Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-07
The Vegetable Garden.

The success of the garden depends
largely upon the quantity of the seeds
used; many other conditions, however,
are necessary, as we'll as some degree Of
knowledge and skill, without which even
the seeds must fail to give the desired re-
suits.
The most favorable soil for garden is
a light. rather dry, loan, with sufficient
admixture of vegetable matter. But sit
uation 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 suitable for
Vegetable garden; yet, if no other
ground is available, underground drains,
deep working, and covering Of sand
and muck or peat will transform even
such an unpromising soil into fair
garden. A slight sloping snrface, other
conditions being equal, is more favorable
than dead level, as 1t admits of bet
ter drainage, and if inclined toward south
or south east 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 plowed or spaded up before,
should be brought to the surface in a
season. Whenever possible, all the
ground intended for garden purposes
should be plowed or spaded before win
ter.
Much dissapppoint 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 a vigorous
growth before their proper season; and
seeds sown later will often give better re-
suits 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, sweet marjoram, thyme
and other herbs, require hardly any COW
ering at all; and when the ground is fine
and too not ry,sowing on the surface and
gently pressing down with board is suf-
fcient. Medium sized seeds should be
covered one-half to one inch, and the
largest, such as peas, beans and corn, two
to 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 superhuous plants
Cucumbers, melons, squashes and all
plants subject to the ravages of insects
should also be sown thickly, and after.
ward, when the leaves are hard enough
to defy the attacks of their enemies, thin
ned out properly.
Beginners often err in making the
rows or drills too close to each other
The taller the plants the more space
| should be given them; put even the
smallest herbs should not be planted &C
close as to prevent the free use of the hoe
or weeder between the rows.
Thorough cultivation and loosening Of
the soil are among the principal condi.
tons Of success in the garden. A good
hoeing in the dry weather is often better
than watering. When the latter is re-
sorted 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 plant
the 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 without nourish
ment.-Brainard's Seed Catalogue fo7
1878.
A Remedy for Whooping Cough
Two-thirds castor-oil, one-third sirul
ipecac. Dose: Half a teaspoontul from
two to six hours apart, according to the
severity of the cough. Shake the mix
ture well before using. It is said to be
] almost infallible.