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RICHARD FROTSCHER'S ALMANAC AND GARDEN MANUAL 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



The size depends upon the purposes for which it is intended; -whether the family is large or 

 small, and the time which can be devoted to its cultivation. The most suitable soil for a garden 

 is a Hght loam. TMien the soil is too heavy, it ought to be made hght by apphN-ing stable manure 

 and working up the ground thoroughly. Trenching as done in Europe, or North, is not advis- 

 able, at least where there is any cocoa, as by trenching the roots of this pest will get so deeply 

 incorporated with the soil that trouble will be met with afterwards to get rid of it. Exposure 

 towards the east is desirable. If there are one or more large trees in the garden, or on the 

 immediate outside, their shade can be iised in which to sow Celery, Cabbage and other seeds 

 during the hot summer months, which will be an advantage. The seed beds for this pui-pose 

 should be so arranged as to receive only the morning or evening sun. It is of the gi-eatest 

 importance that the ground should be well drained, otherwise it will be impossible to raise good 

 vegetables. The most rehable manure for general purposes is well decomposed stable or barn- 

 yard manure. Cow manure will suit best for light, sandy soil, and horse manure for heavy, stiff 

 clay lands. For special purposes, Peruvian Guano, Commercial Fei-tilizer, Eaw Bone, Cotton 

 Seed Meal and other commercial manui-es may be employed with advantage. Of late years most 

 gardeners who work their land ^^ith a plow, use Cow peas as a fertilizer with excellent result. 

 They are sown broad-cast at the rate of Is bushels to the acre, and when large enough they are 

 turned under. "Where the land is very sandy, cotton seed meal has the most lasting effect. For 

 quick growing crops, such as Melons, Cucumbers, etc., the Commercial Fertihzer and Guano ap- 

 plied in the hills are very good. Soap suds are good for Celery; it is astonishing to jjerceive the 

 difference in the size of those stalks which are watered every few days with the suds, and others 

 on the same ground which are not. Wood ashes are best for Peas, either used as a top dressing 

 when the Peas just come out of the ground, or else spiinkled in the rows when planted. The 

 New Orleans market gardeners raise as fine vegetables as can be produced anywhere ; in fact, some 

 varieties cannot be excelled, and veiy few gardeners use anything but stable manure. 



RotRtiOBi of Crops is another important item. Beets, CaiTOts and other roots should 

 not be grown in succession on the same gi-ound, but should be changed to those which grow 

 above ground, such as Lettuce, Beans, Peas, etc. Good seed, good ground and good cultivation 

 are essential in order to raise good vegetables. "\Mien plants are up, the ground should be stii-red 

 frequently; weeds ought not to be suffered to go into seed, but should be destroyed as soon as 

 they appear. Hoeing and working the young crops duiing dry weather is very beneficial because 

 the weeds are then easily killed, and hoeing the ground t\-i11 make it retain moisture better than 

 if it were left alone. 





THE HOT BED 



Owing to the open -^inters in the South, hot beds are not so much used as in the North, ex- 

 cept to raise such tender plants as Egg-Plants, Tomatoes and Peppers. There is little forcing of 

 vegetables done here, except as regards Cucumbers and Lettuce; and, if we do not have any hard 

 frosts, the latter does better in the open ground than under glass. To make a hot bed is a very 

 simple thing. Any one who has the use of tools can make the wooden frame; the sashes may be 



