Guide to better gardening. . . vegetables 
As soon as weeds show up between the garden rows, 
get after them with the hoe. It saves a great deal of time 
and energy to destroy them before roots get tough. 
Hand weeding in the row is necessary while plants 
are small, Be careful not to disturb the plant roots. 
When mortsture is needed, let the water trickle along 
close to the roots. Rest the hose nozzle on an old blanket 
or piece of sacking to spread the water more evenly. 
LETTUCE. Sow lettuce seed as soon as the ground can 
be worked. Make rows the same as for carrots and beets. 
Sow the seed thinly, letting it run out slowly from the corner 
of the packet. Cover with about one-fourth to one-half inch 
of soil and press down firmly. If the plants of loose leaf let- 
tuce look crowded when they come up, thin them a little. 
Thin head lettuce plants so that they stand about eight to ten 
inches apartintherow. Havetherowsat least twelve inches 
apart. Lettuce does best when the weather is cool and moist. 
MUSKMELON. In sections where summers are short, 
seed can be planted indoors or in hotbeds in small boxes. 
The young plants can be transferred to the garden when 
danger of frost is past. If practicable, spade in a liberal 
forkful of well-rotted manure at the bottom of each hill. 
The-rows should be at least five feet apart, and the hills 
two to three feet apart in the rows. In general, the culture 
is the same as that for cucumber. 
MUSTARD. Sow at the same time as radishes and lettuce. 
Make the rows in the same way. Sow the seed thinly and 
cover with one-fourth to one-half inch of soil. Press down 
firmly. When the plants are about two or three inches high, 
thin them so that they are four to eight inches apart in the 
row. Mustard plants make the best greens when they are 
given plenty of water so that they grow quickly. 
OKRA or GUMBO. Okra seed does not germinate well at 
cool temperatures, and planting should be delayed until 
the ground is warm. Drop four or five seeds to the foot and 
cover one-half to one inch deep. Thin to about two feet in 
the row and keep thoroughly cultivated. 
ONION. Onion seed germinates well in cool weather. Plant 
as soon as the soil can be prepared. Shallow planting is 
advisable,—one-fourth to one-half inch. When a few inches 
tall, the young plants can be thinned to prevent crowding, 
and the plants removed can be used as green onions. After 
that, they can be pulled as needed, and those left to become 
fully ripe can be stcred for winter. 
PARSLEY. The seed is even slower to germinate than pars- 
nip. It grows best in rich mellow soil and should be sown as 
early as possible in rows with a covering of not more than 
one-half inch of soil firmly pressed down. When the plants 
are well up, thin them to three to four inches apart in the 
row. As soon as those of the curled varieties are about three 
inches tall, cut off all the leaves; the new growth will be 
brighter and better curled. Every cutting will improve the 
quality of the leaves. 
PARSNIP. Parsnips grow best in loose, rich, sandy loam 
but will make good roots in any soil that is reasonably rich 
and deep. Stony soil and raw manure are likely to produce 
branched or misshapen roots. The seed requires steady 
abundant moisture for germination and should be sown as 
early as practicable. Sow in rows and when well up thin 
three to six inches apart in the row. Keep the ground moist 
if possible. Parsnips are improved by freezing, and a portion 
of the crop can be left in the ground all winter to be dug in 
spring when the ground has thawed. 
PEAS. Peas need moderate temperature, plenty of mois- 
ture, and long daylight hours. They are not injured by light 
frosts and may be planted as early in spring as the soil will 
permit. By planting some of several varieties at the same 
time, a well-arranged succession can be obtained, extending 
over a period of 30 days. Successive plantings of a desirable — 
variety will also provide a succession, but this cannot be 
extended over as long a period with good results. All vari- 
eties more than one and one-half feet tall do better if staked 
up or otherwise supported when four to six inches tall. Use | 
sharpened branches of trees set between the double rows. 
PEPPERS. Culture, soil, and temperature requirements 
for peppers are about the same as for eggplant. A moderate ~ 
dressing of guano, poultry manure, or complete commercial 
fertilizer hoed into the soil after the plants are six to eight 
inches tall will be beneficial. 
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