OF ONE ACRE. 
37 
not then become packed and hard again by the heavy 
spring rains. For the first planting the ground should 
be plowed and planted as soon as it can be got in 
order; the hardier vegetables will even stand a light 
frost, and while adapting their growth to the weather, 
will be ready to take advantage of the first warm 
spring days. I shall speak of the time of planting and 
sowing in the chapters devoted to the separate treat¬ 
ment of the different vegetables. 
The following simple test will be of use to the 
novice in determining not only when to plow, but also 
when to cultivate and hoe the ground. Take a por¬ 
tion of the soil in the hand and try to press it into a 
ball; if it makes a ball and sticks to the hand it is 
too wet, while if it crushes hard it is too dry. In both 
cases, if worked in this condition, it will be left in a 
hard and lumpy state, that will take a long time to 
bring into good nrder. To be in good working con¬ 
dition the soil should crumble easily and finely in 
the hand, and should leave no dirt adhering to the 
fingers. It will not only give the best results when 
worked in this state, but it can also be done in half 
the time. Sometimes we cannot wait until the 
ground is in the very best order, as in a drought in 
summer, when it is needed for the second crop. In 
such a case it must be brought into as fine condition 
as possible by repeated harrowing and rolling; the 
latter is an operation too frequently neglected in the 
ordinary garden; every farmer knows the value of 
having the soil firmly compacted round the fresh- 
sown grain, and it is of equal value in every variety 
of seed sown in the garden. Where there is not 
