The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1910-06-24
Midsummer Gardening.

AS the vegetables have now gained
undisputed mastery over the weeds
in the well-kept garden, there comes
a strong inclination to rest from la
Dor, especially as the days grow hot
ter Yet the hoe is needed every day
to keep the soil light and porous,
thereby admitting air to the roots as
well as fitting the soil to take up at
mospheric moisture. In early morn
ing or after sunset one can accom-
plish wonders for the plants with
very little exertion. Did you ever
try training cucumber vines over
trellis? Just watch one that strays
into the sweet corn, and notice what
large, straight and shapely fruit it
bears. 1t is also less inclined to rot
than when left to trail upon the
ground. Why is it that so few COL
ored beans are placed upon the mar
ket? Those familiar with their rich
flavor prefer the Horticultural to the
Lima for some purposes, especially
for baking. The white field bean
has its place, yet many would well
come the colored varieties, at least
for change. AS the early potatoes
are used the ground can be replanted
to celery. In fact, many farmers find
it a saving of labor as we'll as of
ground to plant celery between the
rows of field potatoes after they are
hilled up in the final cultivation this
process forming the trench desired
for the young plants. To thus grow
several hundred plants on soil which
otherwise would be idle is certainly
a good illustration of what intensive
cultivation signifies, and in addition
to the luxury of having this crop in
abundance for home use the surplus
will yield enough to pay for the trou-
BILE of it's care.
If the cucumbers or melons do not
thrive we'll, try sinking an old tin
can with perforations in the bottom
in the space between each four hills.
Fill this nearly full of manure, and
keep it saturated with water But
be sure that the cans set deep enough
in the ground that the drainage may
sink to the roots instead of coaxing
them to the surface, there to suffer
from drought. Pick the melons which
set late, and therefore cannot mature,
to enable the vines to exert their
entire strength in perfecting the
earlier fruit.
Tomatoes require rich soil, and if
the fruit is slow in maturing a bit
of fertilizer worked around the roots
may give them the needed impetus.
In saving seed select only the choic
est specimens, those which ripen
evenly without inclination to rot. In
stead of spreading them on a cloth
to make muss the whole year, try
putting them in a dish of water and
setting aside in some out-of-the-way
place for week. They will SEEM
ingly sour, and at last sink to the
bottom of the dish. The water
should then be poured off and the
seeds dried, after which they will be
covered with a soft fuzz like those
sent out by seedmen. and can be
slipped into a paper packet, mucn
heater one than the pulp-stained
cloth inevitable with the old method.
Summer pruning of grapevines
consists of pinching blind shoots with
the thumb and first finger. Conserve
moisture by cultivation of the berry
patches. A layer of loose soil on the
surface prevents the moisture from
evaporating Bag few grapes for
the table when the berries are as big
as peas Cut a hole in one corner of
the bag and tie it securely over the
bunch. Above all, do not let the
weeds take the strawberry bed unless
you are through with it.-C. A. U.