Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-06-05
Planting the Garden.

Gardeners, like other workers in the
soil, must expect to soil their fingers; the
consolation being that they come only in
contact with clean dirt-with the added
consolation to lady-gardeners that it read
lily washes off, and if 1t leaves the finger
tips little rough and the hands some
what brown the first is an honest rough
ness, the second normal color, and both
are exceedingly healthy.
We suppose that every Western Rural
reader will readily admit that the profits
arising from well.kept garden are
equaled by the pleasure experienced in
attending to its cultivation. Add to this
the fact that a single acre, properly kept
will furnish one half the sustenance of an
ordinary. sized family, and we think, this
admitted, il is evidence enough of the i'm
portance of this branch of agriculture.
We presume that heavy coat of ma
nure has been plUwed deeply in last fall;
and that fifteen or twenty loads of thor
ughly.decomposed manure have been
| hauled and spread on the surface during
the winter, to be plowed In to depth of
three or four inches as soon as the soil
may be in the most perfect state to fit the
new land for operations, that is, when the
soil is perfectly dry and friable. We will
give some general directions for sowing
and planting in their proper order.
Peas, spinach, onion, raddish, lettuce,
parsnip, early turnip, carrot and beet
seed should be sown as soon as the soil is
dry enough to plant, the earlier the bet
| ter, and if favorable time should occur
in February, even through the ground
should become frozen solid again, no
harm will ensue, for the seeds will remain
intact and sprout all the more strongly
when the proper time comes, for the rea-
son that the process of termination goes
on more naturally than if forced into
more sudden growth when planted later
in the season.
So also with potatoes. Planted as early
in the spring as the soil will admit OF
working, and hilled up six inches above
the planted seed, no frost will injure
them. They germinate slowly but surely,
and Just before they are ready to appear
above ground the surface may be har
rowed partially level, thus destroying a
crop of weeds effectively. If narrowed
twice-the last time the way the rows run
and after the vines are up-so much the
better, the subsequent cultivation being
all done with the horse hoe. This cul
ture, however, is impracticable excep
where the garden is cultivated upon the
row system, the rows running clear across
tile garden, and if the soil has been prop
@H RbYsedn Ye IN es S % and feb6Sw S rough II M,
/ spring, and the surface may be leveled in
the easiest way that may suggest itself.
Cabbage, caulitlower, celery, tomatoes
etc, should also be sown as early as pos
sible, in warm, well-prepared border
They will give you plants to succeed
/ those taken from the hot-bed. The frs
two will give healthy plants to succeed
! the first crop. The celery will be al
right tor winter blanching, but should
be pricked out when large enough, three
inches apart, in beds, when they viii
! make fine plants for use in July and Au
{ gust. The tomatoes will be ready tol
transplanting the middle of June, anC
will give large crops of fruit in the fal
] when it is most wanted for canning, 70
catsup, and for pickling-certainly so be
tween the parallels of 49o to A : north
In the latitude just mentioned the frs
crop of sweet corn and beans should b
planted from the middle of April to tn
middle of May, according to the locality
and the planting of early cucumbers
squashes, melons, etc, should follow il
about two weeks thereafter.
AS rule, early-planted seed should b
covered deper than those planted late
|
! beans the same, corn two inches, melons
etc, the same, beets three fourths of Al
inch, and the smaller seeds only lightly
not more than four or five times their di
z ameter.
Another rule, perfectly safe to follow
: unless in exceptional cases, is to plant al
hardy seeds, If intended for early use, a
J soon as possible, and TO wait not onl,
until the ground is thoroughly warm bu
the nights also, for all tender things, es
: pecially okra, sweet potatoes, eggplant
and other vegetables that even cold wind
always check and often kill outright.
these hints are carefully attended to, vary
: ing the directions according to locality
protection, soil, etc, there need be NJ
difficulty in any farmer having as good
start as the best. Now, if it be the firm
determination to give the garden scru
pulous care, and allow no weeds to grow
the first lesson may be taken in higl
farming. The fact heretofore stated, tina
} a well.kept garden will afford one-hal
the sustenance of family, will also be
/, come forever fixed in the mind. Wester
Rural