ABC of Vegetable Gardening by Eben Eugene Rexford – Audiobook

ABC of Vegetable Gardening by Eben Eugene Rexford.
Read in English by Bill Boerst.
This how-to book includes chapters on getting ready, mapping the garden, planting, seeds, early work, house plants, fruits, hot beds and cold frames, and small gardens. There is even a chapter “expressly for women.” – Summary by Bill Boerst

True bear stories by waen Miller section zero forward not everybody has a garden some deny themselves the pleasure and the profit of one because they have never had any experience in gardening and have somehow got the impression that special training is necessary to make a success of the

Undertaking here is where they make a mistake there is no special Knack about it anyone who owns a bit of land and has some time that can be given to Garden work and an inclination to do so can make a gardener of himself in a season

And a successful one too if he allows himself to be governed by the advice of someone who has some experience along this line after the first season he will not be likely to ask or need advice for the Practical knowledge which comes from one season’s work among vegetables will

Not only be sufficient to enable him to go on with his gardening operations on his own responsibility but it will have made him so so enthusiastic over them that he will be eager to enlarge his knowledge of the green things growing and in doing this he will find a pleasure that will

Make him wonder how he ever came to consider gardening something to dread others who have but a small piece of land may think it not worthwhile to attempt to grow vegetables on it they labor under the impression that a garden in order to prove a success requires

More land than is at their disposal here is where they make a mistake of course one cannot grow a large quantity of vegetables on a small piece of ground but the one who undertakes to make the most of a small piece will be surprised

At the amount that can be grown on it in a garden that is not more than 25 ft square a friend of mine grows all the summer vegetables required by his family of four persons this calls for what the scientific people call intensive gardening and makes it necessary to

Plant and plan for a succession of vegetables but that 25 ft square of ground enables him to get a good share of the summer living of his family another notion is that in order to have a good Garden a large amount of time and labor must be expended on it not so a

Very small amount of systematized Labor will be demanded by even a good-sized garden if it is planned in such a manner that labor saving tools can be used in its cultivation if we look back to the gardening days of 50 or even 25 years ago when everything was done at the

Hardest and the hand had to do a good share of the work that we now do with helpful implements it is not to be wondered at that the oldtime care of a garden discourages many from undertaking to have one happily those days are over and with the gardening facilities of the

Present it is an easy matter to accomplish more in an hour than could be done then in a day there is really no drudgery in gardening as it is done today on the contrary there is positive pleasure in the operation of the Machinery which inventive genius has furnished for the up-to-date Gardener’s

Use those who have never had a garden of their own but have bought vegetables in the ordinary Market are not in a position to understand the wide difference between the article we bu and the one which is taken directly from the ground and eaten at once while it is

Possible to keep most vegetables looking fresh for considerable time by the use of water and ice it is not possible to make them retain that delicacy of flavor known only to those whose vegetables go straight from the garden to the kitchen if you want any vegetable at its

Best you must grow it in your own garden the general impression seems to be that gardening is essentially man’s work and that women and children are not equal to it this is another mistake that will rapidly be done away with for the woman of today is no longer a housed up woman

She is rapidly learning the value of fresh air and the tonic of outdoor life is fast taking the place of the doctor’s prescriptions the writer knows of many women who have found work in the garden not only a healthful occupation but one so delightful that they look forward to spring with most pleasurable

Anticipations and long for the time to come when they can get to work out of doors when we have tried both we learn that work in the vegetable garden is no harder than that in the flower garden and that neither demands more strength or time than the average woman is able

To give it if she makes use of Labor saving tools what is true of the woman is equally true of the children a child 10 years of age can do a good deal of the work that a good-sized garden calls for I would not be understood as

Advocating the giving up of garden work to women and children I would not deny man the pleasure of sharing in it but I would urge the importance of interesting women and children in it and of encouraging them to take part in it from the Viewpoint of health benefit in other

Respects will become so apparent after a little that further encouragement will not be necessary most women who have some Leisure especially if they are of the housewife class will be so pleased with the results of gardening that they will be glad to supplement the labors of

The man of the family family by what they can accomplish in it if he is employed in work that will not allow him to devote much time to the garden and they will find that the boys of the family and the girls as well can be made

To take an active part in the good work with but little encouragement from their Elders it is natural for both boys and girls to dig in the soil and it is well to encourage them to dig to some purpose it is natural work and healthy work and

Work that will do more to keep the average child out of Mischief than any other influence that can be brought to bear on it but I would not allow the child to get the impression that I gave it Garden work to do as a Mischief preventative that would spoil everything aim to

Interest the boys and girls in the mysterious processes of nature encourage them to plan and execute as much of the work as can be safely trusted to them in a short time you will find that most of them are equal to all the requirements of the ordinary

Garden I have often been told by those who have had years of experience in Garden work that at least half ones living for half the year can be obtained from the garden even if it happens to be a small one and my own experience Bears out the truth of this statement if we

Grow our own vegetables we are quite sure to have a greater variety to add to the Daily bill of fair than would be the case if we were to buy them we have them when we want them without making a trip to the market for them or depending on

The uncertainties of telephone orders which Grocers so frequently fill by sending vegetables of a quality that would not satisfy us if we gave them personal inspection before purchasing the entire family will be delighted with the frequent changes that can be made in the bill of fair and no

One more so than the housewife who often finds it a difficult matter to plan for a variety of food when the family income does not warrant a liberal outlay no owner of a bit of ground that can be made into a garden can afford to let it

Remain unused if he does so he does it in disregard of the economy which most of us are obliged to consider and practice in these days of high prices and the increasing cost of daily living have a garden if you can contents chapter one getting the garden ready chapter two laying out the

Garden chapter three planting the garden chapter four seeds that give best results chapter 5 early Garden Work chapter six vegetable plants in the house chapter 7 standard varieties of vegetables chapter eight small fruits and their culture chapter nine hot beds and cold frames chapter 10 small gardens chapter 11

Leftovers chapter 12 Health in the garden a chapter expressly for women readers end of section zero ABC of vegetable gardening by eban Eugene Rexford chapters 1 and two chapter one getting the garden ready the amateur Gardener will almost invariably be in too great a hurry to begin gardening operations in the spring

But a few warm days are not sufficient to put the ground in proper condition for seeding or even for plowing and spading the frost must be allowed to get out of it and after that an opportunity must be given for Surplus water from melting snows and spring rains to drain

Away before work can be done to any advantage as a general thing not much can be done in gardening at the north before the 1st of May it is an old saying that haste makes waste and the gardener who is in too great a hurry often learns the truth which underlies

The saying by the failure to germinate of the the seed he puts into the ground very early in the season another old saying that should be kept in mind is that one swallow does not make a summer read warm day for swallow and you will get the force of

The statement it is not advisable to do much gardening until you are reasonably sure that warm weather has come to stay even if early planted seed comes up spells of cold weather and often of frost which we are likely to have at the North until about the 1st of May well

Have such a debilitating effect on comparatively hearty plants that those grown from later sewings when all conditions are favorable will come to maturity ahead of them therefore it will be seen that it is poor policy to be in too great a hurry and good policy to wait for what

The farmer calls growing weather before doing much work in the garden if very early vegetables are wanted it will be necessary to start them in the hot bed in another chapter I will give some directions for for the making and management of this very important adjunct of gardening the first thing to

Do in making a garden is to plow or Spade it plowing is not admissible on small grounds but where there is room enough to allow a team and plow to operate I would advise it in preference to spading because it will save a good deal of hard work and greatly expedite

Matters before plowing some system of manuvering should be decided on as whatever fertilizer is used should be worked well into the soil and this the plow can do more most effectively Barnyard manure if old and well- rotted is better than anything else I have any knowledge of for all kinds of vegetables

But unfortunately it is seldom obtainable by those who do not live in the country there are many commercial fertilizers on the market but not all kinds of them are adapted to all kinds of soil in order to secure the best results it is advisable that the amateur Gardener should consult some dealer in

These fertilizers in his immediate vicinity or someone who has had personal experience in their use with a view to making sure that he is getting just the kind best adapted to the soil in his garden it is absolutely necessary that he should do this in fact for if he buys

At random he runs the risk of getting something that will fail to answer his purpose while it is always advisable to apply whatever fertilizer is used before plowing commercial fertilizers can be applied later with good effect but it will be necessary to apply them in such

A manner that they do not come directly into contact with the seed as many of them are so strong that they kill it plow the garden deeply for by so doing you bring to the surface a stratum of soil in which there is more latent fertility than in that close to the

Surface after plowing allow the soil to remain as thrown up from the furl for 2 or 3 days sunshine and warm air will have a disintegrating effect on it which will make it easy for you to reduce it under the application of hoe and iron rake to that mellow condition so

Necessary to the welfare of the plants you propose to grow it should be worked over and over until not a lump is left in it you cannot expect to grow good vegetables in a soil that has not been well pulverized before seed is planted large grounds or

Those of a size that admit of the use of horses can be speedily mellowed with the Harrow which should be run over the ground from all directions until it is Thoroughly pulverized in the small garden the rake and hole will have to take the place of the

Harrow small pieces of ground should be spaded let the soil remain as thrown up by the spade for 2 or 3 days before attempting to work it I have been told by some amateur gardeners that they did not use much manure because trees and shrubs that grew in close proximity to

Their Gardens were so Thrifty without manuring that they felt confident that the soil must be quite Rich enough for vegetables without resorting to the use of any fertilizer these persons lacked the experience which would have enabled them to understand the wide difference between tree and vegetable

Growth a tree or bush sends its roots deeply and widely into the soil and applies to its uses food that the vegetable cannot send its roots in search of the roots of most garden plants do not extend far in any direction nor go very deep therefore

Food must be given directly to them if we would secure the best possible result there are very few Gardens in which the natural soil has a sufficient amount of nutriment to produce the effect we aim at without the of some kind of plant food a rich soil is absolutely necessary

In order to hasten development unless a vegetable makes a quick growth it is pretty sure to be lacking in tenderness and flavor of course it is possible to apply a greater amount than a plant can make use of thus forcing an unhealthy growth but this is not likely to happen

If we consult the wise old Gardener who knows his garden and the plants he grows in it as a mechanic knows the machine he uses chapter two laying out the garden there will be little laying out to do in the small garden here the chief aim will be to make use of every

Available bit of soil the beds will be narrow and the paths between them will be just wide enough to walk in and these will be the only portions of the ground in which something is not grown not much chance for planting you see in the larger Garden it will be not

Only possible but advisable to do considerable planning if a garden cult elevator is used and this should be done whenever possible plan for rows that will enable you to run at the entire length of the garden without turning beds are no longer in favor with gardeners who aim to reduce the work to

Be done to the minimum for in them the cultivator cannot be used to Advantage and weeding cannot be done with the facility which characterizes row planting nor can the hoe be used as effectively there is really no argument that can be advanced in favor of the old

Bedding system for gardens in which we propose to use use labor saving implements if possible have the row run north and south this enables the sun to get at the ground lengthwise of the Rose and between them which it could not do if they ran East and West as the plants

