The Worthington advance., 1882-03-30
FIELD, HOUSE AND GARDEN.
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.
Sone3Ttmely Talk About Seeds and Cultiva

sons5rtnely Talk About Seeds and Cultiva
tlO3.
So ipdispensible and withal 30 econom-
ical are vegetables for table use that their
careful cultivation, should he matter Of in
terest to every ono who owns garden plot.
Yet on many falms we find the garden 10
wofully neglected after the seeds are plant
ed. and from springtime to autumn almost.
the weakly "strageling" plants have to
struggle for life among noxious weeds, and
the table. only meagre pittance is obtain
able. All this is not mere guess work, but
what the writer has many times seen on
farms otherwise we'll titled and productive.
The first thing necessary is to have will to
remedy the evil; the second is to know
what to do and when to do it. The latter
point wish to make few suggestions up
on.
Soil aud Sowing-The four cardinal vir-
tues OF good garden soil are that it should
be loose, mellow, rich and we'll drained.
Good seed own in such soil and properly
cultivated will {droughts and insects ex
cepted) produce abuntantIy. While the
quality Of the soil is no: Of so great import
ance in tho raising of the coarser vegeta-
bles-as peas, beans, potatoes, and the like
1T is important in the raising Of the
finer kinds-as celery, pdrsnips, cabbage,
etc.
Vegetable seeds should be sown in long
drills, If possible, at such distance apart
rs to permit the use OF a horse e-hoe be-
tween them. If a new garden is to be laid
out. let it DO long aud narrow. 80 as to
make as little turning about Of the horse at
tho end Of the rows as possible. The conf
snon practice Of sowing in beds Or plots
DO not favor, as it requires mnch more
hand labor, and admits Of less or. in fact.
no nse Of the horse. As to the depth at
which to SOW the seed. the old rule OF tn, 90
times as deep ns the size of the seed may
be observed for general use.
Vitality OF seeds The various kinds Of
vegetable seeds differ largely as to the
longth of time thoy retain vitality. While
it IL always woll to SOW new soetls, If they
can be procured. it is not always absolutely
necessary. Those Of the tomato. pumpkin,
squash, cucumber. melon and beet retain
their vitality longest, probably from five to
ten years; turnips, celery, cabbage and
caulihower are good for four years; spinach,
radish. asparagus, lettuce and parsley for
three years; while the beans, peas, carrots,
pepper. satisfy and rhnbarb should not bo
planted when over two Years old. 4 knowl-
edge Of how long tho various vegetable
seeds will produce their kind is greatly
beneficial to the gardner, as on the selection
Of Door seed failures often depend.
When to Sow Or Plant--For the LATITUDE
Of New York the seeds of the following
named vegetables may be sown in the open
ground from the middle Of March to the
last Of April: Beos. carrot, celery, cab
bage, ceuliilower. lettuce, onion. parsnip.
pea, radish and turnip; from tho middle of
May to the middle Of June: Beans. sweet
corn, melon, pumpkin, cucumber,
squash and tomatoe. South OF thi, lat.
1nle all these may, Of coure, be sown or
planted earlier; north later
Varieties-I do not recommend the use
OF many varieties. For tho ordinary farm
Ell, who cultivates only for table use; one
good variety is as good as dozen. For
general cultivation the following. named
varieties are probably, the best, though it
would be difficult to give list Of good sor
I'll parts OF the country.