SUCCESSFUL GARDENING 
(Continued from page 38) 
advantages are distribution of labor, better use of irrigation water, 
less disease risk, encourages the keeping of livestock, controls 
weeds and helps to minimize risk of hail, insects and low markets. 
Where available, a liberal coating of manure should be given the 
ground. This should be thoroughly decomposed so, that its plant 
food soon becomes available and many weed seeds killed. The use 
of fresh, rank manure is especially undesirable when growing such 
crops as onion and parsnip, as this is liable to result in soft bulbs, 
scallions and branched or misshapen roots. 
TILLAGE Remove all refuse of previous crops as early as pos- 
sible in the fall. Spread the composted manure evenly. 
First disc in and then plough, taking a narrow furrow in order to 
thoroughly mix the manure with the soil. Fall ploughing enables 
the gardener to be forehanded with his work, renders the land 
earlier in the spring and improves the physical character of the 
soil. Freezing during the winter slacks the lumps, making it easy 
to have a, finely pulverized, mellow, deep seed bed. In irrigated 
countries, fall and winter irrigation is desirable. 

Truck with hoist picks up barrels.of seed left by the threshers and haul 
to washing center. The boys are Bill Burrell (on truck) and C. R. Herring. 
They can load 21 barrels in 15 minutes. 
PREPARATION Many growers seem to think that good garden- 
ing consists in killing weeds and bugs, but the 
best gardening is in not having them.. The good gardener tills 
better and manages his land in such’a manner as to. prevent, 
rather than eradicate weeds. Disc the land thoroughly as early in 
the spring as it can be worked. after which the entire surface should 
be made fine and level with a smoothing harrow. 
In the Rocky Ford district, the land is leveled by means of long 
narrow floats. These floats thoroughly pulverize the small clods in 
addition to picking up the soil on the high places and depositing 
on the low places, permitting better drill operation. The more the 
ground is worked over before sowing or planting the cleaner and 
better it will be. Care must be given never to work the ground 
when too wet or it will pack. 
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER . There is no infallible rule for 
_ determining what fertilizer to 
apply. The grower must study his conditions and judge for him- 
4 D. V. Burrell Seed Growers Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. 
