Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-04-03

In a few weeks time it will be in order
to plant the early peas, beets, and potatoes.
Those who have not a good garden should,
by all means, get ready to have one. No
other portion of the farm pays as well, or
affords more comfort or pleasure than
well-kept garden. The land for this pur
pose should face the south or southwest,
and be protected if possible from the bleak
northwest winds. 1t should be we'll drain
ed naturally or arti6cially If the land
cannot be made dry and mellow early in
the season, it is best to select some other
portion of the farm, though it may be
some distance away from the house. 1t is
impossible to work with any comfort to
ones self land that is wet in the spring
and cloddy in the summer.
Lay out the land lengthways, so that the
entire cultivation may be done by horse
power and in the most expeditions manner.
The small fruits, such as strawberries,
raspberries, gooseberries currants, and
grapes, and the permanent vegetables, such
as rhubarb and asparagus, should be plant
ed in row or two rows each-the rows
four feet in width, and if for grapes six
feet in width-by themselves. They can
thus be kept wellworked, clean of weeds.
and growing rapidly at one-third the ex
pense of cultivatingthem in beds. In fact,
reliable labor has become so difficult to get
that if hard work has to be substituted for
horse-labor it will hardly pay to have a gar
den.
The vegetable garden should be kept free
of fruit trees of all kinds the land can
then be well plowed without interruption.
Garden land should always be plowed in
the fall aud left rough for the winter. The
frosts will mellow the soil, and make it
much finer than any harrow will do it if
not fine enough in the spring, it may then be
cross plowed. If new land has been taken
for the garden, it will be the best to grow
only the larger vegetables, such as potatoes,
sweet corn, tomatoes, cabbage and melons,
the first year.
The next important step in having a
good garden is to get plenty of rich manure
All manure that is black and rotten is not
rich. l would rather have one load of ma
nure made from granted animals than
three loads from poorly fed stock. Let the
manure be placed in heaps, about ten cart
loads to the heap An acre will require il
the land is spread broadcast, about two
such heaps if used in the drill one hall
this quantity suffices.
In growing vegetables rapidly we find il
one third grown, to SOW along the rows
mixture of half phosphate (of the hes
quality and half plaster, and Immediately
work it into the soil This extra fertliza
ton produces an immediate effect, aRC
hastens the maturity of the vegetables.
For cabbage, Lima beans, peas earl,
sweet corn and melons it is much NOR,
economical to manure in the drill Afte
the manure is spread along the rows TAX
the one horse pillow and work the manur
into the soil, then plant the seed The ma
nure, being mixed with the SOIL will no
burn the tenderest rootlets even in tn
driest weather.
In growing potatoes spread the manur
broadcast and pillow it in harrow the lant
level lay off the rows three feet apart
and then sow a heaping handful Of tn
best fertilizer to every three feet of row
run the pillow through the row to mix it in
to the soil, and then plant the potatoes
Keep the land well cultivated and free o
weeds, and by July you viii have fine
smooth-skinned potatoes, which will boi
white and mealy.
Do not fence the garden. Allow plent
of room at the ends for the horse 10 turn
If the chickens are troublesome fence the1
up until the crops are beyond injury
garden should be worked over at least one
each week to keep the soil mellow and tn
weeds in check. \ good steel one-hors
harrow with cultvator teeth attached,
the only implement needed to work tn
crops,-F. SGndersoR in the Independent.