March, 1911 AMERTCAN SHOMES AND GARDENS 117 
them too deeply. The soil should be very finely worked, same depth, in hills four and one-half feet apart, using six 
and the seeds sown in a row almost on the surface. With seeds in a hill. Three plants should be allowed to 
some fine-toothed tool—a child’s garden rake is good—stir survive, so as to avoid too much crowding. 
the soil gently by passing it up and | S Melons and cucumbers should 
be planted about May rst, in hills, 
four feet apart, and covered about 
one and one-half inches deep. It 
is wiser to plant eight or nine seeds 
in a hill and thin out to three when 
the plants are established. The 
young plants are susceptible to low 
night temperature when just 
through the ground. On this ac- 
count it is better to make two or 
three plantings in a hill at intervals 
down the row four times. 
In planting radishes in beds the 
seeds are sprinkled over the pul- 
verized soil; more soil being sifted 
over them until they are covered. 
About half an ounce will plant a 
bed three by four feet. After 
planting press the soil firmly over 
the seed. 
Onion sets are more tedious to 
plant than seeds, as they are placed 
SAY CSE A Tinney PO ta a * Pe > 
upright in a shallow furrow about ‘Ty: seed bed should be worked fine with a steel Of three days to insure against any 
three inches apart. The very Mioatherterale loss from frost and cold. 
large varieties, however, must be I venture to plant string beans 
set five inches apart. The soil is drawn about them, barely and wax beans by April 20th. If frost comes it kills them 
of a depth sufficient for use in covering the crowns. and they must be replanted. Do not plant lima beans 
Cabbage seeds planted in the ee si Sas until the tenth of May, however, 
as their replanting is almost cer- 
tain in the vicinity of New York 
city. 
Melon, cucumber, bean, squash 
and pumpkin seeds may _ be 
sprouted before planting, to hasten 
them. ‘They should be soaked in 
luke-warm water for several hours 
and then kept moist until the 
sprouts appear. Plant them be- 
fore these get too long as they are 
easily broken. 
open ground about April rst will 
produce heads in August. The 
seeds should be planted about one- 
quarter of an inch deep. ‘These 
are sown in a row as are beets, or 
turnips, but are transplanted for 
subsequent growth, when about 
four inches high. 
About the middle of April, 
sweet corn and long-necked squash 
may be planted, if the weather is 
real spring-like. The corn is 
planted in hills about two and one- A principle of planting, which is 
half feet apart and an inch and absolutely essential to its success is 
one-half deep. About five grains “ Planet seed drill saves much labor in planting a that the soil must be pressed firmly 
large garden. It can be adjusted for any 
are planted in each hill. These Thad) Ahad over the seeds to insure their con- 
hills are such in name only, being tact with it. A hoe or a piece of 
isolated spots on a level with the surrounding ground. board will do the work nicely. Neglect of this important 
The seeds of summer squash are planted at about the duty frequently results in great loss to gradeners. 
Growing Asparagus in the Garden 
A simple method of preparation and cultivation for the amateur 
@aHEN selecting roots for garden planting, plan. To the novice it may be well to explain that the 
it is better to choose two-year-old roots asparagus is a slow growing plant whose productiveness 
than those of one year, since the former depends upon the strength of the root and its ability to 
may be cut the second year after planting. force upward a number of spears whose loss in cutting 
WAwe One year roots give a longer lived bed will not deprive the plant of its vigor. This strength is 
$73 and a heavier yield, but cannot be cut attained after four years of growth from seed planting, 
before the third year. In a garden a_ hence farmers and gardeners generally buy roots of thrifty 
bed of shorter duration than fifteen years is often more growth and thereby hasten the time of yield. 
desirable since it admits of some change in the garden The roots are planted in trenches plowed to a depth of 
The young roots are set in deep trenches which are gradually filled After the cutting season the bed is leveled and the asparagus 
in as the young plants grow is allowed to grow 
