472 



The Home Garden 



and train grape vines. Strawl^erry plants were set along- 

 side the flagstone walks and currant bushes between the 

 walks and the fence. In the space between the bushes and 

 the strawberries low-growing vegetables, such as bush beans, 

 peppers, eggplants, and the like, were set out. In a space 

 about 12 feet wide between the walks, low-growing, quick- 

 maturing varieties of early vegetables were planted in 

 such a way that later-maturing varieties could be put out 

 at proper intervals between them. The early plantings 

 consisted of radishes, early beets, lettuce, carrots, and a 

 few parsnips. The beets gave way later to a few late cal> 

 bage plants. The sunniest portion of the yard was turned 

 over to tomatoes, of which there were about a dozen plants 

 trained to a single stem and set about 18 inches apart in 

 each direction. Early and late peas were put out in the 

 least sunny portions of the yard. Later, in the fall, 

 spinach, kale and potato-onion sets were planted in order 

 to provide a supply of green succulents for the winter and 

 early spring.'^ 



A larger area, exclusively devoted to vegetables, is 

 planned in Fig. 252, by H. C. Thompson, in Farmers' 

 Bull. 934. " The size of the garden,'' the author says, 

 '^'^ depends upon the number of persons to be supplied. 

 One-fourth to one-half an acre is sufficient for an average 

 family and should produce enough vegetables for use 

 throughout the year. By close attention to the rotation of 

 crops, the succession of crops, and interplanting, one- 

 fourth of an acre may be made to supply a family of six. 

 Where land is available, it is recommended that a suffi- 

 cient area be set aside to allow part of the garden to be 

 planted to a soil-improving crop each year." 