In them would shade all the ground except that in the first and most southernly role it is not enough that the sun should get at the tops of the plants the soil needs its vivifying effect plant with regard to the height and habit of the vegetables you propose

To grow give corn a place at the side of the garden then peas which grow tall enough to require bushing and then beans working down through potatoes tomatoes and beets and other low growing kinds to onions radishes and cucumbers if the garden cultivator is to

Be used leave a space about 18 in wide between the rows to work in this Implement can be adjusted to fit any width desired its teeth can be set to throw the soil toward a plant or away from it it can be made to do deep deep

Or shallow work as the case may require as a general thing after a plant has attained some size we throw the soil toward it if the teeth are set to do this we go down one side of the row and back on the other thus throwing the soil

About the plant alike on both sides it will probably be necessary to remove some weeds in the row which cannot be reached by the cultivator this can be done most effectively by the use of a hole which is triangular in shape with the handle socket in the center of it

One side is a blade like the ordinary hole the other comes to a sharp point with which it is possible to work close to a plant without running any risk of injuring it something that cannot be done with the ordinary wide-bladed hole weeds that grow up side by side with

Vegetable seedlings can be picked away from them so easily and without disturbing them in the least that no hand pulling will have to be resorted to in cleaning the row where the garden cultivator is used there will be very little work to do with with the hoe as

This Implement stir the soil and uproots weeds at the same time but in the small garden either hoe or weeding hook will come into daily use the weeding Hook is a most important tool though its cost is but 10 or 15 cents it enables one to do

A good deal of weeding in a short time does its work well and does away entirely with hand pulling which is hereto for been one of the chief arguments that men have advanced against gardening end of Section 1 chapters 3 4 and 5 chapter 3 planting the garden most persons make the serious

Mistake of covering garden seed too deeply very small seed needs hardly any covering indeed it does its best as a general thing when simply scattered on the surface and pressed down into the soil by a smooth board this embeds the the seed in the soil which is made firm

Enough under the pressure of the board to retain a sufficient amount of moisture to assist germination very fine seed often fails to sprout if covered too deeply but most of the seed of garden vegetables is not fine enough to admit of this method of planting if a seed

Sewer is not used little furls should be made by drawing a stick through the soil into which the seed should be dropped as evenly as possible it should then be covered lightly and the soil should be pressed down with the hole to make it comparatively firm the probabilities are

That many more plants will come up than it is advisable to let grow these Surplus seedlings should be removed from the rose as soon as the plants get a good start nearly all gardeners make use of the seed sewer this is an Implement that can be adjusted to sew all kinds of

Seed more evenly than it can be sewn by hand and at any required depth it cannot be used to much advantage in the very small Garden where only a small quantity of each kind of seed will be made use of but in large Gardens it will be found as

Much a labor saver as the garden cultivator it is always advisable to plant for a succession if the garden is large enough to admit of it by planting at intervals of 10 days or two weeks it is possible to have fresh vegetables throughout almost the entire season

Where this is done it will not be advisable to plant very much of any one kind among almost all vegetables there are early medium and late varieties some of each of these should be planted in all Gardens of a size to Warrant so doing in the small garden I would advise

The choice of the later varieties as these are almost without exception Superior in flavor to the earlier kinds which are grown more on account of earliness than quality chapter 4 seeds that give best results it is very important that seed of only the best kind should be used if

We would grow vegetables of superior quality every Gardener of experience will endorse the truth of this statement said one amateur Gardener to me when I gave him this advice why should one be so particular about the seed it’s the culture that you give the plant that counts plant any kind of seed that

Happens to be the heartiest and take good care of the plants that grow from it and you’ll have good vegetables to some extent what he said was true but he had yet to learn that there is a vast difference between ordinary seed and seed that has bread

Into it by careful culture the superior qualities which characterize the choicest varieties of all our garden plants there is such a thing as aristocracy of seed and no seed that is lacking in this feature can be expected to afford the satisfaction that results from the use of the best no amount of

Culture can make a superior vegetable from plants grown from inferior seed bear this in mind and by buy only the best seed on the market be your garden large or small the smaller it is the greater the importance of using only the best but how are we who know very little

About such things to know which is the best someone may ask the only answer I can make to this question is this we have in this country many seed firms that have been in existence for years some of them over half a century and these have built up for

Themselves a reputation for handling only seed of the very best varieties of garden vegetables that it is possible to grow inferior sorts have been discarded from time to time as those of superior Merit have been produced these firms proud and jealous of the reputation they have gained cannot afford to deal in

Anything that is not up to their standard of the best from these dealers you can be sure of getting seed that can always be depended on to give the highest degree of satisfaction the seed they sell you may cost a little more than some of the newer dealers ask for

Theirs but the certainty of getting what you want makes it well worthwhile to invest some extra money in it that which is advertised as being just as good as higher priced seed for a much smaller amount of money is likely to prove as cheap in quality as in price chapter 5 early Garden

Work after planting the garden there will be a little interval of leisure while the seed that has been put into the ground is germinating then will come the time of early Warfare with the weeds here is where the weeding hook of which I have spoken will come into play in the small

Garden this little Implement is in the form of a claw with five or six fingers each about an inch long and shaped so that they reach into the ground and take a firm hold of whatever plants they are placed over it can be so operated that these

Fingers working close to plants which it is not desired to uproot will tear away the weeds without disturbing the other plants and the soil will be left in light and mellow condition as if a tiny rake had been drawn through it with this tool the work can be done with great

Rapidity no owner of a garden large or small can afford to be without it it should be used to supplement the work of the cultivator which can be dependent upon to take care of all the weeds between the rows but which cannot be worked among the plants in the row

Weeding should be begun as soon as the plants are of a size that makes it possible to tell which is seedling and which is weed by beginning the work of clearing the garden at this period and doing it thoroughly and continuing it at intervals thereafter it will be a

Comparatively easy matter to keep weeds under control but if they are allowed to get a strong start as they will in an incredibly short time if let alone it will be a difficult matter to subdue them and keep the upper hand during the rest of the season it is very important

That they should be given to understand that at the outset that they will not be tolerated in your garden this will necessitate early work and careful and regular attention thereafter but it will not be the laborious work that so many persons think it is if it is begun at

The right season and always carried on on the offensive it is when weeds have been allowed to entrench themselves firmly in the garden that this work becomes disagreeable nor is it work that will require a good deal of one’s time in the cultivation of a garden it is the little

Attentions given when needed that count rather than the amount of Labor and time expended there as you will find when you come to have a garden of your own if there are any vacant places in the beds or rows fill with plants taken from places where they stand too thick in the

Small garden there should be not one vacant spot every bit of soil should be made to do its share of work in the production of some vegetable if weeds are kept down during the early part of the Season there ought not to be many during the latter part of it but there

Will be no time when there will not be some to wage Warfare against and every Gardener should make it a rule to destroy everyone that gets a start as soon as discovered for by preventing it from developing seed we can save ourselves a good deal of work next

Season one weed will bear seed enough to fill the whole garden with its progeny if allowed to do so if the soil was properly fertilized at planting time it will not be necessary to apply more fertilizer if any until the latter part of the season and then only a small amount will be

Required just enough to enable the soil to do its share in ripening off the plants that are growing in it but if at any time the plants seem to lag or come to a standstill enough should be given to stimulate active growth careful watch should be kept of

Everything in the garden and prompt Advantage should be taken of any tendency towards slow development by making fresh applications of whatever fertilizer was used at the beginning of the season in order to attain the success that the gardener aims at in the cultivation of vegetables it is absolutely necessary to keep them going

Steadily ahead from start to finish and this can only be done by supplying them with a generous amount of plant food there should be no alternations of liberal feeding and lack of feeding end of section two chapter six vegetable plants in the house many persons would like to grow

Early vegetables with a view to getting the start of the season and incidentally of their neighbors they seow seed in pots and boxes in March and April and attempt to get an early start for plants that will form a basis of supply for family use while they are waiting for

The development of the general crop from seed sewn in the garden after the weather has become sufficiently warm to Warrant outdoor gardening in some instances comparative success has resulted from Plants started into growth in the house but nine times out of 10 it is safe to say the result has been

Entire of failure the seedlings grow fairly well at first but soon become weak and die if by chance a few survive until conditions warrant putting them in the ground they are so lacking in Vitality that the change from indoors to Outdoors is pretty sure to be the end of

Them I would never advise trying to grow plants from seed in the house unless the grower understands beforehand the drawbacks to plant growth which Prevail in the average dwelling and is willing to do all he can to overcome them simply filling boxes or pots with Earth putting

Seed into them and supplying water will not ensure success one of the unfavorable conditions which seedling plants must struggle against is too much heat if they are kept in the living room an undue amount of warmth forces them into abnormal development in in the early stages of their growth and a

Little later on there comes a reaction from the weakness thus brought about and this reaction is almost invariably death to the tender plant another unfavorable condition is the result of indiscriminate watering the soil is either kept too wet or too dry to grow good plants there must be an even supply of

Moisture a third unfortunate condition is the result of failure to give the plants a liberal supply of fresh air it is possible however to overcome these conditions and grow really good plants from seed in the living room but it cannot be done unless the amateur Gardener is sufficiently interested in

The undertaking to give his plants all the attention they need instead of keeping them in the living room which in most instances will have a temperature of 79 or 80° I would advise giving them place in a room opening off the sitting room where the temperature can be so

Regulated that it will not go above 65° at any time there is far less danger of plants suffering from a low temperature than of their being injured by an excess of heat if the room in which they are kept has snug windows in most instances it will get all the warmth that is

Needed by leaving open at night the door which connects it with the living room if the weather is very cold the plants can be removed temporarily to the living room or they can be covered with newspapers thick paper shades at the windows will do much to keep out cold

And prevent drafts storm sash will do the this most effectively but it interferes with giving the young plants the fresh air they need therefore I would prefer the shades and depend upon removal to a warmer place on extra cold nights fresh air will be found a most important factor in the growth of

Seedling plants indoors unless it can be given it will be almost impossible to grow any plant well in the ordinary dwelling it should be admitted to the room on every pleasant day by opening a window at the top or a door at some distance from the plants the fresh fresh

Cold air should be allowed to mix with the warm air in the room before it comes in contact with the plants as a chill will often do about as much damage as a touch of frost watering these plants is a matter of prime importance generally water is applied carelessly and irregularly too

Much today and none at all tomorrow we saturate the soil with it while only enough is required to make it moist an over supply of water at the roots combined with too much heat and lack of fresh air will undermine the constitution of any plant because such a combination excites unnatural

Development and this means a lowering of the vital force to the danger point I have devised a method by which I have succeeded in controlling the supply of moisture in the soil to my complete satisfaction I use boxes about 4 in deep to start my plants in in the bottom of

These boxes I put swagnum Moss there should be at least an inch of it after it has been pressed down by the weight of the soil above the bottom of the seed box is board full of small holes each box sets in a shallow pan of galvanized

