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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



March, 1913 



A group of vegetables that have reached maturity under the best of conditions 



ion cropping," and "Inter-planting" — although useful in the an advantage over the usual succession crops, in that the 



depend-on-the-weather garden, can give us their best re- second crop is well started along before the first is off the 



suits only where the problem of moisture is under reason- ground. Beets between lettuce, carrots between onions are 



able control. It is on the conservative side of the facts to examples of this method. 



state that modern irrigation will at least double the product Let us see, now, how we may best go to work to utilize 

 of the home garden in the average season. Farther on in these several possibilities in our own home garden, where 

 this article, I shall describe this system more fully. I wish things must of necessity be done on a comparatively small 

 here only to emphasize its importance in enabling us to scale. First of all, it is necessary to classify our vegetables 

 have a full supply of vegetables all Summer long. For according to their habits of growth, which is done in the 

 without moisture there can be no plant growth. To vege- accompanying table under the headings Root crops, Leaf 

 table organisms it is not only drink, but the medium through crops, Fruit crops. Second, to indicate the various combi- 

 which they receive and assimilate their food. When the nations with other vegetables which are practical — as is 

 percentage of moisture in the soil becomes too low, all done in the following paragraphs. This gives us the infor- 

 growth ceases. But it is the half-moisture starved condi- mation required in a concise form, so that our garden plan 

 tion, which we have for weeks at a time almost every sea- may be worked out easily. The proportions of turnips to 

 son, that is the most insidious and serious foe to maximum peas, onions to brussels, sprouts, etc., must of course de- 

 crops. Our vegetable gardens are not ruined, but they pend on the tastes of the family. In the diagram for a 

 just "stand still"; drag along, half-developed, to attain at garden worked out herewith, space is allotted the various 

 last, if we fortunately have rain, only a delayed, toughened vegetables in what would yield an average proportion of 

 and half-size maturity. This is the condition that makes each. It is not intended, however, that this plan should be 

 impossible the certain carrying out of any definite garden followed with exactness; it should be adapted to the re- 



program we may arrange. 

 For maximum and positive 

 results, irrigation — now per- 

 fectly practical on a small 

 scale — is necessary. 

 KEEPING THE GROUND BUSY 



So far, in this country, we 

 have had too much land to 

 become good gardeners. 

 One half crop a year is all 

 we have tried to force our 

 gardens to give up to us. 

 The time has come, how- 

 ever, when it is worth while 

 to get two or more crops a 

 year, and as big ones as pos- 

 sible, even if it does take 

 more thought, time, and plant 

 food to do it. "Succession 

 cropping" is, as the term im- 

 plies, following one crop up 

 with another on the same 

 ground, as when you fork up 

 the patch where your early 

 cabbages have been cut off, 

 and put in celery for Winter 

 use. "Companion cropping" 

 is growing two crops on the 

 same soil at once. Perhaps 

 the most readily called to 

 mind illustration of this is 

 the pumpkins among the 

 corn, but it may be made to 

 apply to many garden crops 

 as well. "Inter-planting" is, 

 where it is possible to use it, 



Full ears of Sweet Corn 



quirements of the family. 



SOME GOOD COMBINATIONS 



There are so many good 

 combinations possible, and 

 the requirements of the in- 

 dividual garden vary so that 

 no set scheme of planting 

 can be fixed upon as the 

 "best." Seasons, also, will 

 alter cases, and it will gen- 

 erally be found advisable to 

 alter somewhat our plans 

 during the progress of the 

 Summer months. It is neces- 

 sary, therefore, for the gar- 

 dener to make himself fa- 

 miliar with the various 

 things that can be done, not 

 only to enable him the more 

 carefully to plan his work, 

 but to take advantage of 

 every opportunity that arises 

 during the growing season. 

 A planting of seed may fail 

 to germinate, or come up 

 very irregularly, leaving 

 room for a "catch crop" of 

 some sort. 



Lettuce, of all the com- 

 mon garden vegetables, of- 

 fers the greatest possibility 

 for combinations,; with the 

 possible exception of rad- 

 ishes, which are not nearly 

 so important. For Fall and 

 Winter use, and even in mid- 



