Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-04-12
The Garden SPOT.

4 dolt see how you manage TO have
such an early garden. said the SO lire to
me the other day. Your farms Is clay
upland like mine, and yet, as / have passed
your house in early Spring, have seen the
peas. lettuce and other early truck showing
in the row before could plow my gar.
den
Jump out and hitch said !, for he had
stopped il the road in front of my house,
and come and look at my garden, and
think sou can easily see why mine Is
earlier than yours.
i don't see what YOU can show that is
worthy looking at in January, said the
Squire.
That's just whst want to show you.
l answered.
We walk around back of the house,
where my garden is located, and stopped.
Tvum, said the Squire, Is that the
way to ix iti"
My garden is eight rods long by six
wide-a little over a fourth of an acre
and it is plowed in six lands with all the
loose earth cleaned out Of the dead furrows;
and as there are several inches of slope the
long way, il is impossible for the water TO
stand on 1t at all.
Now, Squire SAID !, there are several
points about the garden that l want you 10
notice: First, 1t is well undetermined in
addition to the surface drainage you see.
Second, it is well located. There is a strip
of warm black land here. If l had located
this garden five rods either north or south
of where 1t is. it would he on a stiff. cold
clay. Third, it is protected from the
wind / set out that cedar hedge you see
for that purpose Llstly, you will find,
If you examine 1t. that the land is in a
very lively condition, easy TO work and
quick 10 warm up, and this Coalition has
been brought about by fall-plowing,
manurlng and the addition of a little
sand
But don't this turn up clcddy when
you plow it over again in the spring
asked the Squire.
'We don't plow It, ] answered. All
we Go is to stir the surface with cuitlva
tor and harrow, and drag II, and it is as
fine as meal.
But what do you do with the dead fur
roxsP asked the Squire.
4 leave the centre one opened, as it is,
where the water will natuIa run and if,
as sometimes the case, We have heavy rain
in the spring or summer, this will carry
off the surplus water and prevent 1t from
damaging the garden. plant potatoes in
the others. liz narrowing they get SIX
inches of mellow earth IN the bottom, and
drop the seed on TINS and cover 1t With
some coarse manure, and when | cover this
with earth from the sides the dead furrow
Is nearly fuil.
But il must have cost d good deal 20
get this spot fixed up SO weil,' said the
so 1ire.
Not great deal, answered. About
five dollars for the underdrain; two days
work with hand and team hauling sand,
and 25 cedar trees at three cents apiece
for the wlnd-break. Of course, Iput a
few dollars worth of manure on the garden
every year, but that the crop always pays
for
81 believe that you have spot here
that is naturally mellow and warm, sand
the Squire.
Naturally warm after | drained it, and
mellow after what L have done to il; but
for some years | could not plow it SIX
inches deep. L. was a tough, waxy soil,
and TUNED up very cloddy, and Eothlng
helped this Till | tried fail plowing.
fouod that after it was thoroughly dried
out in The summer and there would come o
rain, / could put tine pow down ten inches,
and ever since that have piowed in the
fall.