OF ONE ACRE. 
11 
THE SOIL OF THE GARDEN. 
Ground that has been worked in some cultivated 
farm crop, such as corn or potatoes, is more desir¬ 
able for starting a garden than fresh sod land, as it is 
more easily brought into fine condition in the early 
spring; while grass is one of the hardest weeds to 
exterminate, especially among small hoed crops, such 
as strawberries, onions, beets, etc. Sod land is also 
often full of grubs, which work havoc among the 
strawberry plants and young melon and squash 
vines. In either new ground or in the old estab¬ 
lished garden, it will be of great advantage to put 
the long, coarse manure on the ground in the fall, 
and plow it well under as soon as the ground can be 
cleared of the summer crops. The soil should be 
left just as it is plowed, without harrowing, leaving 
the lumps and ridges to the action of the frost. This 
will be found of especial benefit to heavy soils that 
are late in drying in the spring; it also adds a great 
deal to the appearance and cleanliness of the garden, 
as the weeds, old stalks, etc., are all cut off and burnt 
before plowing, instead of being left to scatter their 
seeds with every winter wind. 
The gases arising from the decaying of the coarse 
manure in the soil tend to lighten it, instead of being 
wasted in the air, as is the case when the manure is 
in heaps or in the barnyard. By plowing-time in 
the spring the manure will have assimilated with the 
soil and will be thoroughly worked through the cul¬ 
tivated surface, thus affording food for the crops in 
all stages. If such manure is applied in the spring, 
it will make dry or thin soil still drier, and unless 
