Location and plan of the vegetable garden 
A level, well drained piece of ground, convenient to the house 
should be selected for the garden. It should be located where 
it can be irrigated if necessary and away from hedges, large 
trees or the shade of buildings. On the farm it should be well 
fenced to protect it from rabbits, chickens and other animals. 
After selection of a location, and determining the size of the 
garden, a list of vegetables should be made. In selecting to 
plant, primary consideration should be given to the likes of 
the family, also to the size of the plot available. The use ot 
a large number of vegetables gives variety to the diet. 
In order to obtain the maximum yield of vegetables at a 
minimum expenditure of time and money, a map or plan ot 
the garden should be made, showing the various vegetables to 
be grown, and their position in the garden, indicating length 
of rows and the space between rows. In the case of a small, 
backyard garden, entirely worked by hand, the rows should 
be placed as close together as possible, i.e., the smaller figure 
in column 5 of our chart on page 4, so that large quantities of 
vegetables may be produced on a limited space. In large farm 
gardens cultivated by mule drawn tools, or other equipment 
used in the fields for this purpose, the rows should run the 
long way of the plot, and all crops should be in wide rows as 
indicated by the larger figure in the chart on page 4. 
The planting data given on page 4 of this catalog will help 
greatly in preparing a plan since seed requirements, planting 
depths, planting distances and time of maturity, which are 
necessary for the design of any garden plan, are given. 

Making a seed bed 
Small seeds such as lettuce, cabbage, collard, pepper, eggplant, 
tomato, etc., should be sown in a seed bed and the young plants 
transplanted to the field or garden. A shallow box or flat may 
be used for this purpose, or a small plot in the garden may 
be set aside to use as a seed bed for starting plants tor trans- 
planting. The soil must be in perfectly fine condition, and in 
the seed bed it should be made into beds four to six inches 
high, to prevent overflow in case of heavy rains. When the soil 
in the seed bed is in condition—thoroughly and finely pulver- 
ized, fertilized with 2 to 3 pounds per 100 sq. ft. of a commercial 
fertilizer such as Vigoro or Vertagreen (page 76), applied at 
least a week or ten days before sowing seed, moist, and made 
smooth and level—sow the seed in rows about six inches apart. 
Very fine seed, like celery, should not be covered with soil, but 
may be pressed lightly into the soil with a light roller or with 
a wide board. Larger seeds like tomato, pepper, and cabbage 
may be covered, not over 14 to 1% inch deep. 
We recommend the use of burlap or white muslin as a cover 
over the seed bed, stretching it on a three or four feet wide 
tent-shaped or slanting frame built over the seed bed, with the 
sides about 10 to 12 inches from the ground to provide ample 
circulation of air under the cover. If plants are being started 
in late summer for fall planting, the seed bed cover will serve 
as a shade to protect seedlings from the hot sun, also to break 
the force of heavy rains. If plants are started in winter for a 
spring crop, this seed bed cover will protect seedlings from 
frost or freezes. It may be also advisable to use ground covers 
of burlap or old fertilizer bags. When seeds begin to germinate 
these ground covers should be removed immediately to prevent 
leggy or spindly plants. After the seed is sown, it is desirable 
to sprinkle every evening or oftener if necessary with cool 
water by means of hand sprinkling pots in order to keep the 
soil cool and moist, which tends to increase germination ot 
seeds during the hot summer months. 
Success in getting transplanted plants to grow satistactorily 
depends very much upon how the plants are grown in the seed 
bed. For a week or ten days before transplanting, the plants 
in seed bed should be gradually hardened. This means leaving 
the cover off the plants for a week or so betore transplanting, 
and water should be withheld from the plants during this 
perisd. When plants in seed bed are about six inches high they 
are ready to transplant into the field or garden, preferably on 
a cloudy day or toward evening. Water the plants thoroughly 
several hours before removing from seed bed, and again imme- 
diately after setting. A starter solution is helpful (see page 
77). To grow good vegetables, a large supply of moisture and 
fertilizer is essential until the crop is ready to harvest. 

Preparation of the soil for the vegetable garden 
The soil in the garden should be carefully and well prepared. 
Bermuda grass and weeds should be removed with all roots. A 
little extra time spent in preparing the soil tor planting will 
save many hours of hoeing later in the season. It is best to 
spade or plow, and apply commercial fertilizer to the soil ten 
days to two weeks before planting in order to avoid burning 
the seed or young plants. A sample of the soil should be tested, 
either by yourself with an inexpensive soil test kit (page 69) 
or by your county agent, and if found too acid or sour apply 
Hardwood Ashes or Hydrated Lime; if too alkaline or sweet 
apply Aluminum Sulphate and Manganese Sulphate (see page 
71). 
Well rotted animal manure may be used as a fertilizer, at the 
rate of approximately 25 to 30 Ibs. of manure, and 214% to 3 
Ibs. of Acid Phosphate for each 100 square feet of garden. If 
manure is not available, leaf mold or black muck or hammock 
soil are ideal materials to work into the garden soil. If none 
of these materials are available, a two or three inch layer of 
horticultural grade peat moss (page 73) may be worked into 
the garden soil. This material is clean and easy to handle, and 
is a wonderfully effective material for breaking up hard soil, 
making it mellow, or for adding humus to sandy soil, making 
it more retentive of moisture and fertilizer materials. Atter this 
peat moss is worked into the soil, an inch or two inch layer of 
Wizard Brand Sheep manure along with a liberal application of 
a good garden fertilizer such as Vigoro or Vertagreen (see page 
76) should be used, applying one of these fertilizer materials 
broadcast at the rate of 4 to 6 lbs. per 100 square feet. If this 
material is raked into the surface soil a week or ten days before 
planting, and if well watered in case of no rain in order to speed 
the incorporation and decomposition of the fertilizer or ma- 
nure, you will have the foundation for an excellent vegetable 
garden. If the fertilizers are applied just before planting, they 
are very liable to burn the young seedlings as they emerge 
from the seed. 
After the vegetable plants are well started in the garden, 
fertilizer should be applied lightly on either side of the row of 
vegetables, but not in contact with the leaves or stems to avoid 
burning, every two or three weeks. This will make thrifty 
plants which produce an abundant supply of high quality 
vegetables for the home table. 
Note:—All materials indicated above, such as Wizard Brand 
Sheep Manure, Peat Moss, Acid Phosphate, Vigoro, Verta- 
green, and the “Victory Garden Special” 5-10-5, are available 
at all Kilgore seed stores, and in our mail order department 
at Plant City, Florida. (See pages 71, 72 and 73.) 

For further information on Florida Home Gardening write the Florida Agricultural College, Mailing 
Department, Gainesville, Florida, for a free copy of Bulletin 131 entitled “The Horida Home Garden” and 
also for Circular 65 entitled “Planning Charts for Home Gardens.” 

General Offices and Mail Order Department, Plant City, Florida 
ee | 
\STRIBUT OR. 
