The Washington times., 1917-04-11
HAS PLAN TOKEEP
GARDENS AT WORK
Department of Agriculture Is
sues Bulletin of Advice to
Home Gardeners.

a general plan whereby amateub
gardeners can get the most out Of
their backyards or lots and keep the
garden working all the time has been
worked out by expert horticulturists
Of the Department of Agriculture.
The plan iS a general one, and
warning is given that It must be
changed to meet individual condi-
tions.
II you have an average lot suitable
for gardening, say q lot 80 by 70 feet,
this garden plan will apply. II your
lot is smaller. II Is possible to trim
the plan down to At 1t. City gardeners
in Washington are aided by the fact
that it is possible to buy a large
number Of plants, such as tomatoes,
already started and ready for open
planting, obviating the necessity Of
'hotbeds.
Plan Described In BulIetin-
The plan is described in Farmers
Bulletin CNo. CAD, entitled "Ths
Home Garden In the South" which
may be obtained from the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. The suggested
order for the planting Of rows OF
vegetables is as follows:
Lettuce, radishes followed by cell
cry; onions, followed by celery: pars-
nips, followed by celery; carrots, fol-
lowed by kale; beets, followed by
kale; peas, early varieties, followed
by fall cabbage; peas, late varieties
followed by fall cabbage; beans, fol-
lowed by fall potatoes; cabbage. fol-
lowed by fall potatoes; cauiifiower
Kohl-Rabi, followed by fall potatoes
tomatoes, followed by spinach; egg
plants, peppers, followed by spinach
cucumbers, followed by turnips;
muskmelons or squash, followed by
turnips; early potatoes, followed By
fall beans; sweet corn. followed BY
fall peas.
Where the distance between the rows
Ii less than two feet. hand cultivation
with a wheel hoe is contemplated. II q
hand cultivator or wheel hoe Is not
available, the rows should be at least
two feet apart to give sufficient space
for the horse cultivator. Straight lines
should be followed. no matter what
method Of culture is used.
Plan Must BE Adapted.
Among the things that particularly
must be considered in each specific case
Is the location of the garden. In this
connection the question Of proximity to
the house should receive first consider
alton. As the work Of caring for the
garden Is usually done in spare time.
the location selected should be as near
the house as possible The slope and
type Of soil. should be the next consid-
erations. A slope to the south or SOUTH
east is usually preferable. because here
the soil warns up early In the spring.
which permits early planting and stimu-
lates the early growth Of crops. Prac-
tically any type OF soil can be used for
the garden, but a sandy loam Is to be
preferred.
Good drainage is OF prime import.
ance. The land should have suffi.
cient fall to drain off surplus water
during heavy rains, but the fall should
not be so great as to wash the soil. II
the land near the house Is level. arti.
ficial drainage should be employed.
Open bitches or tile drains will be
satisfactory. On level land that Il
not artificially drained It Is necessary
to plant on ridges or in beds to pre-
vent drowning the crops during wet
weather. The ridges or beds should
be as wide and flat as conditions will
allow, for narrow, sharp ridges dry
out quickly.
In planning the location of crops
consideration should be given to the
matter OF succession. In order thai
the land may be occupied as large &
part OF the time as possible. It is moi
adviaable to have a second planting
Of the same crop or q closely related
crop follow the first, for many OF th'
same diseases and insects affect al
these crops.
In some sections three or four crop.
can be grown on the same land each
year, while in other sections two cropl
are all that can be grown to advan
tage. When a crop Is harvested earl,
in the season and II IL not practicable
to plant another vegetable for two ol
three months, the land may be plant