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THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



April, 1909 



manure, and then raking over the surface and 

 letting it lay for several days to dry out. 



THE FIRST PLANTING 



About April ist, being governed to a certain 

 extent by the weather, start sowing on 

 plot No. i. All plants that will last 

 the entire season are grouped together at 

 one end of the plot. A good disposition for 

 the greatest economy of space will be as 

 follows: one row of parsley, two rows of 

 parsnips, two rows salsify, one row celeriac, 

 one row Swiss chard, one row leek, six rows 

 onions, two rows onion sets, two rows early 

 potatoes, one row early carrot, one row 

 beets, two rows spinach, two rows peas, one 

 row radish, one-half row lettuce, one-half 

 row endive, one row cress, one row turnips. 



But better than sowing the lettuce, endive, 

 and radishes in rows would be to make a 

 seed bed about three feet across at the end 

 away from that where the all-season vege- 

 tables are to stand. Later on it can be used 

 for a succession of peas and spinach, which 

 should be sown about one week after the first 

 crop. Spinach and radishes can be sown 

 between the peas, as they will be out of the 

 way before the peas are ready. The lettuce 

 and endive must be transplanted later on to 

 rows, or they can be worked into small 

 spaces here and there which otherwise would 

 be wasted. 



About April 15th to 20th sow on plot No. 2 

 peas, beets, carrots, turnips, spinach, radish 

 to follow up those on plot No. 1, and the first 

 sowing of bush beans. One week later make 

 the third sowing of peas, spinach, and 

 radishes, and yet a fourth on May ist. At 

 that time also prepare a seed bed at one end, 

 sowing late cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and 

 brussels sprouts. Early celery and late 

 potatoes will fill the rest of the space in the 

 plot. 



Plot No. 3. At one end make the melon 

 patch, and next to it leave space for all 

 sowings of corn for the season, putting in one 

 or two rows at a time for succession. Pump- 

 kins and squash can be grown between the 

 rows of early corn. Sow bush limas, pole 

 limas, and cucumbers 'as you may require 

 them to fill the plot; or if any space is left, 

 sow more peas, spinach, beets, carrots, and 

 bush beans, about May 10th. This sowing 

 may go into plot No. 4 if there is no room 

 left here. 



Plot No. 4 will accommodate all the warm 

 plants from the frames: egg-plant, peppers, 

 tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. These may 

 not be planted until the weather is safe, 

 usually about May 20th. At the same time 

 sow beans and peas. Any extra space in this 

 plot can be used for beets, carrots, etc., and 

 lettuce and endive planted in beds. 



THE SECOND CROPPING 



By the end of June you will be picking the 

 crops from plot No. 1 and one half the space 

 will be vacant. Fill with plants from the 

 seed beds in plot No. 2, viz., brussels sprouts, 

 kale, late cabbage, late cauliflower; also 

 celery if there is room. The same crops on 

 plot No. 2 will mature next (August), and 

 we fill in with beets, carrots, rutabagas, 



turnips, endive, lettuce, and a sowing of 

 peas. 



On plot No. 4 as the first plantings mature 

 and are gathered, clear the ground and follow 

 with late peas, beans, spinach, lettuce, and 

 endive, also late celery, which may with 

 advantage be also put wherever there may 

 be a vacant space. 



THE EXTRAS 



No provision is made, in the foregoing 

 scheme, for artichokes (either French or 

 Jerusalem) . The French artichokes will not 

 flower the first season from seeds. Early 

 sown plants can be put alongside the vege- 

 tables that are to stand all season; or seed can 

 be sown there in spring and the plants pro- 

 tected over winter. I prefer sowing in 

 August and wintering them in a coldframe. 

 It is better not to plant Jerusalem artichokes 

 in the garden proper, as they are a 

 nuisance; once you plant them, it is almost 

 impossible to get rid of them. Besides being 

 a really delicious vegetable, they furnish 

 grand flowers for fall cutting. 



Asparagus is not included in the rotation 

 because the lay of the ground should govern 

 the location of the asparagus bed. Plant 

 in the lowest end of your garden, and not 

 without first trenching the soil unless you 

 can be satisfied with poor, thin, tough shoots. 



