16 The Colorado Experiment Station. 
HINTS FOR GARDENING. 
Colorado ranchmen have the reputation of not liking the so- 
called intensive employment. A trace of the old horse-back farm¬ 
ing is still to be found in the ideas of most Colorado farmers. For 
this reason few farmers take kindly to the hoe. Methods in gar¬ 
dening have improved the same as methods in all other branches 
of agriculture. It used to be thought that onions, strawberries, etc., 
should be grown in a so-called bed; a little space of ground ten 
feet wide by twenty feet long. It is found to be much more econ¬ 
omical of time and labor if all garden vegetables are treated in 
more or less the same .way as our field crops. The ground should 
be*prepared as for a crop of potatoes or grain. If a garden is to 
be made with several of the perenniels as rhubarb, horse radish, as¬ 
paragus, etc., it should be planned so these may grow all together 
on one side of the garden. This strip may be left without plowing 
and will not interfere with the breaking of the rest of the plot. It 
is well to start the garden next to these plants and run the rows 
in the same direction. Not less than three feet of space should be 
left between rows of all garden crops, including onion, lettuce, etc. 
Where it is desirable to economize space, many of these smaller 
vegetables may be put in what is known as the double row system. 
That is, two rows are planted from six to twelve inches apart, then 
a space of three feet is left for cultivating. There is always a 
tendency to crowd all vegetables, with the result that the size and 
quality is frequently sacrificed. The first row should be marked 
with a line. If a garden drill is to be used the marker will mark 
the rows ahead so that the line need not be used further. Where 
a garden drill is not used, it may be desirable to stretch a line and 
then make a mark by running a bicycle over the ground under the 
line. If a single wheel is used for this purpose the row will be 
more or less crooked. Where the bicycle is used, the second wheel 
corrects the inequalities of the front wheel so the mark will be 
pretty straight. 
Where irrigation is practiced there is always a tendency to use 
a great deal of water, and to do little cultivating. It is always bet¬ 
ter to use little water and more cultivation. Thorough frequent 
cultivation prevents evaporation, and makes plant food available 
as well as keeping the weeds from getting started. The garden 
should be cultivated not less than once a week until the plants 
are too large to get through with a horse. For corn and vine 
crops as squash, cucumber, etc., it is well to make the space be¬ 
tween the rows greater than three feet. An abundant supply of 
well decomposed stable manure will help to warm the soil and 
mature the vegetables where the altitude is high and the seasons 
short. 
