Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-03-09
The Garden Spot.

". D. BfNWus ~ butHl NcN INfEtf.
IL don't see how you manage TO
have such an early garden" said the
Squire to me the other day. "Your
farm is a clay upland like mine, and
yet, as | have passed your house in
early Spring, have seen the peas,
lettuce and other early truck show
ing in the row before | could plow
my garden"
"Jump out and hitch" said ], for
be had stopped in the road in front
of my house, "and come and look at
my garden, and | think you can easily
see why mine is earlier than yours"
IL don't see what you can show
that is worth looking at in January"
said the Squire.
That's Just what / want 10 show
You" | answered.
We walked round back Of the
house, where my garden is located,
and stopped.
II yum" said the Squire; sis that
the way TO fix itin
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 burrows and as there
are several inches Of slope the long
way, il is impossible for the water
10 stand on it at all.
Now, Squire" said /, "there are
several points about this garden that
! want YOU TO notice: First, it is
well underdraiDcd in addition 10 the
surface drainage you see. Second,
it is well located. There is a strip
Of warm black land here. II ! had
located this garden five rods either
north or south OF where il is, il
would be on a stiff. cold clay. Third,
II Is protected from the north wind.
| set out that cedar hedge you see
for that purpose. Lastly, YOU will
hnd, if you examine it. that the land
is in a very lively condition, easy to
work and quick TO warm up, and this
condition has been brought about by
faIl-plowing, manuring and the addi-
tion of a little sand"
"But don't this turn up cloddy
when you plow it over again in the
Spring :" asked the Squire.
I'VE don't plow it," | answered.
"All we do is TO stir the surface with
a cultivator and harrow, and drag it,
and il is as fine as meal"
"But what do You do with the
dead burrows ~ asked the Squire.
Il leave the center one open, as it
is, where the water will naturally
run, and If, as is sometimes the case,
We have Il very heavy rain in the
Spring or Summer, this will carry Off
the surplus water and prevent it from
damaging the garden. / plant pota-
toes in the others. Ia narrowing
they get six inches Of mellow earth
in the bottom, and drop the seed on
this and cover 1t with some coarse
manure, and then when | cover this
with earth from the sides the dead
furrow is nearly full"
"But it must have cost a good deal
to get this spot fixed up so WELL"
we'll" said the Squire.
"Not great deal" / answered.
"About five dollars for the under
drain two days work with a hand
and team hauling sand, and % cedar
trees at three cents apiece for the
wind-break. OF course. ! put a few
dollars worth of manure on the gar
den every year, but that the crop al
ways pays for.n
II believe that you have a spot
here that Is naturally mellow and
warm" said the Squire.
Naturally warm after / drained
1t, and mellow after what have done
to IL; but for some years | conld not
plow It six inches deep. IL was n
tough, waxy soil, and turned up very
cloddy. and nothing helped this till
| tried fall-plowing. I found that,
after II was thoroughly dried out in
the Summer and there would come n
rain, could put the plow down ten
inches, and ever since that I have
plowed in the Fall.