Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1880-01-15
From the Atlanta Southern Enterprise
January IN THE GARDEN.

In the frozen North the; garden is
either buried in snow or frozen so hard
that a crcw-bar would not penetrate
the soil. Not SO in our genial South.
ern climate, where outdoor work
o may be. done every month in the
year. We plowed during December
every foot os ground not occupied by
some growing crop. We generally
have some pleasant weather for gar
dening. even in Middle Georgia; and
in sapth Georgia, January in the
garden corresponds with April in the
Middle States of the Union. The
first thing to oe done in January is
to prepare a hot bed for forwarding
plants, such as lettuce, radishes, cab
bages and beets, the two fret to be
eaten from the bed. the last two TO
be transplanted as early as the wealth
er will admit.
Onions that were set last fall must
be keptclear Of winter growing weeds
and grass, and the ground kept stir
red in good weather. If none were
set in the fall, some should be put out
as soon as the soil is in condition for
working. Those planted now will
bulb earlier than those set in the
Spring, and one dish Of extra early
vegetables is more highly apprecia-
ted than a half dozen after they be-
come abundant. The early red is the
best variety for very early use. The
silver skin is a standard variety OF
superior quality, but late. Sets are
higher in price this winter than they
have been for FIVE years-retailing
in Atlanta at twenty-five cents per
quart.
Peas may be planted during this
Month for an early crop. If planted
in double rows eight inches apart,
only the late growing varieties need
he stuck, if a little attention is given
them when six inches high. By
drawing earth to the rows on the out
side and thus causing the two rows
to incline toward each other, they
will form a mutual support. Market
Tgardeners use no sticks for any vari-
sety, but they produce better with
them. Two or three strands of wire
stretched along the rows and sup
ported at intervals by sticks, answer
a good purpose. The best early va
rieties are Extra Early and Little
Gem for the medium crop McLean's
Advancer and Eugene, and for the
late crop Champion Of England.
Irish Potatoes may be planted du-
ling this month, if deeply. covered
with straw, in any part Of the cotton
States. If straw is not used, Febru-
airy or March, according to latitude,
will give better results. The Early
Rose is still the best variety for the
South. Early Vermont is a very
good early variety, but We prefer the
former after testing the two varieties,
for Upper, Middle and North GeOr-
gia. Snowflake has about run its
course, being too small. though Of SUI
perior quality. The Peach Blow is
too late for the South, except in the
mountain valleys.
Re-p1ow or spade all unoccupied
ground this month, whether it is
planted or not, but avoid either p!ow-
ing or trampling it when vet.
Strawberry beds should be careful
ly worked over, top dressed with
ashes or a superphosphate containing
potash, ard thickly mulched. Half
rotten wheat straw that has been used
as bedding for cattle is the best
mulch, but pine straw will answer.
Avoid covering the rows, but let the
mulchsat up closely around them
Mulch viii retard the ripening Of the.
fruit but mors than compensate for
this by increasing the. quantity and
improving the qualityyof the bsrriea9