Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-05-20
sible to grow an early crop for market,
and also as a mulch.
The Garden.

The Garden.
At this time arrangements will be
gong forward as to the best way of
cropping the garden for another year.
All amateurs who crop TO good advan-
tage know how important 1t is to de-
eide upon this beforehand, so that if
the garden is of large or small dimen-
slons there will be sort OF balance
of the products grown, and also
change made from what was grown on
the ground last year rs far as practic-
able. By rotation of cropping and
growing a good variety of crops soil
will be a long while before it becomes
unfit to produce a good average yield.
We have written at come length upon
! the benefits to be derived from deep
digging, tIenching, etc, and upon the
desirability of manuring with a view
to future results--that is using the
best manures calculated to improve the
soil and suit whatever flowers, fruits,
or vegetables may be wanted. BY
keeping these points well in view and
carrying them out whenever a favor
able opportunity occurs the productiv
iJy Of the soil would not be 50 much
a matter of chance. When once a sys-
tematic arrangement Of cropping and
thorough method of preparing and
manurfng has been adopted and carried
out early there will not be the same
trouble farther on in the season, when
| perhaps there is less time to attend
| to these duties. There is scarcely a
| soil but will be improved by thorough
| turning up during the late autumn or
winter months Do not half dig the
ground, but double dig it if possible,
and always leave as rough surface
/ as you can. The greater the surface
! exposed to the frost the soil will be all
! the mell0wer for 1t in the spring. This
is the reason why digging is 50 ben
eticial. When digging, take out full
spading half the breadth of the plot
and lay the soil on the other half right
opposite to where you begin. After
you have dug one half of the plot, fill
! in the opening from The other half to
give you another opening. At this
stage dig back the other half, and
finish with the soil that was taken
out to begin with. This hint will he
of no use to those who take out no
openings. bat it may be OF some use 10
those who do so before beginning to
| dig. If trenching is to be done, the
opening trench should be two and one
half feet in breadth and two feet deep
at the least, so as to have plenty of
room to turn up the soil properly. To
ridge a piece Of ground, it is first lined
oil and cut down to the lines with
spade Cut the breadth of the spade
htIN eeI the lines. When this has been
done, proceed with two breadths at a
time until the ground has been all
turned uI To commence, take out two
spadings-one from the end of each
breadth-laying them down at the end
of the next two to fill in with when
you get back. This is repeated until
the whole is done. When turning up
the ridges, throw the spadings from
the different breadths inwards in a slop-
ing direction, so that they will form
a complete ridge, keeping the soil from
Iuring is also best to be done when
turning up to the frost, more especiany
for root crops. The ground for early
crops should be in the best sheltered
part Of the garden, and should be well
prepared for this purpose. Some meth
Cd Of protection might be tried by
those in exposed situations. Some
times a close wooden paling Of sufficient
height will serve very well or a fence
made with stout branches; indeed,
very little protection Is often helpful
A few stakes bent over a number OF
plants, and then throwing a mat over
will often save them from spring frosts
or cutting winds. We have seen
bank Of earth tarowl Up on the most
exposed side OF garden and serve
a double purpose-that of protecting
the garden to certain extent and
also providing a very good border for
a few early seeds