Iron on a layer of coarse gravel which raises it enough to allow water to circulate freely under it water is poured into the iron pan using enough to come up about half an inch above the bottom of the seed box or in contact with the moss in it and it should be

Kept at this height at all times the Moss absorbs the moisture like a sponge and the soil above constantly sucks up all that is needed to keep it in a sufficiently moist condition to meet the requirements of the plants growing in it the absorbent qualities of the Moss are

Such that an excessive amount of moisture is never communicated to the soil above thus I secure a steady and even Supply which does away entirely with the danger resulting from the application of water to the surface of the soil from watering pot or Basin if the temperature can be

Controlled in such a way that it will not vary much from 60 to 65 de if the soil can be kept moist but never wet and fresh air can be given in generous quantity regularly it will be found a comparatively easy matter to grow plants satisfactorily from seed in the house

And have them in such healthy condition by the time it is safe to put them out in the garden that they will average up well with the plants the professional Gardener raises in hot bed and Cold Frame by the use of such plants and such plants only can we expect to grow early

Vegetables successfully end of section three chapter 7 part a standard varieties of vegetables the amateur Gardener will find it extremely perplexing work to make a satisfactory selection of varieties of vegetables to grow in his garden he knows quite well as a general thing what kinds he wants to grow but

When he comes to a consultation of the seeds men’s cataloges he discovers that of each kind of vegetable listed therein there are so many varieties mentioned that he is bewildered most of them are described as being so desirable that he cannot help getting the impression that

If he rules out this or that one he is likely to deprive himself of the very thing from which he would obtain the highest degree of satisfaction nine times out of 10 he finds after going through the cataloges and marking the kinds and varieties that appeal to him most most forcibly that he

Has a list which would furnish enough seed to supply an average sized Market Garden I would advise the amateur Gardener to attempt the culture of only a few of the many varieties described in the cataloges and these are the very best but what constitutes the very best

Is a hard matter for him to decide where all are described by adjectives in the superlative degree he will find by comparing the cataloges of the various seed firms that there are described in most of them certain varieties of each kind of vegetable that seem common to all along with many other varieties

Whose names differ greatly though the descriptions of them indicate that there is not much difference in quality or in other General respects if he confines his selection to such varieties of each kind as the various dealers list under the same names in their cataloges he will be

Making no mistake for the fact that all leading dealers carry these varieties ities in stock is sufficient proof that they are standard varieties and of such Superior Merit that no up-to-date dealer can afford to exclude them from his list take for instance sto’s Evergreen sweet corn and champion of England P all

Dealers handle these because they are standard and always in demand because their Superior qualities have made them Universal favorites wherever grown but they have other varieties of the same vegetable of which each makes a speci specialty under names which will be found in no catalog but their own many

Of these are doubtless possessors of all the good qualities claimed for them but this we cannot be sure about but the sorts which are common to all are those of whose Merit there can be no two opinions these are the varieties the inexperienced Gardener can select with

The assurance that he is getting the best thing of its kind on the market in this chapter I propose to make mention of only such kinds of vegetable as I have grown in my own garden I do this because so many beginners in gardening prefer to depend on the advice

Of someone who is familiarized himself with the merits of the various vegetables adapted to ordinary gardening and I propose to give with each such brief cultural directions has seem of most importance thus making it possible for the amateur to avoid some of the mistakes that might be made if he were

Wholly ignorant of the requirements of his plants after having experienced experimented with many kinds I have pinned my faith to the kinds I shall make mention of and I have no hesitancy in recommending them to the attention of all gardeners feeling confident that a trial of them will bear me out in the

Statement that no better list can be made there may be others of equal or Superior Merit but if there are I have still to find out what they are asparagus taking the list alphabetically the first vegetable to consider is asparagus count colossal seems to combine all the merits of the several

Varieties on the market in such a degree as to give it a place at the head of the list of desirable kinds for ordinary Garden Culture it is tender fine flavored and very productive a dozen plants after becoming well established will furnish all that will be required by a family of

Four or five persons in order to secure good crops for this delicious vegetable it would be necessary to dig up the soil oil in which it is to be planted to the depth of 2 or 3 ft and fill the bottom of the excavation with strong manure pack this

Down firmly and then return to the trench the soil thrown out from it fertilizing this well as you do so while asparagus will grow in a soil that is not at all rich and will live on indefinitely under all kinds of neglect and abuse it must be given plenty of

Strong food and good care in order to enable it to do itself Justice I would not advise attempting to grow it from seed as it takes a long time for seedling plants to reach maturity I would get two or three-year-old plants set them about 18 in apart and at least

4 in below the surface keep weeds and grass away from them give the asparagus bed a place in the garden by itself preferably along a fence or in some location where it will not interfere with other plants which call for the frequent use of the garden cultivator on

No account plant it in in that part of the garden where it will be necessary to use a plow for it is a plant that must be left undisturbed if you would have it do its best cover the beds with coarse manure in the fall and work this into

The soil about the plants in Spring beans mammoth’s stringless Green Pod matures early and is very tender fine flavored and productive it is a general favorite for the home garden golden wax is later than the green potted variety mentioned above it is valuable as a string bean and for shelling beans are

Quite tender therefore they should not be planted until the weather becomes warm and settled plant in rows 2 feet apart and about 4 in apart in the row or in Hills of three or four plants each cultivate frequently during the early part of Summer throwing the soil toward

The plants do not work among them while they are wet from Dew or rain if a pole bean is wanted improved Lima will be we found extremely satisfactory because of its productiveness and its fine buttery flavor this class supplies the table with shelled beans only its pods being

Too tough to use as a string bean plant in Hills of six or eight setting up Hol 6 or 7 fet tall in the center of each Hill for the plants to climb by beet I would advise two varieties of this vegetable where the garden is large

Enough to Warrant the use of more than one Crosby’s Egyptian St stands at the head of the list as an early variety it is remarkably tender and has a sugary flavor that is most delicious as a second variety I would advise Crimson Globe this is very sweet and fine

Flavored and comes to Perfection during the latter part of Summer it is a good keeper and a quantity of it should be stored in the cellar for winter use SE seeds in row 16 to 18 Ines apart sew thickly and use the Surplus plants as greens while young and tender making

Use of both top and root thin to 3 or 4 in apart cabbage unless the garden is of considerable size I would not advise planting this vegetable because it takes up so much room that might be better given to other kinds which the housewife will find more useful the plants should

Stand at least 2 feet apart seed can be put into the ground about the 1st of May or plants can be started in a hot bed if wanted for very early use seedlings can be transplanted as soon as they have made their second leaf for a very early

Variety I would advise Jersey Wakefield for late use late drum head or stonemason Marble Head both excellent in all respects and fine for winter use care must be taken to prevent insects from injuring the plants during the various stages of their development stray with an infusion of the tobacco

Extract known as Niti side this will effectually prevent the pests from doing harm if applied thoroughly and frequently if cabbage is to be wintered in the cellar it must be kept cool and dry some prefer to bury the heads in trenches in dry locations in the garden

The trench should be about 2 ft deep spread straw in the bottom of it and place the cabbage on it head down with the large leaves folded well together then cover with 3 or 4 Ines of hay and Bank up with soil put a board over this

To shed rain the Cabbage will freeze but if left in the ground until the frost is gradually extracted from it it will be found crisp and brittle and much more satisfactory for table use than that which is wintered in the cellar care must be taken to exclude rain if water

Gets to it it will be ruined it is a good plan to cover the trench with oil cloth or tarred paper both being waterproof cauliflower this is a favorite vegetable when well grown and properly cared for it requires a rich soil a location well exposed to the Sun

And frequent applications of water if the season happens to be a dry one cultivate as you would cabbage for early use the plants should be started in the hot bed and transplanted to the Cold Frame as soon as they have made their third leaves put into the open ground as

Soon as the soil is in good working condition set the plants about 2 fet apart when heads have formed they should be bleached by drawing the large leaves together and tying them with strips of soft cloth for a late crop to mature during the pickling season start plants in open ground in

May the best early variety is dwarf ffort Autumn giant is an excellent late variety carrot this plant likes a deep warm sandy soil early short horn matures by Midsummer it is Rich and sweet in flavor red intermediate is a later variety excellent for fall and winter use comparatively few persons give this

Plant a place in their Gardens but it richly deserves a place there because of its value as an article of food as well as because of its health-giving qualities it adds greatly to the variety of the B of fair and where it appears frequently on the table a liking for it

Is soon developed and thereafter it becomes a standard vegetable in the housewife’s list of must haves it adds a delightful flavor to vegetable soups celery the seed of early celery should be sewn in the hot bed transplant the seedlings to the Cold Frame and allow them to remain there until May then set

In the richest soil at your disposal 6 in apart in the row blanch by setting up boards a foot or more in width each side of the row allowing an opening about 3 in wide at the top through which the plants can get a little light for late

And winter use sew the seeds in open ground in May bleach by earthing up gradually as the stocks develop until you have have the plants buried to within a few inches of the tip of their leaves use clean dry soil in banking the plants sawdust is good but care must be

Taken to make use of a kind that does not have a strong odor Pine dust will give the plants a disagreeable flavor for winter use take up plants root and all and pack close together in boxes and store in a cool dark Cellar white plume is the best early variety

Giant Pascal is probably the most satisfing Factory Winter variety but Winter Queen is a favorite with many both are so tender and have such a rich nutty flavor that it is not an easy matter to decide between them cucumber for very early cucumbers plant the seed in the hot bed in March or

April but do not put the plants into the garden until all danger of frost is over this plant requires a rich and mellow soil it should be set in Hills at least 4 feet apart it is a good plan to start the seed in pieces of sod placed grass

Side down this enables one to move them from the hot bed without any disturbance of their Roots the Cucumber or squash Beetle often destroys the plants when they are put in the open ground if close watch is not taken and prompt effort made to rout the enemy spray with node

Infusion taking pains to have it reach the underside of the leaves dry Road dust sifted thickly over the plants is often found quite effective but because of the inability to apply it to the underside of the leaves the liquid insecticide will be found more effective improved early white spine is

A favorite with all who like a crisp tender meated finely flavored cucumber everbearing is an excellent sort for pickling as well as for use on the table during the fall as it continues to Bear until Frost kills the vines corn sweet corn is one of the most delicious of all garden vegetables and

Every Garden that is large enough to admit of its culture should give place to two or three varieties of it because of its tall growth and the distance required between rows it is not adapted to culture in the very small garden though I would willingly go without some

Of the other vegetables generally grown there in order to give place to a few Hills of it golden Bantam produces ears only four or 5 Ines in length but what they La in size they make up for in tenderness and sweetness Country Gentleman is a medium variety very tender sweet and

Juicy but the ideal sweet corn is stoles Evergreen nor other variety equals it in tenderness sugary sweetness and rich flavor it does not come to maturity until quite late in the season but it remains in excellent eating condition until the plant is killed by Frost do not plant until the weather and the

