32 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



July. Even if the available area is only twenty feet 

 wide, the rows should run lengthwise the plot and be 

 far enough apart (from one to two feet for small stuff) 

 to allow of the use of the hand wheel -hoes, many of 

 which are very efficient. If land is available for horse - 

 tillage, none of the rows should be less than thirty 

 inches apart, and for large -growing things, as late 

 cabbage, four feet is better. If the rows are long, it 

 may be necessary to grow two or three kinds of vege- 

 tables in the same row ; and in this ciase it is 

 important that vegetables requiring the same general 

 treatment and similar length of season be grown 

 together. For example, a row containing parsnips and 

 salsify, or parsnips, salsify and. late carrots, would 

 afford an ideal combination ; but a row containing 

 parsnips, cabbages and lettuce would be a very faulty 

 combination. One part of the area should be set aside 

 for all similar crops. For example, all root -crops might 

 be grown on one side of the plantation, all cabbage 

 crops in the adjoining space, all tomato and eggplant 

 crops in the center, all corn and other tall things on 

 the opposite side. Perennial crops, as asparagus and 

 rhubarb, and gardening structures, as hotbeds and 

 frames, should be on the border, w^here they will not 

 interfere with the plowing and tilling. 



The best results in maintaining the productiveness 

 of the land are to be secured when it is possible to 

 practice rotation of crops, manures and tillage. Even 

 in a small area, this rotation can be practiced to a con- 

 siderable extent. The area which is devoted to root- 

 crops this year may be given to corn or melons next 



