$syu5 De EELS RE Ea ets CD TATRA EIR Ts LR 
a er ee art at nr net ee te 
For the Southern States. . 19 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN, 
ee eee 
The size depends upon the purposes fer which it is intended, 
whether the family is large oresmall, and the time which can he de- 
voted to its cultivation. The most suitable soil for a garden is a light 
loam. When the soilis 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 it will be very hard 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 ean be used in which to. sow Celery, Cabbage and other seeds 
‘during the hot summer months, which wiil bean advantage. Theseed 
beds for this purpose should be so arranged as to receive only the 
morning 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; horse manure for heavy, stiff clay lands. 
For special purposes, Peruvian Guano, Blood Fertilizer, Raw 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 broadeast at the rate of 14 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 Blood Fertilizer and Guano applied 
in the hills, isvery good.- Soap suds are good for Celery; itis astonish-- 
ing to perceive 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 sprinkled 
in the rows when planted. The New Orleans market gardeners raise I 


as fine vegetables as can be produced anywhere; in fact, some Varie- 
ties cannot be excelled, andvery few gardeners use anything but’ 
stable manure. . i) 
Rotation of crops is another important item. Beets, Carrots | 
and other roots should not bé 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 if 
| 


cultivation 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, but 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. 


