28o 



A LITTLE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY. 



grade of plant cloth sold by seedsmen. This can be pur- 

 chased in quantity for three or four cents a yard, and 

 one set of covers properly cared for ought to last at least 

 three seasons. After they have been used on the early 

 squashes and melons they are ready for the late cucum- 

 bers. They require little storage room between seasons. 



We also tried boxes covered with thin cloth, Fig. 4, 

 and found them less desirable than the cloth, because 

 they do not admit sunshine and air as well, so that the 

 plants do not grow as rapidly and vigorously. When 

 the plant reaches the top, also, it can not lift the cloth 



with it, while with the cloth alone it can raise it without 

 difficulty. 



We also tried a wire screen protector, made by A. I. 

 Root, Medina, Ohio, shown at Fig. 6. This serves an 

 excellent purpose, especially for melons and cucumbers, 

 but is more expensive than the forms above described. 



It is necessary to keep the covers on until the plants 

 have put out five or six leaves, and perhaps in case of 

 cucumbers and melons even longer ; for the beetles some- 

 times attack them in great numbers after the covers are 

 removed. Clarence M. Weed. 



A LITTLE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY. 



Tciiili Paper. 



N FAIR MAY, in May fair, in the 

 month of fair May, we should find 

 the hey-day of both work and 

 jileasure in our country home. 

 Now we may "smell to sweet flow- 

 ers," taste the first fruits of the 

 garden, feel the yielding of the 

 green velvet of the lawn beneath our feet, and on 

 every hand see the budding promise of reward for 

 all our past and present toil. It is only a pleasure 

 now to work in the garden, for the soil is soft and 

 warm : it crumbles readily as we ply our tools ; it 

 yields before us ; as soon as seed is committed to 

 its care its life-giving virtues center there, and the 

 seed is warmed and moistened until it germinates ; 

 then while the soft breath of May blows above it, 

 and the soft showers of May fall upon it, the plant 

 grows and fruits as though it had been magically 

 nourished. 



There are some tender things that we cannot 

 commit to the ground until this month is well ad- 

 vanced and danger from frost is passed, unless we 

 protect them with covers. This we may do in order 

 to have the satisfaction and profit of some early 

 specimens, but it would be too expensive work for 

 the main crops. As these cannot be put in until so 

 late, we must do what we can to offset this, by extra 

 careful cultivation and fertilizing. 



We shall not endeavor here to give a detailed 

 "book of the garden," with minute instructions re- 

 garding each crop that can be grown therein ; but 

 we shall aim rather to suggest such as may enable 

 some profit to accrue from the garden while it is 

 supplying our table with its bounties. 



Few fruits of the garden can afford the cultivator 

 more pleasure than the tomato. The poison "Love 

 apple" of half a century ago, only fit to ornament 

 some shelf high above the reach of curious children, 

 has been evolved into ' ' a thing of beauty and a joy 



forever" to eye and palate. If, as will likely be the 

 case, we are by this time pressed for space in our 

 little garden, we shall have all the greater incentive 

 for doing as much as possible with the remainder. 

 We will make labor take the place of land, and thus 

 get from much work upon a little space what we 

 might otherwise try to get, with larger chances of 

 failure, from less work upon more land. Of course, 

 if we have it, we still want our sandy loam to work 

 upon ; but failing in that we may take a piece of clay 

 soil and by careful work obtain as good or even 

 better results than we should upon the other. 



In preparing this clay land for tomatoes, after 

 spading it up or plowing and harrowing, we will 

 mark off hills four feet apart each way. Space 

 could be economized by putting the plants somewhat 

 nearer, but the vines should not be so crowded that 

 the free circulation of light and air would be 

 impossible throughout the season. At each hill 

 throw out soil enough to leave a hole as large as a 

 half bushel measure ; then mix with the soil which 

 has been thrown out, and which will be used for re- 

 filling the hole, half its bulk of moderately coarse 

 coal ashes. These will keep the soil in good me- 

 chanical condition, loose and friable, and insui'e per- 

 fect drainage — an important point with the tomato, 

 as it will not do well if its roots are cold and water- 

 soaked. As the hill is made, the hole being filled 

 and heaped up, as it may be, b}' the addition of the 

 ashes to the soil, a good quantity of old manure 

 should be worked in.' If this is not available, a little 

 good commercial fertilizer could be substituted and 

 more of the same be worked in at each cultivation 

 of the plant. This may seem like taking a good 

 deal of trouble, just for a few tomatoes ; and it is. 

 The plants could be set in the ordinary manner with 

 much less cost and trouble. Yet an active man 

 could prepare several hundred hills in this way in^a 

 day, and 500 plants set out thus, and occupying 