Ground are warm generally about May 10th at the extreme North sweet corn seed often de C if put into the ground as early as field corn have the soil rich and mellow and cultivate it frequently and thoroughly if a dry spell comes along make use of the cultivator daily until the drought is

Broken end of chapter 7 part a chapter 7 part B end dive this plant ought to be grown far more extensively than it is because it is one of the best salad plants we have for fall and winter use some should be sewn in April for use during the

Summer and some in July for late use when the plants are 2 or 3 Ines High transplant to rich soil setting them about 10 in apart when nearly full grown gather the leaves together and tie them with strips of cloth thus excluding the light from the central part of the bunch

It must be blanched before it is fit for table use this part of the work must be done while the plants are perfectly dry if done when they are wet or even moist they will be quite sure to rot lettuce this plant should be started in

The hot bed if there is one the seedlings should be transferred to the Cold Frame before they have attained much size and left there until the ground becomes warm very fine lettuce however can be grown from seeds sewn directly in the open ground about the

1st of May if the soil is warm and Rich a fertile soil is quite important as it is necessary to bring on a rapid growth in order to have the plant crisp and tender slow development gives a comparatively worthless article the all heart variety is excellent for spring and early summer

Use it forms a solid head and is very crisp and tender with that rich buttery flavor that the lover of this plant insists on Mammoth salamander is one of the best late season kinds melons these like corn and cabbage are not adapted to culture in the small garden

Because they require more room than it is possible to give them without giving up other vegetables which the housewife cannot well afford to go without but in good-sized gardens I would advise their culture because there is nothing else quite equal to them in delicacy of flavor and Luscious sweetness they

Require a light rich soil plant when the ground is warm and not before in Hills 4 feet apart it is a good plan to put a generous quantity of manure from the hen house in each Hill working it well into the soil before seed is planted put at

Least a dozen seed in each Hill for some of the seedlings will doubtless be destroyed by the beetle that works on cucumber and squash Vines spray all over with nitid infusion as soon as the first beetle is seen also shower with dry Road dust if a fungus disease attacks them

Spray with Bordeaux mixture Rocky Ford is the standard variety of musk melon at present it has a thick greenish yellow flesh is smooth grained is very sweet has a most delicious flavor and is so tender that it fairly seems to melt in the mouth netted gem is another standard

Variety among the Watermelons ice cream is a general favorite Mammoth Ironclad grows to a very large size is solid meated and has a peculiarly sweet and Luscious flavor onion this should be sewn in light sandy soil if possible as it seldom does well in a heavy soil yellow Danvers is the

Leading variety for the home Garden Silver skin has a mild flavor and on that account is a favorite with many it is fine for pickling it also keeps well in Winter parsley sew this plant thickly in April in rows of mellow soil as the seed germinates very slowly It is Well to

Soak it in warm water before sewing if you have a light Cellar plants can be potted in fall and stored there for winter use the cellar window is a good place for them every housewife who prides herself on the attractive appearance of her roasts and other meat

Dishes and many kinds of salad will not be willing to be without this plant dwarf Perpetual is the standard variety for the home Garden its leaves are charmingly crimped and curly and of beautiful dark green that makes them very ornamental when used as a garnish for the table parsnip this vegetable is not

Grown as much as it ought to be one does not care for it until the winter sets in then it affords a much appreciated change from other vegetables it is an excellent keeper when stored in the cellar in Winter or the roots can be left in the ground until spring when

They will be found delightfully fresh and tender so in April or May in deep deep rich soil Hollow Crown is the standard variety PE this vegetable is so extremely Hardy that it can be planted with entire safety quite early in Spring there are varieties that come into bearing a few weeks after sewing

Followed by medium early kinds which give place a little later to such varieties as champion of England and telephone champion of England is the most delicious of all peas unless the garden is a very small one one should plan for succession if this is done it will be possible to

Enjoy this vegetable during the greater part of the season with possibly the exception of the very hottest part of Summer best results are secured by planting the seed 2 or 3 Ines deep in furrows the soil should be rich if there is a little clay in it all the

Better low growing varieties require no support but the tall kinds must be bushed or trained on coar meshed wire netting bushes suit this plant better than anything else if the vines are allowed to crinkle down and come in contact with the ground their pods will almost always Decay and the vines will

Milo and become so diseased that an end will be put to their bearing American wonder is one of the best very early kinds greatus is next in order advancer I consider the best medium variety telephone is a most excellent late variety second only to Champion of England which is everywhere

Conceded to be the the ideal pee so far as productiveness size rich flavor and sweetness are concerned potato anybody can grow the potato after a fashion but in order to grow it well it must receive more attention than is generally given it it must have a rich

And mellow soil a Sandy one is preferable and the best of cultivation this is one of the vegetables that require considerable room therefore it is not adapted to small garden culture but when space will admit of it it should always be grown because it is one of the garden products

That can be used in so many ways that the housewife finds at one of the things she cannot well get along without seed is obtained by cutting old potatoes in pieces each piece having an eye or growing point the pieces should be planted in Hills four or five pieces to

A hill with hills 2 feet apart cover to a depth of 4 in If plants are not watched while small insects are likely to attack them spray with nitid infusion later in the season the Colorado beetle will be quite likely to put in its appearance then use Paris

Green either in infusion or mixed with land plaster and applied in a dry State while the plants are moist from Dew if any fungus disease is discovered spray with bordo mixture all these insect acides can be procured from druggists or dealers in agricultural Goods or they can be obtained from from the dealer

From whom you buy seed It is Well to plant this vegetable for a succession one of the best early varieties his beauty of Hebron which matures in 8 to 10 weeks from planting early Rose is everywhere a favorite as is early Ohio Rural New Yorker is a standard late variety burbank’s seedling

Is excellent as an intermediate sort all the varieties named are of superior flavor very productive and sure to give complete s satisfaction radish this most toothsome vegetable should be sewn early either in the hot bed or the open ground if you have a light warm soil and a location that is

Fully exposed to the sun you can raise almost as fine radishes outside of the hot bed as in it though of course not as early in the season a crop will develop in five or six weeks from sewing plant at intervals of 2 or 3 weeks for a succession Cardinal globe was the

Standard early variety Crimson giant is a little later both have that crisp tender and juicy quality which makes the radish so Universal a favorite icicle is a long growing white variety very crisp and brittle this has the Merit of remaining in condition for use longer than any other

Variety rhubarb this plant likes a deep rich and rather moist soil it should be planted in permanent beds about 3 ft apart I would not advise attempting to grow it from seed get Roots one or two years old Victoria is a standard variety salsify a vegetable that ought to be

Grown a great deal more than it is its popular name of vegetable oyster is not a misnomer for it has a distinct oyster flavor many persons prefer it to the B valve when it is cooked properly being hearty it can be left in the ground over

Winter or it can be dug and stored in the Cellar along with parsnips and carrots for use in winter so early squash probably the best variety of summer squash for home use is giant crook neck for winter use the hubard stands at the head of the list these

Favorite vegetables require a rich soil they should be planted in Hills about 3 feet apart have the soil Rich keep watch of them for they are liable to attacks from beetles It is Well to sprinkle a hand full of tobacco dust about the young plants as they become larger they

Can be sprayed with the nitid infusion here to for spoken of spinach desirable for greens so as early in the spring as the ground is in good working condition have the soil quite Rich to force a tender succulent growth SE for succession a month apart the long

Season variety is the best I have any knowledge of tomato start this plant in the hot bed if you have one if not sew in the open ground as soon as it has become warm to secure a very early crop the plants must be started as early as March when 3 or 4

Inches high transplant from hot bed to Cold Frame but do not put into the open ground until all Danger from frost is over if you are without hotbed facilities I would advise purchasing plants from The Gardener who tries to supply his customers with strong and healthy plants very early in the season

Plants from seed sewn in the open ground will be so late in ripening a crop as a general thing that they will not afford satisfaction standard varieties are Stone very solid and firm fleshed and of fine quality and Ponderosa very large fine flavored and almost seedless end of chapter 7 part B

Chapter 8 small fruits and their culture quite as important as garden vegetables is the small fruit Department of each home that is living up to its privileges of course there will be no room for raspberries and blackberries on the little home lot but one can have a

Row of strawberries there in almost all cases and a few current bushes can be tucked away in nooks and Corners where quite likely nothing else would be grown if the tiny space were not given up to them there are places all over the country where a collection of small

Fruit ought to be grown but which are without it why there are several answers to the question one is neglect to live up to the possibilities of the place because of carelessness or possibly because the owner is distrustful of his ability to grow them successfully another is the impression

That these plants are so exacting in their demands that none but skilled gardeners are warranted in undertaking their culture and the third one is the uncertainty of being unable to take them through our severe Northern Winters safely the first objection is met with the argument that the man who is obliged

To work for a living and has a family to support has no excuse for neglecting to Avail himself and those dependent on him of all the good things that can be grown from the plants named if he owns a piece of ground large enough to accommodate a small

Collection the second objection is not justified because it is an easy matter for any man to learn how to care for small fruits if he sets about it with the intention of mastering its details there is really no basis in fact for the third one for we have today

Varieties of each kind of small fruit that are entirely hearty at the North if properly cared for in the fall there should be a strawberry bed large or small in every Garden if I had my way about it here I suppose some reader will meet me with the objection that

Strawberries don’t pay they require too much care and the beds soon run out and then everything has to be done over again now I claim that strawberries do pay if they get the right kind of treatment no one has a right to expect much from them if he simply sticks a

Plant into the soil and leaves it to take care of itself thereafter strawberries cultivated in this manner don’t pay I admit and it is well that they do not for no one has a right to expect much if anything from a plant of any kind that he isn’t willing

To take good care of while the strawberry will not take care of itself it really requires no more attention than most other crops and as to running out that cuts no figure when you come to think about it because doing things all over again amounts to no more than

Planting vegetables each season this has to be done yearly and strawberries will Demand only annual attention thus putting the two classes of plants on practically the same basis I am aware that some writers on strawberry culture have ventilated a good many far-fetched ideas of their own

In print relative to the culture of this plant and so elaborate and complicated are some of these theories that many an amateur has after reading them abandoned the idea of having a strawberry bed but it is a fact susceptible of proof by any man who gives it a trial that strawberry

Culture may be made a success without adopting the views of persons who seem to think that theory is more important than Common Sense the simplest method of strawberry growing that I know anything about is what is called the one crop system set the plants in Rows 3 ft apart to allow

The use of the cultivator between them let the plants be a foot apart in the row keep the ground between the rows well cultivated and in the second summer when the plants are bearing their first crop of fruit allow them to send their Runners into the space between the rows

And take root there when these young plants have fully established themselves which will be by the end of August as a general thing take a spade and cut down between them and the old plants then dig up the old plants making the place where they grew a space between

Rows next season train Runners from the bearing plants back into the old row by thus alternating the location of the plants you keep the garden supplied with one-year-old ones from which you get but one crop of fruit this method is so simple that anyone can understand it and

It has the endorsement of some of our most up-to-date gardeners who recognize the fact that one full crop of bear is about all that can be expected from the strawberry of course older plants will bear fruit but never of the quantity and quality which is obtained from strong

