 
intended. 
THE PLAN FOR 1916 
Acting upon previous experience I 
plan my garden for 1916. The way I go 
about this is to consult the vegetable 
maturity table shown herewith, write 
the name of each vegetable (not neces- 
sarily the variety name), on a narrow 
strip of paper whose length varies ac- 
cording to the time required for the 
crop to mature—long slips for such 
erops as parsnip, salsify and Jerusalem 
artichoke, which require the full season 
to mature, short ones for radish, pepper 
grass and mustard which need only a 
few weeks, others of medium length for 
crops planted in early spring but ma- 
tured before midsummer. 
Then there are the tender 
crops such as tomato, cu- 
cumber and corn which 
must be either started under 
glass or sown late to avoid 
late spring frosts. These 
are represented by slips with 
one pointed instead of 
square end so as to be 
readily distinguished from 
the others. The vegetables 
sown or planted as succes- 
sion crops, after midsummer 
—late turnips, cabbage, 
celery, etc.—are represented 
by double pointed slips. 
While this method may 
seem to require a good deal 
; 2 = 5 July. 
of time, in practice it does ‘" 
ready. 
Late in May. Early Peas with Sweet Peas and China Asters on their right. Corn 
and Carrot coming along. Poultry manure on ground 
Corn at left. 
Second sowing of dwarf Limas. 
NUMBER OF DAYS VEGETABLES NEED TO REACH 
EDIBLE MATURITY 
Artichoke, Jerusalem,180 Leek, 130 to 150 
Beans, String, 40 to 60 Lettuce, 50 to 70 
Beans, Pole, 50 to 70 Melon, 110 to 130 
Beans, Shell, 60 to 70 Mustard, 20 to 30 
Beans, Lima, 70 to 90 Okra, 110 to 120 
Beet, Turnip, 60 to 70 Onion, 130 to 150 
Beet, Long, 150 Parsley, 90 to 100 
Brussels Sprouts, 100 to 130 Parsnip, 140 to 160 
Cabbage, Early, 100 Pea, 60 to 80 
Cabbage, Late, 150 Pepper, 130 to 150 
Cardoon, 150 to 180 Pumpkin, 100 to 130 
Carrots, 60 to 70 Radish, Turnip, 20 to 30 
Cauliflower, 100 to 120 Radish, Half Long, 30 to 40 
Celery, Early, 100 to 125 Radish, Winter, 60 to 90 
Celery, Late, 130 to 150 Ruta Baga, 70 to 90 
Chard, Swiss, 40 to 50 Salsify, 100 to 130 
Chicory, 150 Scorzonera, 100 to 130 
Corn, Sweet, 70 to 100 Spinach, 40 to 60 
Corn Salad, 40 to 50 Spinach, New Zealand, 
Cress, 20 to 30 60 to 80 
Cucumber, 120 to 130 Squash, Summer, 50 to 70 
Eggplant, 140 to 160 Squash, Winter, 120 to 130 
Endive, 120 to 140 Tomato, 130 to 150 
Kohl-Rabi, 90 to 100 Turnip, 50 to 70 
The 50-60 ft. vegetable garden in the early spring. 
On left, rough as turned by plow in November; on 
ight, raked and ready for seed drills 
Lettuce with dwarf Lima Beans. New Zealand Spinach nearly 
Peas already grown and gathered 
Late July. Corn well developed and Gladiolus to right. 
Wayahead Lettuce and Leeks in same row 
not. It certainly is the best of many 
I have tried, for it allows of unlimited 
rearrangement until a thoroughly de- 
sirable plan has been worked out. Peo- 
ple who have never made plans but have 
relied upon their “common sense and ex- 
perience” at planting time will be aston- 
ished at the quantity of produce that 
can be grown by following a plan. 
In laying out, the long slips are 
placed first at double the unit distance 
between rows—in my garden, 15 inches. 
Alternating between these long ones the 
medium slips are laid. In the same 
rows with both long and medium are 
placed such of the short and the pointed 
slips as will fit in properly, according to 
the way the various crops will act as 
“marker,” “companion,” “succession,” 
“partner” and “full season” crops. 
After the workability of the arrange- 
ment has been tested by studying the 
slips in each row in relation, first to 
themselves, and next, to the row on each 
side, the plan of the garden is made by 
pasting the slips in proper position upon 
a diagram whose lines show the margin 
of the garden and the position of each 
row. The lines in the diagram are 
placed far enough apart to allow of 
pasting the slips without crowding. 
Pasting I think better than writing the 
name ona plan. It takes no more time 
if library or photographic paste is 
spread thinly on a piece of glass and 
the slips placed backs down upon it and 
then transferred to position 
on the diagram. The ad- 
vantage of this over writing 
is that each slip, especially 
if of a different color from 
the sheet upon which 
mounted will show at a 
glance the nature of the 
crop —long, short, tender, 
etc., etc. 
To the gardener familiar . 
with the nature of each 
crop, writing is presumably 
as good as pasting. A plan 
well worked out is a won- 
derful time saver in spring 
and a still more wonderful 
producer of results in the 
garden, because every inch 
of space is filled at all times. 
Carrots nearly edible size. 
