10 
A KITCHEN GARDEN 
planted stock that has been overtaken by a dry spell. 
Where the distance has to be traversed so frequently, 
it naturally follows that the shorter it is the greater 
will be the saving in time and the less likely is the 
garden to be neglected. 
The garden should be as nearly level as possible, or, 
if sloping, not so much so as to be in danger of being 
washed by heavy rains. If sloping, the slope should 
lie to the south, or as nearly south as possible. A plan¬ 
tation or hedge of evergreens on the north side of the 
garden will be found a wonderful aid to the earliness 
of the garden truck and to the hardiness of the small 
fruit plants and roots which remain in the ground 
all winter; if a woods or high hill be directly on the 
north and northwest of your garden, it will answer 
nearly as well as the hedge of evergreens. The gar¬ 
den should be so situated as to have good surface 
drainage; without this or expensive underdraining, 
it will hardly be possible to raise early or fine vege¬ 
tables at any profit. These I consider the most essen¬ 
tial points in selecting the plot for the garden; of 
course, a good, rich soil is to be desired, but the gar¬ 
dener can, by the liberal use of manure and thorough 
cultivation, remedy a deficiency of this kind in a 
couple of years, while he cannot make a favorable 
location for early vegetables on a north slope if he 
should try a lifetime. By a careful study of the 
varieties in cultivation, and by trials of their merits 
in your garden and on your- table, experience will be 
gained which will enable you to grow as fine vegeta¬ 
bles and fruits on heavy soil as on light, sandy loam, 
and vice versa. 