Healthy young plants whose Vitality has not been drawn upon by the production of a heavy first crop this one crop system makes it possible to grow fine berries without giving the plants more care than is required by ordinary vegetables the soil for strawberries should be rich and mellow and should be

Kept entirely free from Weeds it is a good plan to spread clean straw between the rows before the crop ripens to keep the fruit from coming in contact with the ground or having sand washed upon it by heavy rains the best variety of strawberry that I have ever grown is Brandy Wine it

Is very productive Bears large berries has a most delicious flavor and is never hollow-hearted it ripens in midseason the best late variety allowing me to be judge is Gandy this kind requires a very rich soil where it can be given this no more satisfactory late Cropper can be grown

The two varieties named above combine all the best qualities of this most popular fruit several times in the last few years the announcement has been made that a fall bearing strawberry has been produced but as it was of European origin it did not prove satisfactory under American conditions of late

However some of our most Progressive Rive small Fruit Growers have succeeded in growing two varieties that promise to be really good fall croppers these produce if allowed to do so their main crop at the same time as other varieties and keep on bearing until Frost but in order to secure a good crop

Late in the season it is advisable to cut away all buds that appear in June keeping the strength of the plant in reserve for the fall crop it is well to mulch these plants during the hot dry weather of Summer these fall bearing varieties are on the

Market under the names of superb and Progressive the Blackberry responds generously to good treatment bearing enormous quantities of large juicy berries of most delicious flavor when given proper care it prefers a rather sandy soil in order to secure a fresh stock of wood for each season’s crop the old

Canes should be cut away as soon as they have ripened their fruit thus throwing all the strength of the the plant into the production of new canes from which fruit is to be expected next season while the two leading varieties kittatinny and Snider are quite Hardy It

Is Well to take the precaution of giving them some protection to guard against the possible loss of some of the unripened growth of the season this is done to the best Advantage by removing two or three spadefuls of soil from the base of each plant close to its roots and then

Tipping the bush over until it lies flat on the ground this could not be done without running the risk of breaking some of the stiff and brittle canes if the excavation were not made when the bushes are spread out on the ground where they are held in

Place by laying boards across them throw some coarse litter over the base of the plant and Scatter a covering of straw over the branches as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the spring lift the bushes and replace the soil that was taken away in the

Fall raspberries are second only to strawberries in deliciousness of flavor and should have a place in all Gardens where there is room for them they do well in almost all soils if well- drained a Sandy LOM however is the soil that seems to suit them best they are

Old canes like those of the Blackberry should be cut away at the end of the fruiting season Cuthbert is the leading red variety Cumberland is the favorite black kind I noticed that one of our most prominent Growers of of small fruit offers an everbearing raspberry this

Season under the name of red reneer I have no knowledge of its merits other than that which I gained from the Grower’s announcement in introducing this sort to the market but from intimate personal acquaintance with the man I am quite confident that the plant must possess real Merit for he is not a

Person given to exaggeration I quote from what he has to say in reference to this Variety in a leading Horticultural magazine this is not only the the earliest red raspberry but it is a Perpetual fruiting one its main crop is greater than that of any other variety I

Grow it continues to bear on its old canes until late in August at about which time the canes of The Season’s growth come into bearing these produce a large amount of fine fruit until late in the fall the berries are very attractive being a bright Rich Crimson they are of

Good size and of very superior quality with a rich sugary full raspberry flavor I would advise the amateur Gardener to give this variety a trial raspberries late in the fall would be thoroughly appreciated by those with whom this fruit is a favorite the currant is one of the gardens’s indispensables it furnishes us

With fruit of just the right degree of tart acidity to fit the season in which it is at its prime and who does not get a deal of enjoyment out of a green currant pie no kind of small fruit is easier to grow successfully y worms frequently

Attack the bushes in Spring and often ruin the crop unless steps are taken to put a prompt end to their depredations but spraying with nitid infusion will route them in most cases application of this insecticide should be repeated at intervals during the earlier part of the Season phase prolific is a standard

Variety for home use this is a dark Rich red most beautiful to behold white grape is an ideal white variety combine the two and you have a table decoration quite as colorful as that furnished by any flowers and almost as attractive the currant is one of the housewife’s most valued fruits for jam

And jelly making one enterprising dealer has recently introduced to this country a French sort known as bar Leu or preserving currant this variety has a flavor that no other variety can lay claim to and another feature of Merit peculiar to it is that it is almost seedless for a good many years the

Entire output of this current was under the control of a French fruit company who manufactured it into Jam which has been extensively sold in this country under the name of confiture barlu so Superior has it been considered to homemade as well as imported jams that it has readily sold

At Double the price of them I would advise the amateur to procure a few plants of this variety and experiment with it the Gooseberry must not be overlooked in this connection many persons claim that the bush MOS to such an extent that the crop is oftener than not a failure

This can largely be prevented by planting the bushes farther apart than the current and thinning out the branches so that there will be at all times of free circulation of air about them it is well to give a heavy mulch of coarse manure in the hot weather of Summer spray with the infusion

Recommended for occurrents to prevent injury from worms if mildew of an apparently fungus nature attacks the plants spray with Bordeaux mixture this hardly seems the place in which to say much about the culture of the Apple Plum pear and Cherry for that is a phase of gardening quite distinct

From that which this little book aims to interest the Homemaker in however the writer would urge having all these fruits when conditions are favorable to their culture the more fruit we eat the healthier we will be all kinds of small fruit can be planted in Spring to better Advantage than in

Fall though the nursery man will tell you if you consult him that it makes little difference whether you plant in spring or fall the writer has tried both methods and he has always been most successful when plants were put out in April and May provided they were sent

From the nursery that spring if they are sent in Fall they should be healed in over winter healing in consists in burying the roots in a place where they will be kept dry during the winter it will not be necessary to cover all the top though there is no objection to this

If the owner thinks it safer to do so care should be taken to keep the plants well protected from storms this can be done very effectively by spreading tired paper over them panes being taken to weight it down with stones or something else equally heavy to prevent its being blown out of

Place plants that have been healed in over winter should be set out as soon as possible in Spring end of chapter 8 chapter nine hot beds and cold frames in order to have vegetables early in the season it will be necessary to give them a start some weeks before the

Ground is in proper condition for the reception of seed sometimes this is done by sewing the seed in pots and boxes in the living room as advised in chapter 6 but here conditions are not very favorable to to Healthy Growth unless great care is taken to follow the directions given in the chapter

Mentioned and even then success does not always attend our efforts in order to give our plants the early start that they must have if we want vegetables at a time when most gardeners are getting the garden ready for planting we must make use of the hot

Bed if this is done we can gain from 6 weeks to 2 months in time and have lettuce and radishes before our neighbors who are without hot bed facilities consider it safy put seed into the ground at the North the 1st of March is quite early enough to get the hot bed

Underway I am aware that many young gardeners have the impression that a hot bed is in some respects a mysterious thing and because of this they do not undertake to make one now there is nothing simpler than a hot bed when you come to a study of it it is simply

Making a place in which the summer conditions can be imitated by supplying it with steady gentle heat and in confining this heat within an enclosure the heat is generated by the use of material which ferments and the enclosure is nothing but a combination of boards and glass so arranged that the

Temperature inside it can be regulated to suit the requirements of the plants you undertake to grow in it the heat generating material is generally fresh manure from the horse stable or a mix of that and coarse litter because the heat from Rapid fermentation is quite intense at first

The material from which it is obtained should be prepared before the hot bed is brought into use a quantity of it should be spread on the site selected for the hot bed which should be one that is high and dry covering a space larger than the

Hotbed frame is to be spread it in layers four or 5 in deep tramping each layer down well when there is a foot and a half of it cover it with something that will shed rain and wait for fermentation to take place a warm moisture will rise from it like steam

After 2 or 3 days Fork the material over and remove all straw and make another Heap similar to the first one taking great pains to have it firm and compact it is very important that it should have considerable solidity as a heap of loose litter will never give satisfactory

Results there should be at least a foot and a half of this heat generating material while waiting for fermentation to take place in the manure pile prepare the frame for your hot bed let it be about a foot and a half in depth at the

Back and 8 or 10 in deep in front with sides that slope from The Wider boards to the narrower ones cover it with glass set in sash if possible have the sash hinged to the backboard so that it can be lifted for ventilation without removing

It the best location for a hot bed is one facing the South that all possible Advantage can be taken of sunshine and against a building or fence that will protect it on the north from cold winds some persons prefer to make an excavation of a foot or more in in depth

For the reception of the heating material but this is not a matter of much importance as a general thing it will not be possible to do this in a satisfactory manner while there is Frost in the ground as there will be at the North until after the 1st of

March when the first stages of fermentation are over set the hot bed frame in place and fill in with five or six inches of very fine rich soil this is what your seed is to be planted in the young Gardener will be surprised at the amount of heat contained in an

Enclosure like the one described it will be very similar to the weather conditions of early or middle May out of doors in it plants will grow healthily and vigorously provided they are given plenty of fresh air this is a matter of the greatest importance unless your seedlings are aired daily if the weather

Is Pleasant they will make a rapid but weak growth and when the time comes to put them in the cold frame or the open ground provided they are alive then they will be so lacking in Vitality that the change will be pretty sure to put an end

To them on every sunny or warm day the sash should be lifted an inch or two about 10:00 and left in that condition until about 2 care must be taken however to see that the wind does not blow from a quarter that will drive the cold air

In upon the plants the admission of a cold blast will often be fatal to the tender plants great caution must be exercised in regard to ventilation the aim should be at all times to admit pure fresh air without allowing cold to enter with it this may seem a somewhat paradoxical

Statement for at first thought it will seem impossible for air from without to come in without taking along with it the cold air which is in circulation outside but when one takes into consideration the fact that the warm air inside the hot bed meets the air from Outdoors at

The point of entrance it will be understood that it repels or counteracts it to an extent that makes it safe to open the sash slightly when the outside temperature is nearly down to freezing point the hot bed owner must study existing conditions and be governed accordingly it is impossible to

Lay down any hard and fast rules to apply in this case on Cold Nights the hotbed sash should be covered with blankets or old carpeting to prevent the formation of frost on the glass if you find in the morning that the glass is covered with moisture on its Underside

Raise the sash a trifle and leave it so until the moisture clears away if at any time you have reason to think that the warmth inside the frame is decreasing too rapidly Bank up about it with fresh fermenting material after constructing the hot bed and putting the

Frame and sash in place test the heat inside by an accurate thermometer before venturing to sew any seed when it registers 85 or 90° the bed is ready for seeding in making the frame for a hot bed care should be taken to see that all joints fit snugly a great deal of cold

Can be emitted through a very small crevice a few cracks will let out the heat faster than it is generated therefore see to it that in constructing the frame a good piece of work is done some persons tell me that they always Bank up a hot bed with Earth this

