A LITTLE PLACE IN THE COUNTR\. 



281 



less than one-fifth of an acre, should produce as 

 much fruit as an acre would under ordinary field 

 cultivation, and in taking into account the question 

 of profit, it must be kept in mind that subsequent 

 cultivation will cost less than if a larger area was to 

 be worked, and the cost of the land is less. As a 

 rule, the smaller the area from which a crop of cer- 

 tain amount is taken, the less the crop will cost per 

 unit of measure. 



If the plants are not to be protected by covering, 

 nothing will be gained by setting them out untij 

 warm weather is assured. If taken directlj' from 

 the hot-bed, cold, dark weather, even without frosts, 

 will stunt the plants and prevent their future rapid 

 development. The proper course is to remove them 

 from the hot-bed to a cold-frame in which they may 

 be exposed to the air and the sun throughout the 

 day, but protected at night. In this frame they 

 should also be free from bottom heat, and be given 

 more room than they had in the hot-bed. Being 

 kept in this frame until settled warm weather, they 

 should then be transplanted to the hills with as little 

 disturbance of the roots as possible. If the bed is 

 well watered with a fine rose sprinkler, the plants 

 may be taken up with a good ball of earth about the 

 roots. Transplant in the evening if possible, and 

 the functions of the plant will hardly be interrupted. 



Now, as to the uses and value of the tomato in 

 our garden : First, we may have the delicious and 

 healthful fruit upon our table from August until 

 November. For the surplus product we can easily 

 find a market ; first, among those who have no gar- 

 dens and desire them for the table ; second, many 

 families who prefer to put up their own supplies of 

 canned tomatoes and catsup, rather than buy of 

 manufacturers ; and third, among the manufacturers 

 or canners, if there are any in your neighborhood. 

 The first tomatoes that may be grown out-of-doors, 

 by means of single, glass-top plant covers, will or- 

 dinarily be ready for market in time to bring three 

 or four dollars per bushel. The earliest high prices 

 can be obtained only for Southern shipments or 

 Northern hot-house products : but the next highest 

 will be secured for the product of our early protect- 

 ed vines. But from that on the price declines very 

 rapidly, so that we may be fortunate enough if we 

 can start our main crop at even two dollars i^er 

 bushel, and work off the bulk of it at 60 to 80 cents. 

 For a few days during the height of the season, and 

 when selling to families in quantities for canning, 40 

 to 50 cents may be the ruling price, and after that 

 the later and poorer fruit will sell at even less for 

 making catsup. Prices, howe\ er, are largely depen- 

 dent upon the season. Within my own experience 



I ha\-e sold at a iiiininiiiiu price of ^i, and again 

 found my crop drag at 25 to 40 cents. Even at the 

 lowest of these prices I consider it a paying crop, 

 for it is easily cultivated and handled. If 500 hills 

 are planted, as I have suggested above, they should 

 produce 200 bushels of fruit. This amount should 

 easily be disposed of in a small village, as I have 

 frequently sold 20 bushels in a day, in a manufac- 

 turing town of 3,000 population. 



Another product which we may grow with the cer- 

 tainty of being able to dispose of all surplus at a 

 profit, is the Lima bean. The chief ex^Dense in this 

 is in getting good poles, and the chief difficulty is to 

 get the seed started. If only a few days of cold or 

 wet weather follow the planting, the seeds will be 

 almost sure to rot. They should be examined every 

 few days after planting until they are up, and as 

 soon as they show signs of decaying new seeds 

 should be put in. This may be done without dis- 

 turbing the hills, as the seeds are merely thrust a 

 little below the surface by the thumb and finger. 



Cucumbers for pickles, summer cabbage for a suc- 

 cession crop, the first planting of celery, the last one 

 of peas, and other things which go to complete a 

 well-stocked garden will all be "on the list " for this 

 month, and will all help to make May one of the 

 busiest of the year. Yet with all this work we must 

 not forget that there is another aspect besides that 

 of profit and pure utility to be considered. Although 

 we may have a "cottage with a double coach- 

 house," lawn, fruit, shrubbery, a garden, etc., unless 

 we have flowers, we shall miss an essential factor in 

 our scheme of rural happiness. Having begun in 

 the autumn, and having so much crowded into our 

 first year, has given probably little opportunity for 

 elaborate preparations for floriculture. But with 

 little work and less expenditure of money we can 

 make amends for this by sowing beds of annuals 

 wherever and whene\er opportunity offers. By 

 commencing early and making successive sowings 

 each week, we may have an abundance of bloom 

 the whole season through. The list of valuable 

 annuals is too long to be given here, but an_v florist's 

 catalogue will guide one, not only as to sorts but as 

 methods and times of sowing Borders can be made 

 with these as well as with bedding plants, and they 

 will last long after the latter have been cut down by 

 frost. While doing this, we may also be preparing 

 for the future by selecting now and then some good 

 location for a rose bed, setting therein some of our 

 favorites, and giving them good culture, that they 

 may repay us with bloom next year ; or putting a 

 hardy climber about the \-eranda ; or a few bulbs — 

 as our purse may allow — in a rich bed. But let us 