SOWING SEEDS 



Sow in drills: beet, kale, cabbage, carrot, 

 cauliflower, celeriac, lettuce, onion, parsley, 

 parsnip, radish, salsify, spinach, turnip, 

 and rutabaga. The size of the seed should 

 govern the depth of the drill, and a general 

 working rule is to cover the seed once to twice 

 its diameter, excepting peas, beans, and corn, 

 which are planted deeper, say two to three 

 inches. Deeper planting is better for all 

 kinds in light, sandy soils. After sowing 

 and covering go over the row and tap the 

 surface gently with the back of a rake. 

 Celery, tomatoes, egg-plant, peppers, early 

 cauliflower, and cabbage should be sown in 

 the frames in drills in the same manner. 

 Corn may be sown in drills or hills. 



Sow in hills: lima beans, corn, melons, 

 squash, and pumpkin. Place the seed on 

 the hill and poke it under the surface with 

 your forefinger; cover and firm. 



AMATEUR'S GUIDE TO PRACTICE 



A sparagus. Plant in rows, three feet apart 

 and one and one-half feet in the row. Two- 

 year-old roots are better than the three-year- 

 old. Dig wide trenches and spread out 

 the roots carefully, covering about four 

 inches deep. Keep the ground between well 

 cultivated. 



Stop cutting when peas get plentiful; 

 several times during the season apply salt at 

 the rate of one pound to ten square feet, and 

 just before or during a rain. 



Palmetto is the earliest variety; Argenteuil 

 is the best. 



Bean, siring or bush. Can be had in the 

 open garden from June 15th to late in 

 November, with a little protection. Start 

 sowing May ist and every two weeks there- 

 after until August 15th. Make a trench 



about one inch deep, and the width of an 

 ordinary hoe. Sow along each side of the 

 trench, and when the plants are well up, thin 

 out to six inches apart in the row. 



Any good garden loam will do, but do not 

 plant them in low, wet ground. Gather pods 

 when about half grown for best quality. Best 

 variety Black Valentine, a wonderful cropper, 

 with round, slender beans; it does not de- 

 velop any string until too old for the table. 



The wax type of the string bean requires 

 the same handling as the green-podded types. 

 The best variety for all around use is Curie's 

 Rust Proof. 



Beans, lima. Plant four feet apart each 

 way. Make holes with a crowbar about two 

 and a half feet deep and place poles. 

 Make holes around the poles about three feet 

 across and two feet deep, put in some ma- 

 nure, using a barrow full to every four 

 holes. Place sand on top where seeds are to 

 be sown, and plant when ground is dry, any 

 time after May ist. If the seeds are in the 

 ground forty-eight hours before a rain, they 

 will be all right; but if it rains on them 

 before germination has started, you may 

 have to sow them again. 



Put eight seeds to the hill and thin out later 

 to three. The best variety is Ford's Mam- 

 moth. Early Jersey is a week or ten days 

 earlier. The bush limas are very productive 

 and a little earlier than the pole limas ; sow 

 in rows about two feet apart. 



Beets. Sow as soon as the ground can be 

 worked, and every two weeks until August 

 ist. At that time sow six or eight rows for 

 winter use. Never use old seed. Sow in 

 rows about one foot apart, and thin out to 

 two inches when large enough. Use when 

 one inch in diameter; if allowed to get large 

 they become hard and woody. Best variety, 

 Eclipse, but Edmond's Blood Turnip and 

 Electric are also good sorts. Beets sown 

 April ist should be ready for use about 

 June 20th. 



Swiss chard beet is grown for its tops, 

 eaten like spinach — and is better than any 

 spinach you can get during the warm weather. 

 Wonderful producer; one row will give a 

 family about three pickings a week all 

 summer. Plant in rows and thin to about 

 six inches. Remove tops with a knife, but 

 don't cut too low; the plant will grow up 

 again from the crown. 



Broccoli. Not as good quality as cauli- 

 flower. Cultivate the same as recommended 

 for late cauliflower. The best variety is 

 Walcheren. 



Brussels sprouts. Sow in a seed bed about 

 May ist, and transplant later to rows about 

 two feet apart. Give fairly rich soil, as 

 quick growth is essential to develop the 

 best quality. Don't transplant during dry 

 weather, and never let the plants suffer for 

 water. Remove the side leaves when the 

 sprouts show. Flavor is improved by a 

 light frosting. Best variety, Long Island 

 Improved. 



Cc ioon. Rarely grown but quite easy. 

 Sow ir drills during April and thin to two 

 feet. Tie up to bleach; after which, the 

 heart of the plant is ready for use in salads, 

 soups, etc. Best variety, Large Solid. 



