GETTING THE GARDEN READY 



Plow the garden deeply, for by so doing 

 you bring to the surface a stratum of soil 

 in which there is more latent fertility than 

 in that close to the surface. 



After plowing, allow the soil to remain as 

 thrown up from the furrow for two or three 

 days. Sunshine and warm air will have a 

 disintegrating effect on it, which will make it 

 easy for you to reduce it under the applica- 

 tion of hoe and iron rake to that mellow con- 

 dition so necessary to the welfare of the 

 plants you propose to grow. It should be 

 worked over and over until not a lump is 

 left in it. You cannot expect to grow good 

 vegetables in a soil that has not been well 

 pulverized before seed is planted. Large 

 grounds, or those of a size that admit of the 

 use of horses, can be speedily mellowed with 

 the harrow, which should be run over the 

 ground from all directions until it is thoroughly 

 pulverized. In the small garden the rake and 

 hoe will have to take the place of the harrow. 



Small pieces of ground should be spaded. 

 Let the soil remain as thrown up by the spade 

 for two or thi^ee days before attempting to 

 work it. 



I have been told by some amateur garden- 

 ers that they did not use much manure be- 

 cause trees and shrubs that grew in close 



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