202 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
forms. The simplest of these cost only a few dollars, $3 to $5, 
and are capable of accomplishing a great deal of work ina 
way that is little more than play for the operator. Either 
single or double wheels may be had, but in a garden of any 
size the latter form will quickly repay the slight additional 
cost required. For the wheel-hoe there are numerous at- 
tachments the various special uses of which may be found 
described at length in the catalogues of the companies manu- 
facturing them (I may say in passing that they are well 
worth procuring and reading carefully for the many good 
cultural hints contained, if for no other reason). 
The wheel-hoe does not, however, obviate the use of the 
fingers. There will be many weeds in the rows which can- 
not be reached by its swift working blades, and they must 
be taken out, where the plants are small, with the fingers. 
A hint or two about this work may be of use. Try to get 
at it just as the soil begins to dry out after a rain and is still 
soft and friable, and the roots pull out easily. Also imme- 
diately previous to weeding run through the rows, cutting 
up as close as possible, with the wheel-hoe. ‘There are a 
number of hand-weeders which are useful. I prefer the 
type which has a little strap over the fingers to hold the im- 
plement in place in the hand while the fingers are being 
used. 
CROPS FOR LATE PLANTING 
While most of the garden crops can be put in safely dur- 
-ing April and early May, in fact are all the better for early 
planting, there are some which must have semi-tropical 
weather, and no danger of frost, before they will do any- 
thing at all. Nothing is gained by trying to get them started 
outdoors early in the season, and the only way to hasten 
the maturity of the crop is to get them along as far as pos- 
sible indoors or in a cold-frame before setting them outside. 
ES i ER EE 
June, 1912 
In this class are Pole and Lima Beans, Cucumbers, Musk- 
melons, Watermelons, Tomatoes, Egg-Plants, Peppers, 
Squash, and Pumpkin. 
All the vine crops should have specially prepared hills, 
and it will be well worth while to take the same pains in 
getting ready for the Pole Beans, especially the Limas. Dig 
out the hill about two feet square and some six inches deep, 
and put in a fork-full of well rotted manure, mixing it 
thoroughly with the soil. Then put back enough of the sur- 
face soil to fill up the hole within, say, an inch of the top and 
mix into this a good handful.of cotton-seed meal, fine tank- 
age or bone flour, or a mixture of them. Cover over level 
with the garden surface and plant. Melon and Squash seed 
should be covered about half an inch deep, Beans from one 
to two inches. Always plant the Limas (dwarf or pole 
sorts) with the eye down, and if possible just when the 
ground is drying off after a rain, as they root in the soil easily 
and readily. 
Melons, Cucumbers, Lima Beans, and even Sweet Corn 
we now start in paper pots (which are to be had very 
cheaply), and set out pots and all when the weather is warm 
enough. This method not only assures earlier results but 
overcomes to a great extent the dangers from insects and 
cold, damp weather incident to planting outdoors during this 
season. 
‘‘Giant-podded” is the best pole Lima I have grown; and 
Fordhook and Spicy are my favorite Muskmelons, although 
there are a great number of excellent varieties and one 
should suit one’s own taste. There is a new “‘vineless”’ form 
which will now make Muskmelons available for the smallest 
gardens. Tomato, Pepper, and Egg-plants should be pro- 
cured, if possible, grown in pots rather than in boxes. They 
are more evenly developed and will not suffer the usual “‘set- 
The carefully tended Summer garden will produce such tomato vines as this, which may be trained against a wall 
