38 
A KITCHEN GAJRDEN 
room for the roller to be used after sowing a row, 
I always have it pressed in by the broad sole of the 
gardener’s boot, which nature usually provides shall 
be of generous size. It is even more important 
that the soil should be firmly pressed around the 
roots of newly-set plants, as if this is not done the 
first heavy rain uses the roots as water courses, and 
deprived of contact with the soil, the roots rot off and 
the plants are stunted or die. 
Among the first things to be planted in the spring 
are the small fruits, such as grapes, blackberries, rasp¬ 
berries, currants, strawberries, etc. These should all 
be in the kitchen garden, and with them the rhu¬ 
barb and asparagus beds, where they can and will be 
cultivated as well as the vegetables, the soil kept loose 
and free from weeds, that they may devote their ener¬ 
gies to making strong canes and bearing fine fruit, 
instead of wasting their strength in a continuous 
battle for life with grass and weeds, leaving them an 
easy prey to insects and disease. Those who have 
never given them this thorough cultivation will be 
surprised at the large crops and superior quality of 
the fruit that can be raised under these favorable 
circumstances. These fruits, when once planted, with 
the exception of strawberries, last for many years if 
well manured, trimmed and cultivated. They should 
all be at one side of the garden, where they will not 
be in the way of working the garden with the large 
plow in the spring and fall, but should have their own 
plowing with the small plow, two to four inches in 
depth, spring and fall. In the fall plowing the fur¬ 
rows should be turned toward the row, which will 
