The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-03-28
The Vegetable Garden.

The success of the garden depend:
largely upon the quality of the seed:
used; many other conditions, however
are necessary, as well as some degree Of
knowledge and skill, without which ever
the best seeds must fail to give the de
sired results.
The most favorable soil for garden il
light, rather dry loan, with sufficient
admixture of vegetable matter. But
situation and nearness to the house are
often of more Importance in the choice
of location than the constitution of the
soil. A heavy, wet, clay soil is not suit
able for vegetable garden; yet, if nc
other ground is available, underground
drains, deep working, and covering OF
sand and muck or peat, will transform
even such an unpromising soil into fail
garden. A slight sloping surface, other
conditions being equal, is more favorable
than dead level, as it admits of better
drainage, and if inclined toward south
or southeast all the better. A deep soil
is very desirable, but care must be taken
not to deepen it too much at time.
Not more than one inch of subsoil, which
has not been ploughed or spaded up be-
fore, should be brought to the surface in
season. Whenever possible, all the
ground intended for garden purposes
should be ploughed or spaded before
winter.
Much disappointment is caused by
sowing too early, before the soil is warm
and dry enough. Even if the seeds
terminate in such cases, little is gained
and much risked, as the plants cannot
make vigorous growth before their
proper season; and seeds sown later will
often give better results than earlier
sowings.
Another frequent cause of failure is
the too deep covering of the seeds. As
rule the smaller the seeds the lighter
they should be covered. The smallest
seeds, such as celery, marjoram, thyme,
and other herbs, require hardly any COW
ering at all, and when the ground is fine
and not too dry, sowing on the surface,
and gently pressing down with a board,
is sufficient. Medium sized seeds should
be covered one-half to one inch, and the
largest, such as peas, beans and corn,
two or three inches, and deeper in dry
weather.
Most seeds, to give the best results,
should be sown thinly, except such kinds
as have feeble sprouts, as parsnips, car
rots and beets. These, if sOwn too thin,
and the surface becomes baked, cannot
break through the crust, while many
sprouts together can, and it is but little
trouble to thin out the superfuous
plants. Cucumbers, melons, squashes,
ane all plants subject to the ravages of
insects, should also be sown thickly, and
afterward, when the leaves are hard
enough to defy the attacks of their enc
mics, thinned out properly.
Beginners often err in making the
rows or drills too close to each other.
The taller the plants are the more space
should be given them; but even the
smallest herbs should not be planted SO
close as to prevent free use of the hoe or
weeder between the rows.
Thorough cultivation and loosening of
the soil are among the principal condi-
lions of success in the garden. A good
hoeing in dry weather is often better
than watering. When the latter is
resorted to, it must be done thoroughly,
and not so as to moisten the surface only.
This superficial sprinkling does generally
more harm than good; it causes the
plants to form rootlets near the surface
instead of below. These surface roots
are dried and parched by the rays of the
sun as soon as the moisture becomes
evaporated, and leaves the plants with
out nourishment.
For the raising of early vegetables
hot-bed is Indispensable, and some of the
most delicious products of the garden
cannot be grown successfully without
being started under glass.