The Little River news., 1916-07-29
ECHaRD AND GARDEN CROPS
No. 6. Orchard and Garden Crops.
By J. $. Knox, Extension Horticultur-
 lst, University of Arkansas.

1 iSt, university or Arkansas.
 Plan of Garden.-Few of us realize the Importance of some definite plan to 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 to 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 ay- craze farmer is doing very little, and this is the proper time to make plan for the garden that is to be planted during the spring and summer
 Arrangement Of PlantS.-The plants should be arranged iii the garden ac- css1irg to the length of time they are to 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 a 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 cultivating the annual plants which are not such high growers 3 8=norally. After the e been cared fer, we may begin the planting of the shcrt season crops as soon as the season opens Plants like beets, radisleG, lettuce. peas, cab bage, etc., can be planted very early in the season, and as soon as danger Of frost is past We can plant the ten der vegetables, such as tomatoes, egg plant, peppers, sweet corn, squa .Aes, cucum b0s, 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 fit to call companion cropping. It consists in growing two or more crops fin the same TOW at the same time or of planting other vegetables in be- 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 ] Giii O lettuce between each hill of cabbage k of, ;fl,1 lips between the row. Thoso crcps could be removed before great deal Of damage had been done to the cal bage, and in this way we have three kinds of vegetables where only one is commonly grown. This, however, is very hard or exhaustive on the soil. and so heavy fe14ili.ing is essential
 Succession Cropping. - Here is where so many of our gardeners fall down OF the gardening business oY- cry year. If we expect to have fresh &egetables all through the sumner we tinust make different plantings of the same vegetable. For example. we plant crop of beans in latter April, and these begin to bear in June. and pToba bly last for three weeks CT month and then all is over; but if we make one planting in latter April and another about three weeks later, and so 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 second crop on the same soil, but this method is not to be recom- mended if it can be avoided, because of the increased chance of the last crop Icing attacked by disease and in sects more severely.
 Use of Hot Beds.-The farmer who desires to grow his own plants should construct hot bed similar to the one described in Farmers Bulletin 255. The hot bed is especially useful in starting plants like cabbage, tomatoes, egg plants, peppers, etc. and after the plant shave been grown it can still be used as cold frame. The ma nure used in constructing the hot bed will still be good to use as a fertil- izer on the garden. In fact, it has only routed while in there, and If 1t has not been allowed to remain over wet it should still contain most of it's fertilizing value. Crops like lettuce and radishes are often grown to ma turity in old hot beds.
 For further information kindly wlite to the Extension Department. University of Arkansas. Fayetteville.