The Nevada County picayune., 1916-05-04
ORCHARD AND GARDEN CROPS
No. 6. Orchard and Garden Crops.
By J. s. Knox Extension Horticultur-
 ist. University of ArkansaR


 By J. S. Knox. Extension Horticultur-
 ist, University of Arkansas.
 Plan of Garden-Few of us realize the importance of some definite plan 10 follow in our garden work. We plant the garden in a haphazard fash ion, without any reference to the kind of plants, time they are 10 oc- cupy the soil, and the space they re quire in growing Gardens that are planted in the above way can never give as good results or as much pleasure as the ones that are carefully planned before the planting season comes on, and then carrying out the plans made. There is generally time during the winter when the av- craze farmer is doing very little, and this is the proper time to make plan Tor the garden that is to be planted during the spring and summer
 Arrangement of Plants plants should be arranged in the garden ac- cording 10 the length of time they are 10 occupy the soil. as well as accord Ing to the kind of culture they re quire. Plants like asparagus, rhubarb and the various kinds of berries gen erally occupy the soil for number of years. and for this reason they should be placed to one side (prefer- ably the north) of the garden They are then out of the way in cultiyating the annual plants which are not such high growers generally. After the perennial or long season crops have been cared for, We may begin the planting of the short season crops as soon as the season opens Plants like beets, radishes, lettuce, peas, cab baEe, etc, can be planted very early in the season. and as soon as danger Of frost is past we can plant the ter. der vegetables. such as tomatoes. egg plant, peppers. sweet corn. squashes, eucumbers, etc.
 Companion Cropping. Sometimes. especially where the space is limited, 1t is desired to get as many different kinds of vegetables as possible from That small area. In this case we may make use of what the gardeners see ct 10 call companion cropping. It consists in growing two or more crops In the same row at the same time or of planting other vegetables in he. tween the other rows For example. if We have cabbage planted in rows three feet apart and eighteen inches apart in the TOW, We may put hin of lettuce between each hill of cabbage and then SOW q TOW Of radishes or tur- nips between the row. These crops could be removed before a great deal oi damage had been done to the cal. bage, and ln this way We have three kinds Of vegetables wherc only ouc Is commonly grown. This. however is very hard or exhaustive on the soil and so heavy fertrzing IS essential
 Succession Cropping Here is where so many of our gardeners fall down on he gardening business ey cry year. If We expect to have fresh vegetables all through the summer We must make different plantinEs of the same vegetable For example. We plant a crop of beans in latter April. and these begin 10 bear in June. and probably last for three weeks or a month and then all iE over. but fl We make one planting in latter April and another about three weeks later. and Ko on through the growing season. we can have beans for several months that have been picked from the vines in our own garden With some of the early maturing vegetables We can grow one crop and harvest it and then grow a second crop on the same soil but this method is not to be recon mended it it can be avoided, because of the increased chance of the last crop being attacked hy disease and jn sects more seN erely
 Use of Hot Beds The farmer whC desires to grow his own plants should construct a hot bed similar to the oD, described in Farmers Bulletin 25s The hot bed IS especially useful u starting plants like cabbage tomatons egg plants peppers, ole and aft, tb, plant shave been grown u can s,U be used as cold frame. The ma nure used m constructing the hot he, WI -il' be good 10 use as s ferti izer o.. he garden In fact Il ha. only rouod while n there, and if i has not been allowed 10 remain oyt wet 1t should still contain most Of iu ferulizing value Crops like lcttuS, and radishes are often grown to ma turity in old hot beds
 For further information kindl write to the Extension Department University of Arkansas, Fayetteville