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PREPAKING THE SOIL AND PLANTING THE SEED. 



As early in the spring as the soil can be worked 

 without sticking to the spade, dig up the area laid out for 

 the garden, taking care to remove all grass roots and 

 weeds. Around the border of the garden run the spade 

 down deeply so as to cut off all grass and other roots. 

 Repeat this operation at intervals of one or two weeks 

 during the season so as to prevent the grass roots from run- 

 ning in under the bed and robbing the flowers of moisture. 

 When the spading can be done in the fall, so as to allow 

 the freezing and thawing to mellow the soil, very much 

 will be gained. The amount of moisture which the soil 

 can hold for the crops will depend largely on this first 

 preparation of it. The finer and more mellow the soil, 

 the greater the amount of water it can hold. It is import- 

 ant therefore, before the seeds are planted, that the ground 

 be deeply worked with a spading fork. If the ground to 

 be planted is of a sandy nature or of a heavy clay char- 

 acter, some decayed organic matter such as leaf mold or 

 well-rotted manure should be worked into the soil. 

 Rake down the surface until all the lumps are pulverized 

 and a smooth seed bed secured. 



A fence board eight feet long may be used for mark- 

 ing off the rows, which must be straight. On one edge 

 of this board you may cut notches eighteen inches apart 

 for convenience in laying off rows the right distance apart, 

 as indicated in the garden plan. 



Follow the directions given by the seedsman on each 

 package both as to time and manner of planting the 

 flower seeds. These directions are usually correct and 

 are complete enough to meet your needs, since space is 

 lacking here for complete suggestions. In planting sweet 

 peas, hollow out the row two or three inches so^that'plenty 