Enables it to retain the heat better than it is possible for it to do without banking a hot bed will be of no particular benefit unless supplemented by a cold frame this is simply a snug enclosure of boards covered with glass into which plants from the hot bed are

To be set for the purpose of hardening them off before they are put into the open ground in other words it is a hot bed without heat the temperature in it ought to register from 60° to 65° raise the sash an inch or two on sunny days before the Rays of the sun

Striking on the glass raise the temperature inside to a degree too intense for the good of your plants it will be readily understood from what I have said said above that in order to attain success in the management of a hot bed great care will have to be exercised at all times and

Frequent attention given it is not a self-regulating thing by any means you will have to consider the weather the time of day when ventilation should be given frequency of watering and other matters which cannot be touched on here because of a more or less local character plants in the hot bed should

Be watered cautiously and overs Supply will often cause the seedlings to damp off and a lack of sufficient moisture at the roots will speedily result in injury if not death whenever water is applied use a sprinkler that throws a fine spray if thrown on the soil in a stream the

Water will often wash the smaller plants out of place it may puzzle one to tell when just enough has been given this is best determined by an examination of the soil if moderately moist there is plenty of moisture below Che chapter 10 small gardens many persons who would like to

Grow flowers and vegetables do not attempt to grow any because they do not consider that they have a place large enough to justify them in doing so here is where they make a mistake a garden need not be a large one to be enjoyable a few plants are better than none it is

Possible to make a bit of garden more satisfactory than a large one because it will be more likely to get more attention than would be given to the larger one and attention is one of the most important features of any successful garden there will in the majority of cases be little nooks and

Corners here and there about the home grounds in which some plants can be grown by those disposed to make the most of existing conditions these if not improved will be pretty sure to be given over to weeds or to the accumulation of rubbish of one kind or another and they

Will detract from the Tidy and clean appearance which should characterize the home everywhere if the owners of these bits of ground the these possibilities for adding to the attractiveness of Home could be made to realize the amount of pleasure they could be made to afford with very little exertion on their part

The general work of Civic Improvement societies would be most beneficial and this would be done at the very place where Civic Improvement ought to start the home there can be no real and Lasting Improvement in Civic undertaking unless the individual home takes up the matter the Civic Improvement society

That starts out with the idea of improving things generally but does not begin the good work at the home he working on the idea of making clean the outside of the cup and ignoring the condition inside it just as the home is the foundation of society so must it be

Made the pivotal point at which any substantial and Lasting Improvement Finds Its beginning because the scattered places about the small home in which few plants could be grown will not admit a bed making or the designs which many persons seem to think indispensable in gardening is no good reason why we

Should not take advantage of and make the most of them if one lives in a community where there are German families he will be surprised at the amount of vegetables they grow in each home lot not an inch of soil is allowed to go to waste a large amount of the

Food of the family is grown in places which most Americans would Overlook simply because of the prevailing idea that unless one can do things on a large scale it is not worthwhile to attempt doing anything the German has been brought up to not despise the day of

Small things and he profits by the advice as we might if we would and I am glad to say as more and more are profiting by year by year as they become aware of the fact that much can be done where conditions are limited I would not

Advise much mixing of varieties on the contrary I would prefer to give over each little piece of ground to one plant those of low habit I would have near the path giving the places back of them to taller growing kinds of course in the majority of small homes there is not

Much chance chance for exercising a choice in the location of one’s flowering or vegetable plants still It is Well to study the possibilities for General effect and do all that can be done to secure pleasing results where plants that grow to a height of 3 fet

Are grown the best place for them is at the rear or along the boundary of the lot where they will serve as a background for plants of lower habit children should be encouraged to take an interest in the cultivation of small gardens they will do this if the parents

Are willing to help them a little at the start show them how to Spade up the soil in Spring and how to work it over and over until it is fine and mow they will make play of this part of garden work as it is natural for a child to dig in the

Dirt as it is for a pig to wallow in a mud puddle add some kind of fertilizer to the soil and explain to the boys and girls that it is food for the plants that are to be show them how to sew seed and tell them all you can about the

Processes of germination and encourage them to watch for the appearance of the seedlings in a short time you will have aroused in them such interest in the work they have undertaken that it will be as fascinating to them as a story and nature will take Delight in writing it

Out for them in Daily installments that constantly increase in interest the ability to grow plants and how to grow them ought to be a part of every child’s education don’t let a bit of ground go to waste have flowers and vegetables even if there isn’t room for more than

Half a plants or only one plant for that matter for that one solitary plant will be a great deal better than none at all end of chapters 9 and 10 chapter 11 part A leftovers there are more ways than one to secure fertilizers and fine soil for

The small garden if sword is cut from the roadside chopped into small pieces pieces and stored away in some corner of the yard that is convenient to get at and the soap suds from wash day are poured over it each week it will in a short time if stirred frequently become

A most excellent substitute for leaf mold the Grassroots when decayed will become a vegetable fertilizer which will be found extremely valuable in the culture of such plants as require a light rich soil especially when small some quite artistic effects can be secured in the vegetable garden by the

The exercise of a little thought the large leafed beet has foliage of a dark Rich Crimson quite as ornamental as that of many plants used by gardeners to produce the tropical effects which many persons admire when planted in the background with fine foliaged plants like carrot or parsley in front of it

The effect will be extremely pleasing because of the contrast of color and also of habit the red pepper planted where it can show its brilliantly colored fruit against the Green of some plant will give a bit of brightness that will not fail to be appreciated by those

Who have a Keen Eye For Color Harmony It is Well to plan for these touches of the artistic even in the vegetable garden tomatoes are often grown on racks and trellises where this is done there will be no danger of the fruits decaying as is often the case when the plants are

Given no support and their branches come in contact with the ground it is a good idea to scatter clean dry straw under the plants after they begin to set fruit it is also a good plan to pinch off the ends of some of the Tomato Vines after

The first liberal setting of fruit this throws the strength of the plant into the development of the fruit that has set instead of into the production of new branches which are not needed it also hastens the maturity of it if the tomato is allowed to do so it will keep

On growing and blooming and setting fruit throughout the entire season and as a natural consequence much of it will be immature when Frost comes It is Well to prevent this waste of the plant’s forces by shortening the main branches of it in August and September in the chapter devoted to the

Mention of the best varieties of vegetables to plant I neglected to say a good word for sage and summer Savory both of which the housewife will find very useful in seasoning soups sausage and other articles of food if cut when in their Prime and hung in the shade to

Dry all their flavor will be retained when perfectly dry rub the leaves from the stock pulverize them well and store in paper bags to prevent the loss of their flavor dill and caraway seed are often used in cookery and as variety is the spice of life it may be well for the

Housewife to grow a few plants of each the writer has a very Vivid recollection of grandmother’s Caraway cookies and many of the present generation declare a liking for pickles flavored with dill to add to the attractive appearance of the table in Winter I would advise growing a few plants of the red or

Purple cabbage to work up in slaws and salads beets are capable of giving a bit of color to the table that will be as pleasing to the eye as the taste of this vegetable is delightful to the pet a root of parsley potted in Fall will not only afford much material for the

Garnishing of the various dishes to which the housewife likes to add a touch of this kind but it can be made the basis of a really beautiful table decoration a few bright flowers thrust in among its crinkly foliage will be quite as effective as many more pretentious decorative

Schemes the amateur Gardener May Begin work with the belief that one crop in a season is all he can expect from his garden he will soon discover his mistake the early radishes and the first crop of lettuce will mature before mids Summer and the ground they occupied can be

Planted to later varieties from which a fully developed second crop can be expected or other vegetables like beets and onions can be planted where they grew to furnish material for the pickling season after the early potatoes have been dug the ground they occupied should not be allowed to lie idle

Something can be planted there for fall use to make the garden the greatest possible source of profit not a foot of it should be suffered to go to waste at any time during the growing season radishes would be well worth growing for their beauty alone a plate

Of them nested in their own green foliage gives The Breakfast Table a touch of bright color that adds the charm of beauty to the food with which it is associated the writer believes in making the table as attractive in appearance as the food on it is toothsome whenever it is possible to do

So I noticed that I have overlooked the pumpkin the oversight was unintentional and I beg the pardon of the vegetable without which the housewife would be lost along about Thanksgiving time the pumpkin is out of place in the small garden because of its rampant growth but a few plants of the New

England pie variety should be grown wherever there is room for it to supply material for the delicious pumpkin pieses most of us enjoy so much in Winter well ripened specimens keep well when stored in cool dry cellers if placed on racks or shelves that will prevent them from coming in contact with

The cold damp Cellar bottom if Frost nips the Tomato vines before their fruit is fully ripened pull them up and hang them against a wall where the sun can get at them hang blankets over them if the nights are cold here they will ripen as perfectly as on the vines in the garden

And one can enjoy fresh fruit from them until the coming of very cold weather before cold weather sets in go over the garden be it large or small and gather up every bit of rubbish that can be found pull up the dead plants and burn them store racks and trellises

Undercover for use another season if these are properly taken care of they will last for several years but if left exposed to the storms of winter they will be shortlived dig a quantity of parsnips and salsify to be stored in the cellar for winter use cover the strawberry bed

With leaves or straw spreading lightly coarse litter from the Barnard is often used for this purpose but it is objectionable because of its containing so many weed seeds many experienced gardeners Advocate plowing or spading the Garden in fall this they claim helps to kill the larae which insects have deposited

In the soil and it puts the ground in good working condition earlier in Spring but it will have to be gone over in Spring to incorporate with it whatever fertilizer is made use of fresh Barnyard manure should never be used it ought to lie for at least a

Season before applying it to the vegetable garden give it a chance to ferment and kill many of the seeds that are in it if the soil of the garden contains considerable clay and is rather stiff in Consequence the application of coarse sand old mortar and coal ashes will

Lighten and greatly improve it do not allow grass or weeds to grow on any of the unused soil in or about the garden for insects will congregate there and make it the base from which to make their raids upon the plants you set out to grow we are often advised to apply a

Dressing of salt to the asparagus bed I have never been able to see that the plants received any direct benefit from it but if it is scattered quite thickly over the ground it will prevent weeds from growing thus benefiting the plants indirectly asparagus is often attacked by a sporadic growth which causes the

Foliage to look Rusty hence the term asparagus rust as soon as it is discovered cut the tops and burn them if allowed to remain the plants will likely be attacked next season as the spores are not killed by cold if the bugs and beetles that attack young plants of cucumber squash and

Melon do not yield promptly to the application of dry Road dust fine coal ashes or land plaster it may be well to cover frames with fine wire netting such as door and window screens are made from and put over the plants care should be taken to see that these frames fit the

Ground snugly or have Earth banked up about them to prevent the enemy from crawling under after the plants have made their third or fourth leaves the beetle will not be likely to injure them I am often asked why writers on gardening matters never advise the use of homegrown seed one answer to this

Query is this in the ordinary garden plants stand close to one another and the varieties we grow are almost sure to mix by one variety being pollenize by another the seed from these plants will seldom produce plants like either parent variety sometimes they may be equal to

