SUMMER PLANTING—WATER AND IRRIGATION—CULTIVATING TO HOLD MOISTURE 
D. R. E d s o n 
J ULY is the test month for the gardener. He 
who sticks to his guns, or rather his wheel- 
hoe and sprayer, through the first attack of 90- 
degrees-in-the-shade weather will reap his re¬ 
ward in autumn and winter. The Saturday after¬ 
noons in July are likely to be scorching hot and 
drenched with thunder storms—but the late after¬ 
noons are light and often cool enough to be very 
comfortable for work. And most of the 
work in the garden at this season is such 
that it can be done piecemeal. 
The important jobs in July are sum¬ 
mer transplanting, planting succession 
crops that can still be put in, and main¬ 
taining the soil supply of water by cul¬ 
tivation and, where necessary, by arti¬ 
ficial watering or irrigation. 
In spring transplanting there is not 
much loss in getting a late start, as con¬ 
ditions are often unfavorable and the 
plants to be set out are developing faster 
in the frames than they would be outdoors. In summer, how¬ 
ever, it is well to get the transplanting done as soon as the plants 
are large enough and the ground can be made ready. If the soil 
is very dry and it is impossible to get water while transplanting 
it is sometimes advisable to wait for a good rain. The seeds 
of cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, endive and late toma¬ 
toes, sown as suggested in last month’s article, will be ready early 
in July to be shifted to their various permanent places. If the 
plants are growing fast it is a good plan to cut back the leaves 
slightly when they are three or four weeks old to keep them stocky, 
This, of course, does 
not apply to tomatoes. 
The seedling plants 
should have been 
thinned out so that 
each one has sufficient 
room to develop. If 
this has not been at¬ 
tended to, do it at 
once, even if you ex¬ 
pect to transplant 
within a week or 
so. If insect pests 
threaten do not fail 
to keep the seedlings 
well sprinkled with 
tobacco dust and, if 
necessary, spray with 
arsenate of lead in 
order to drive away the destructive pests. 
Having made provision for a supply of good, 
strong plants coming along, the next step is to 
prepare the soil thoroughly where they are to go. 
Many gardeners, after removing the first crop 
of peas, beans, lettuce, or whatever may have 
been growing, when the new plants are ready to 
be set out, simply rake the surface and dig the 
holes where the plants are to be set. 
This is a great mistake. Through cul¬ 
tivation and harvesting, the ground has 
become packed almost as hard as it was 
in the spring and consecpiently every 
square inch of it must be forked up be¬ 
fore the second planting. Through the 
loose, friable, well aerated soil the new 
roots formed a few days after trans¬ 
planting will spread rapidly and will 
have a big field in which to forage for 
plant food. If planted the other way the 
roots will be more or less confined to the 
small volume of loose earth immediately about the plant. 
Another mistake which is very commonly made is to set out the 
plants and then water them on the surface. In most instances 
this is worse than useless. With a watering can or even with the 
hose it is almost impossible to saturate the soil thoroughly enough 
to get beneficial results; and, in addition, the surface is puddled 
and rapidly dries, forming a hard crust. The proper way, if the 
soil is so dry that water must be used, is to apply it in the hole 
before planting. 
In addition to a thorough forking or spading of the ground for 
the second crops, un¬ 
less a very heavy 
dressing of manure 
was used in the 
spring, the ground 
should be well fer¬ 
tilized. It doesn’t pay 
to half-starve the sec¬ 
ond crop. An abun¬ 
dance of plant food 
for them is necessary 
not only to get good 
results but to make 
sure of getting any at 
all. Plants in a half- 
starved condition may 
be so delayed in ma¬ 
turing that the frost 
(Continued on p. 3)’ 
Two distinct types of late cabbage: to the left late Dutch, Danish Ball to the right. The former makes 
larger heads but requires more room 
31 
