Fo7^ the Southern States. 19 



THE VZGETABLE GAEDEN. 



The sizo depends upon the purposes for wliieli it is intended ; 

 whether the family is larg-e or small, and the time whieh can be de- 

 voted to its cultivation. The most suitable soil for a garden is a light 

 loam. When the soilts too heavy, it ought to be made light by apply 

 ing stable manure, and working up the ground thoroughly. Trench- 

 ing as done in Europe, or North, is not advisable, at least where there 

 is any coco, 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 used in which to aow Celery, Cabbage and other seeds 

 during the hot summer months, which will be an advantage. The 

 seed beds for this purpose should be so arranged as to receive only 

 the mxorning or evening sun. It is of the greatest importance that the 

 ground should be well drained, otherwise it will be impossible to raise 

 good vegetables. The most reliable manure for general purposes is 

 well decomposed stable or barnyard manure. Cow manure will suit 

 best for light, sandy soil, and horse manure for heavy, stiff clay lands. 

 For special purposes, Peruvian Guano,. Blood Fertilizer, Eav/ Bone 

 Cotton Seed Meal and other commercial manures may be employed 

 with advantage. Of late years most gardeners who work their land 

 with a plow, use Cow peas as a fertilizer with excellent results. They 

 are sown broad-cast at the rate of Ih 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 ciuick growing crops, 

 such as Melons, Cucumbers^^^etc, the Blood Fertilizer and Guano a]:»- 

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

 astonishing to perceive the difference in the size of those stalks which 

 are watered every fev/ 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 

 sprinkled in the row^ when planted. The New Orleans market 

 gardeners raise as fine vegetables as can be produced any v/here ; in 

 fact, some varieties cannot be excelled, and very few gardeners use 

 anything but stable manure. 



Rotation of Crops is another important item. Beets, Carrots 

 and other roots should not be grown in succession on the same ground, 

 but should be changed to those which grow above ground, such as 

 Lettuce, Beans, Peas, etc. Good seed, good ground and good culti- 

 vation are essential in order to raise good vegetables. When plants 

 are up the ground should be stirred frequently ; weeds ought not to 

 be suffered to go into seed, l)ut should be destroyed as soon as they 

 appear. Hoeing and working the young crops during dry weather 

 is very beneficial, because the weeds are then easily killed, and hoe- 

 ing the ground will make it retain moisture better than if it were left 

 alone. 