Them in most respects but we cannot depend on their being so therefore if we desire to grow Superior varieties that are pure blood it becomes necessary for us to procure fresh seed each season from dealers who take pains to see that there shall be no mixing among their plants every season some enterprising

Seedsmen comes out with an announcement that he has developed or discovered a remarkable new variety of some standard vegetable so far superior to any other variety on the market that as soon as its merits become fully known it will drive all competitors out of the field of course this new candidate for favor

Is offered at a fancy price because the supply is limited and the demand for it is increasing to such an extent that the entire stock will soon be sold out order at once to avoid disappointment don’t be in a hurry to take this advice wait until next season

The chances are that you will hear nothing more about it we have so many very excellent varieties now that there is no reason why we should ask for anything better if the novelty is the possessor of real Merit you will be sure to hear about it later but it is hardly

Likely to prove an improvement on what we already have for it is hard to imagine anything superior to the standard varieties of vegetables that we have at present I would not advise purchasing seed at the general store some of this may be reliable but so much of it is

Inferior that one cannot afford to run the risk of experimenting with it it is the part of wisdom to purchase where you can feel sure of getting just the variety you want we are likely to have a few Frosty nights along about the middle of September tender vegetables may be

Injured if not protected but if covered with blankets or papers the danger may be tided over and during the long period of Pleasant weather that generally follows these early frosts we can get as much pleasure out of the garden as it afforded during the early fall it pays to

Protect the housewife will take a great deal of delight in the preparation of picol chowchow and the various other condiments which have such a stimulating effect on the appetite in early spring when that tired feeling is likely to make a good good deal of the food that

Is placed before us unattracted in the making of these good things unripe tomatoes and peppers will play an important part so will onions that are too small to store away for winter use she will find use for all these things which a man would consider worthless really there is but little chance for

Waste of garden Productions if there is an appreciative and prudent woman in the kitchen a few roots of horseradish should find a place in all Gardens preferably in some out of the way corner where it can be allowed to spread without interfering with other plants spread it well every little piece of

Root that is broken off in the ground in digging the large Roots becoming an independent plant as soon as thrown upon its own resources because of this tendency to take possession of the land many persons who have undertaken its culture refuse to give it a place in their Gardens but

It is really an easy matter to keep it within the limits assigned it by promptly uprooting any plant that may make its appearance outside the space given over to it those who are fond of something pungent and peppery to eat with Meats either hot or cold will not consent to

Be without it it is at its best as soon as the frost is out of the ground sufficiently to admit of its being dug it should be used as soon as possible after digging as it loses much of its peccant quality if left exposed to the

Air for a short time Roots can be dug in late fall for winter use and packed in boxes of soil which should be stored in the cellar or some other place where they can be kept as cool as possible without actually freezing but in order to have it in Perfection Roots freshly

Dug in Spring must be depended on leaves of horseradish make excellent greens if used when green and tender a few of them cooked with young beets will give the latter a flavor that will make their sweetness all the more appreciable speaking of greens reminds me to say that the dandelion can be

Cultivated to Advantage in the home Garden under cultivation it improves in size and becomes a plant quite unlike the tiny hundred Leaf specimens we dig from the roadside in Spring of which a bushel will be required in order to secure a good mess for a greens loving

Family as most of such a picking will have to be discarded when it is looked over Preparatory to cooking in order to prevent the garden grown dandelion from becoming a nuisance it must not be allowed to bloom and develop seed a most delightful salad can be made

From the new growth of the dandelion in Spring if properly bleached this can be done by covering the plants with dry leaves as soon as they begin to grow thus excluding light and inducing rapid development or if most convenient flower pots can be inverted over the plants the

Small amount of light that comes to them through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot will materially assist in hastening the growth of the leaves in such a manner as to give them a crisp tenderness and deprive them of that bitter Tang which character czes the

Foliage when fully grown under exposure to the light and air just enough of this spicy quality to make the salad delightfully appetizing will be found in them when grown in this way mention has several times been made in the preceding Pages a Bordeaux mixture this is a preparation used by small Fruit Growers

Everywhere to combat diseases of a fungus character which Prevail to an alarming extent in almost all sections of the country in early spring it is a standard remedy for many of the ill that this class of plants is air to and no up-to-date orchardist would think for a

Moment of neglecting its use if he would grow a fine crop of apples it is not here to for come into common use among those who grow small fruit on a small scale because it is rather difficult to prepare it properly but now a preparation of it that is ready for use

By simply mixing it with water can be obtained from all seedsmen the use of it in spring when fruit is setting to prevent injury from the culio and other enemies of small fruits is to be encouraged every Gardener should be provided with pruning shears with which

To prune whatever plants he or she may grow that require frequent attention of that kind a jack knife answers the purpose very well in the hands of a man but up to the present time no woman is known to have made a success of its use current bushes grow readily from

Cuting insert a piece of half ripened wood 5 or 6 in long into the ground and it will almost invariably take root in order to keep this plant in healthy bearing condition it should be pruned rather severely each season cut away all weak wood and encourage the production

Of strong new chots from which fruit will be born next season remove a good share of the old branches after they have ripened the present season’s crop if this is not done the bush will after a little become crowded with branches and as all branches old and new will

Attempt to Bear you will be pretty sure to have a production of very inferior fruit since it will be impossible for the bush to Perfect all the berries that set and have them come up to the standard of superiority that should govern the grower small currents are

Good as far as they go but the trouble is they don’t go far enough many of them will have to be discarded when the housewife makes her selection if the amateur Gardener desires to give some of his vegetables an early start I would advise him to try

What may be called the Sod method in preference to any other sad is cut from roadside or pasture in fall and stacked up in the cellar for use in early spring when seed is to be sewn invert the piece of sod and Scatter the seed over the

Surface which it will be understood was not the surface originally in other words what was the surface is now the bottom of the piece which receives the seed when it comes time to put the seedlings out of doors The Sod can be cut apart in such a manner that each has

Its bit of soil and this can be transferred to the Garden without any interfering in any way with roots of the young plant while Barnyard manure especially that which contains a good deal of cow manure is one of the very best of all fertilizers it is not always obtainable

And this makes it necessary to resort to some kind of commercial fertilizer if one is not familiar with any of these fertilizers he ought not to select at random as he may get a kind not at all adapted to his requirements I would advise finding someone who understands

The peculiar it of the soil in his locality and who has had some experience in the use of commercial fertilizers and being governed by his advice experimental knowledge is often expensive and the use of a fertilizer that is not adapted to the soil in one’s Garden often ruins a Seasons

Crops the ideal support for pea Vines is brush but not every Gardener is able to obtain it some persons substitute binder twine stretched from stake to stake this answers very well as long as the weather weather remains dry but as soon as a rainstorm comes along the twine absorbs

So much moisture that it relaxes its tension and sags in such a manner as to endanger The Vines which have taken hold of it coar meshed wire netting can be found much more satisfactory as it will not sag and cannot be blown down by winds care must be taken to see that it

Is coarse meshed as the fine meshed sorts will not admit of the vines working its way out and in among the meshes if a supp of brush can be obtained use it by all means and at the end of the PE season pull it up and

Store it away in a dry place if this is done it can be made to do Duty for several seasons if netting is used do not allow it to remain out of doors in Winter by untack it from the stakes which are set for its support and

Rolling it up carefully and storing it away from the storms of winter it can be made to last a lifetime don’t depend upon homegrown seed some of it may be just as good as that which can be bought from reliable seedsmen but the probabilities are that

It is not because of the Tendencies of most plants to mix plants grown from seed saved from the home Garden often and generally show some of the characteristics of several varieties of the same family and frequently these characteristics are not the ones we would like to perpetuate seedlings from

Varieties polonized by other varieties show a decided inclination to revert to original types and these are in most instances the very characterist istics we would like to get away from it is always advisable to procure fresh seed each season and to procure it from men who make seed growing a

Specialty end of chapter 11 part a chapter 11 part B leftovers the housewife who likes to make her table and the food she places upon it as attractive as possible will do well to pot a few plants of parsley in early fall choose for this purpose

The smaller plants three or four can be put into one pot if the latter is of good size these can be kept in the kitchen window where they will be quite as ornamental as most house plants or they can be kept in the cellar window if Frost is prevented from getting to them

From them one can always obtain material for the decoration of roasts and other dishes which require garnishment squashes and pumpkins will not keep well of stored in very warm places places a room that is just a little above the frost point is the best place for them it will be found far

Superior to a Cellar as the latter is generally more or less damp and dampness is one of the worst enemies of these vegetables a cool dry atmosphere is what they need and if it can be given them they can be kept in a fine condition through the entire

Winter care should be taken in gathering them to not break their stems if this is done they frequently Decay at the place where stem and vegetable unite and this condition spreads rapidly to all portions of them the question is frequently Asked would you advise plowing or spading the

Garden in Fall if it could have but one season’s attention I would advise giving it in Spring but if the owner of a garden has ample time to devote to it I would advise plowing or spading in both seasons turning up the soil and fall exposes to the elements that portion of

It which is most likely to contain worms and insects which is bured away for the winter and it is desirable to make way with as many of these as possible stirring the soil in Spring will do them very little harm as the weather will be in their favor fall stirring of the soil

Is also conducive to a greater degree of mellowness than is likely to result from one operation and that in Spring as the clouds of Earth that are thrown up disintegrate under the influence of frost and will be in a condition to pulverize easily when spring comes the average Gardener doesn’t seem to

Associate the growing of vegetables with an idea of beauty but he will find if he looks into the matter that the vegetable garden can be made really ornamental a row of carrots with its feathery green foliage is quite as attractive as many of our decorative plants and beets with

Crimson foliage are really tropical in their Rich coloring parsley and lettuce make excellent and ornamental edgings for beds containing other vegetables Tomatoes trained to upright trellises are quite as showy as many kinds of flowers when their fruit begins to ripen Peppers work in charmingly with the color scheme of the vegetable garden a

Little study of garden possibilities will soon convince one that it is an easy matter to make the vegetable garden as attractive so far as color is concerned as the flower garden is and while we are at work at gardening why not make it as attractive as possible

The pleasing appearance of it will lend additional qualities to to the Fine flavor of its vegetables if we believe that beauty and practicality ought to work in harmony with each other Sage summer Savory and other Garden grown plants used for seasoning or medicinal purposes should be gathered

When in their Prime if one Waits until late in the season before cutting them much of their virtue will have been expended in the ripening process which all plants undergo after they complete their growth cut them close to the ground and tie them in loose bunches and

Hang them in a shady place until their moisture has evaporated then put them in paper bags and hang away in a store room or closet for the winter plants treated in this way will retain nearly all their original flavor and be found far superior to the kinds you buy at the

Store cucumbers that have grown to full size should be gathered if not wanted for use as to allow them to remain on the vines after reaching maturity and while ripening materially affects the productiveness of the plants Endive is the basis of one of our best and most wholesome fall and winter

Salads when nearly full grown it must be bleached like celery gather the leaves together and tie them in such a manner as to exclude the light do this when they are perfectly dry if wet or damp they are likely to rot some gardeners use what is called

