458 
SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 
wide is enough to start with. I should prefer, however, 
to have two beds, each three feet wide by twelve feet 
long with a narrow path between, say, twelve inches. 
The reason for thus laying out the ground in two beds 
is that it will be easier to reach the whole bed from 
either side without stepping or kneeling on the culti- 
vated soil. All cultivation can be done from the paths. 
The soil for flower beds needs most careful prepara- 
tion. The bed should be dug out to a depth of two 
feet, and if the soil is clay, two feet six inches. In 
the latter case, put broken stones, cinders or gravel on 
the bottom for drainage. The soil should be a mixture 
of one-half good sandy loam, one-fourth leaf mould or 
muck that has been left out all winter. Mix these thor- 
oughly together before filling the beds, sprinkle wood 
ashes over the beds and rake them in before planting. 
This is to sweeten the soil. Lime may be used for the 
same purpose, but in either case get advice as to the 
amount needed for the soil in question. 
Manure. Next in order will come the enriching of 
this plot of ground by spreading upon it a good coating 
of well rotted cow manure. In case barnyard manure 
is not available, a good mixture of commercial fertilizer 
consists of four parts ground bone to one of muriate of 
potash applied at the rate of four pounds to the 
square rod. This done, proceed to fork the whole piece 
over, thrusting the spading fork into the ground its 
full length each time, and turning the forkful of earth 
so that the manure will be covered and not lie on top 
of the ground. 
When the spading has been done, then use your rake 
and spare it not. Rake until the earth in the beds is 
finely pulverized and until the whole bed is as level, 
as you can make it. 
