The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-03-16
KEEP YOUR GARDEN
SOIL BUSY ALL SEASON

OUlL OUGI ALL OEAOUN
Washington, d. c.. March 6.-Even
the smallest back yard may lie made
to yield a supply of fresh vegetables
for the family table at but slight ex-
pense if two or three crops are sue
cessively grown to keep the area oc7s
cupied all the tine, according to the
garden specialists of the U. S. De
partment of Agriculture. People who
would discharge clerk If he did not
work the year round will often cult
vate a garden at no little trouble and
expense and then allow the soil to
lie idle from the time the first crop
natures until the end of the season.
Where a two or three crop system is
used in connection with vegetables
adapted to small areas, space no
larger than 25 by 20 feet will produce
enough fresh vegetables for small
family. Corn, melons. cucumters and
potatoes and other crops which re
quire large area should not be grown
in a garden of this size. Half an acre
properly cultivated tith carenil
crop rotation may easily produce sl00
worth of various garden crops in a
year.
When to Work Soil.
If the garden was not broken in the
fall it should be plowed in the spring
as soon as the frost is out of the
ground. Small areas may e worked
with spade. pushing the blade into
its full depth and turning the soil to
break the clcds. Heavy soils shoulL
never be worked when wet. over
jealous gardeners, ready to seize the
first warm spell as favorable oppor
tunity to go out and work the heavy
clay soil before it is dry, are not only
wasting their energy. but are doing a
damage to the soil from which it will
take years for it to recover. To de-
termine when heavy soils are ready
for plowing a handful of earth SHOULD
be collected from the surface and
the fingers tightly closed on it. I'll
the ball of compacted earth is dry
enough for cultivation, it will fall
apart when the hand is opened.
A garden spot near the house is
often more desirable than plot
which is in better tilth but located
at an inconvenient distance A garden
which is near the house will receive
many a spare hour of care from |
adults and children which would |
otherwise be wasted. Where there is |
ample room for the selection of a |
garden site, the slope of the land
should be carefully considered. A
gentle slope towards the South is
most desirable for growing early
crops. while it is a decided advan
tage to have the plot protected on
the north and northwest by either
a hill. group of buildings. or beard
fence.
Drainage of the garden is of grea.
importance. The land should have
sufficient fall to drain of surplus
water during heavy rains and yet not
be SO steep that the SOL will tie
washed or quilted. The surface
should be nearly level so the water
will not stand in hollows. Where the
natural slope of the land does not
provide sufficient natural drainage,
bitches may be dug or tile drain put
in. This will prevent waste water
from the adjoining land from wash
ing over it. Such water may carry
weed and grass seed into the garden.
which are later culled out with diff
Guilty.
How to Fertilize.
The soil in the average back yard
is not only lacking in plant food
but also has been packed until it is