Onion sets instead of seed these sets are the result of sewing seed very thickly in Spring the season before they are wanted for planting as soon as their tops die off in summer as they will if seed was sewn thickly enough store in a dry and Airy place and

The following spring replant by this method large onions are obtained very early in the season most Market gardeners depend on sets instead of seed mention has been made of a few of our pot and medicinal plants here is a larger list for those who are interested

In plants of this kind balm Sweet Basil Caraway C catnip chamomile coriander Dill Penny Royal peppermint saffron tanzy and wormwood our grandmothers had unlimited faith in the medicinal qualities of some of these plants and many a mother will be glad to know that she has a stock of some of them stored

Away for winter use when colds and coughs are prevalent among children or grown people some of the old home remedies are far preferable to those we are accustomed to using as they are harmless if they do not no good which is something that cannot be said of most

Drugs that are taken into the system don’t wait for the current worm to show itself on your bushes you can safely count on its coming act on the defense of in advance by spraying your plants thoroughly with an infusion of Niti side keeping in mind the fact that

It is easier to prevent an insect from establishing itself on your plants than it is to get rid of it when it is secured a foothold there in spraying be sure that the infusion gets to all parts s of the Bush throw it up well among the branches simply spraying it over the

Plant isn’t what is needed it must reach the underside of the foliage and all parts where insects and other enemies might hide away and Escape contact with the infusion used when the small fruit plants in your garden show evidence of having outlived their usefulness don’t try to renew them

But dig them up and plant new ones you cannot make a satisfactory plant out of one that has begun to show age it is a good plan to set a few new plants each season if this is done there need be no Gap in the fruit Supply as there will

Always be some coming on to take the places of those whose days of usefulness are over too often we neglect our Gardens until they are in such a debilitated condition that we get but slight returns from them and then we set to work to make them all over by

Planting something each season we keep them up to bearing point and have no off Seasons I wonder how many Housewives who may read this little book have ever dried sweet corn for winter use not many I think but if they were to do so one season I am quite confident that

Thereafter they would not willingly be without a generous supply of it for it will be found far more delicious than the ordinary canned article in drying it some cook it for a few minutes and then cut it from the cob and spread it out on plates to dry others do not think it

Worthwhile to cook it but cut it from the cob as soon as gathered and dry it by first putting it in the oven for a few minutes before exposing it to the Sun to dry the little time in the oven is equivalent to the partial cooking

Spoken of turn it on the plates on which it is spread every day and do not consider it dry enough to store away until it appears to have parted with all its moisture then put it into paper bags or glass jars and set away in a cool

Dark place to remain until you desire to use it soak for 2 or 3 hours before putting it on the stove to cook when properly cooked it will be tender and have a more delicious flavor than canned corn the generous use of butter and cream

Will make it a dish that is fit to set before a king those who happen to live in places where it is not possible to have sellers because of low ground can have places in which to store vegetables for winter use that are really preferable to the ordinary seller by constructing what

Might be called above ground pits for want of a better name build up a wall four or 5 ft high and Bank up about it with so much Earth that Frost cannot penetrate it cover with a roof that will keep out cold and Rain have a doorway

Opening into it from an entry built after the fashion of the little storm vestibules we put over the front doors of our dwellings in winter in other words an entry into which we can step and close one door behind us before we open the one that lets us into the place

Where our vegetables are such a room can be constructed with but little expense because of its being above ground it will be drier than a Cellar and in the majority of cases it will be more convenient to to get at it should be boarded up with a good quality of

Matched boarding and its walls should be lined with two or three thicknesses of sheathing paper put on in such a manner as to show no cracks or openings the best place for a vegetable garden is where the soil is naturally well drained and where there is a slope to the South

Such a slope enables it to get the full benefit of sunshine and sunshine it will be found is an important factor in successful gardening if such an exposure is out of the question aim to make conditions as favorable as possible a closely boarded fence on the north side

Of a garden affords excellent protection from cold winds early in the season and helps greatly in keeping away Frost in Fall when many plants are maturing mention is made in the paragraph above of good drainage this is quite important if the soil of a garden is not well

Drained many kinds of vegetables cannot be grown in it and few will attain to even a partial degree of success therefore see to it that by ditching or the use of tile all Surplus water is properly disposed of much good can be done to a heavy soil by adding to it

Sharp coarse sand old mortar anything that will have a tendency to counteract the heaviness resulting from undue retention of water or a naturally Too Close character of soil if sand is obtainable and your garden is one in which clay predominates use it in generous quantities you will find it as

Beneficial as manure spread it over the surface before plowing or spading and work it in Thoroughly a few seasons application will bring about a very marked change for the better in any garden whose soil cannot be made fine and mellow without the addition of some disintegrating matter good drainage must

Be secured in order to grow good vegetables and the use of tile will be found a most effective remedy for the evil of a soil unduly retentive of moisture in almost all localities there will be families who have no Garden but who would make liberal use of vegetables

If they were easily procurable there is a chance for boys and girls to earn an honest Penny if it is found that there is likely to be more in the home Garden than the family can make use of canvas the neighborhood for customers for the probable Surplus it will be found an

Easy matter to dispose of it I know several amateur child gardeners who secure enough in this way to pay for all the seed they need some of them have regular customers each season and gardening begins to look to the them like a profitable occupation I don’t know that they will become professional

Gardeners but they will be learning something as well as earning something while they are fitting themselves for whatever occupation in life they may decide on and what they learn in the garden will be of benefit in after life in more ways than one don’t neglect to

Save everything that can be made use of for fertilizing purposes in many a home the suds of washing day are disposed of as worthless if applied to growing things in the garden Garden they will often prove as beneficial as the application of a fertilizer that costs quite a little sum of money especially

Is this the case if the season happens to be a dry one if there does not seem to be a need of more moisture in the soil on wash day save the soapy water against a time of need it will be sure to come handy during the season some families are so unfortunate

As to have no Sellar few vegetables can be kept well or for a great length of time in ordinary rooms unless something is done to modify the conditions usually existing there if a large box is filled with dry sand potatoes parsnips salsify beets and carrots can be buried in it

And made to retain their freshness for an indefinite period of course this storage box should be kept as far as possible from artificial heat and no dampness should be allowed to come in contact with it as sand absorbs moisture almost as readily as a sponge and the satisfactory keeping of the vegetables

Named depends upon dryness more than anything else the lower the temperature of the place in which the vegetables are stored the better provided it never gets below the freezing point where boxes of sand are used slight freezingspectre of the vegetables named above in a dry place in the garden for

Use in Spring they will be found as fresh and crisp as when put into the ground if covered deep enough to protect them from frost end of chapter 11 part B chapter 12 Health in the garden a chapter expressly for women readers the writer of this book often

Finds women who seem all run down with without being able to tell of any positive physical ailment inquiry generally develops the fact that they have overworked that they have been confined to the house the greater part of the time busy with household matters and that in caring for others they have

Neglected to care for themselves though I am not an MD I take the liberty of prescribing for patients of this class my prescription is a course of treatment in the garden I insist on their getting out of doors where the air is pure and the Sunshine shine bright and warm and

Nature is waiting to give her Pleasant companionship to whoever signifies a desire to make her acquaintance there is Health in the garden but because one has to dig for it some persons prefer to keep on enjoying their old miserableness day after day and year after year these are the

Incurables The Chronic cases that one cannot expect to do much with or for but those who are willing to exert themselves in an effort to get back the tone that life has has lost to a considerable extent will find that work in the garden is a better tonic than our

Doctors have a record of in their pharmacopia the Earth fairly tingles with life and spring and by putting ourselves in contact with it we absorb some of this Vitality we breathe in the wine of a new life and we thrill with a thousand Sensations that can come only

From putting ourselves in close touch with nature you can tell a woman who needs a change from indoors to Outdoors that she to take more exercise but if you advise walking the chances are that she won’t walk much that kind of exercise doesn’t appeal to her and to

Make whatever kind of exercise she takes effective it must be something that affords her pleasure something that she enjoys more than she does doing things from a sense of Duty or simply because she has been told to do it what is needed is some form of exercise that has

An object in it a definite object rather than the more or less abstract one one of regaining Health give her a few packages of seeds and arouse in her the enthusiasm to have a garden and she will get the very best kind of exercise out of her attempt to

Carry out the plan and the definite object in other words the garden that she has in mind will keep her so delightfully busy that she will forget all about the health features of the undertaking until it Dawns upon her with startling suddenness some fine day that she has got her health back

How or when it came she cannot tell you all she knows is that she feels like a new woman after that there will be no necessity to repeat the prescription for one year’s halfway successful work in the garden fixes the garden habit for all time nothing else can afford so much

Pleasure and exercise in happy combination as gardening or exert a greater Fascination over the person who allows herself to come under its influence I cannot begin to tell you what wonderful and delightful things I have learned in the garden it is like having the book of nature opened before

You and being taught its lore by the book’s own author you see magical things taking place about you every day and every day there are more of them to set you thinking and wondering you may work until you are tired but you do not realize physical wear and tear because

Your mind has something else that it considers of Greater importance to busy itself over only after the work of the day is done will you become conscious of physical weariness and then it is that you will find out what the luxury of rest is to fully appreciate rest we must

First understand what it is to be really tired lassitude anwe these do not give us a knowledge of genuine tiredness therefore we are not in a condition to receive the full benefit of that rest which means a reaction of the physical system until we have done some kind of

Work that makes reaction necessary in order to establish a normal equilibrium the rest that comes comes after getting really tired is so full of delightful Sensations that we admit to ourselves that it is richly worth the price we have to pay for it there is a subtle charm about Garden

Work from its very beginning the seed we seow has a mystery wrapped up in it the processes of germination are as fascinating as a fairy tale the development of the tiny seedling is a source of constant Wonder to us we watch for the first bud with eager impatience

And it has to be on the alert if it succeeds in opening without our being on hand to observe the performance spring begins the story summer carries it forward and Autumn seems to complete it but there is always the promise of the retelling of the story another year to

Keep us interested from the end of one season to the coming of another Garden work is a sort of thousand And1 days entertainment in which the interest is continually kept up always something to look forward to always something new the woman who grows weary over the monotony of household duties but cannot

Put them entirely aside will find relaxation in the garden the change will rest her and the woman who has no household duties to claim her attention needs something to get interested in both will find the necessary stimulus in growing flowers but in order to do this it must

Not be played at set about it because you mean to accomplish something a week after you have begun in Earnest you will find yourself looking forward impatiently to the hour that takes you out of doors you will forget about the gloves that you probably provided yourself with at the outset you won’t be

Bothered with veils tan will have no Terrors for you you will look upon dirt as something pleasing because you begin to see the possibilities in it you will go back to the house with an appetite that makes plain bread and butter delicious have a garden and do all the

Work in it yourself that’s the secret of the benefit you are to get out of it end of chapter 12 an end of ABC of vegetable gardening by eban Eugene Rexford