The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-04-16
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)

SONCaUtA ZIG
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Common garden crops are divided
by the United States department of
agriculture specialists into four groups
as regards the time of planting them
in the open ground.
The first group includes the vege-
tables that will withstand consider
able frost and which may be planted
two or three weeks before the danger
Of frost Is past in the spring. The
second group, or semi-hardy crops,
may be planted a few days before, or
about the time, that the last killing
Arost Is likely to occur. The third
group, those easily killed by frost,
should not be planted until all danger
of frost is over. The fourth group,
the heat-loving plants, should never
be planted in the open until both the
soil and the air are thoroughly warm.
Among the crops Of the first group
that may be planted before frosts
are past-are Irish potatoes, smooth
peas. onion sets, cabbage plants, kale,
turnips, beets, lettuce and mustard.
They may be planted early, because
they require two or three weeks to
come up. While the young plants are
easily injured by frost, by the time
they sprout and come to the surface
frost danger is likely to be past.
Don't Follow Moon Rule.
Some gardeners formerly believed In
planting Irish potatoes and certain
other garden crops in the proper
phase of the moon. No one seems to
know how the old moon theory orig
mated. but 1t seems to date back to
prehistoric times and probably was
based upon the method of keeping
time by moons rather than by months.
There is no definite experimental data
TO show that the moon has any infiu-
ence one way or the other, and expe-
ricnced gardeners prefer to plant their
notatoes at time when the weather
and soil conditions are right rather
than according TO the phase Of the
moon. Experience has shown that
the point of most Importance Is TO
have the land in first-class condition
for planting, then proceed to plant as
soon as weather conditions permit.
When Peas Should Go In.
The dwarf or smooth varieties OF
English peas may be planted about
the same time as Irish potatoes. Here
again soil preparation is important
and the ground should be made fne
and mellow before planting. Opinions
differ as TO the depth TO which the
seed peas should be covered. Some
authorities claim they should be Gov
cred as much as four inches, while
others maintain that two to three
inches is sufficient. Much VIII depend
however, upon the character OF tht
soil in which the crop is planted. Il
the soil is a light sandy loan and IN
clined to dry out quickly, the peas
should be covered three to foul
inches. But If the soil is rather heay,
and inclined to pack closely, the,
should not be covered more than on
and one-half to two inches. The va
rieties Of peas having wrlnkled see'
coats should not be planted unit
about two weeks after the smooth va
rieties. They are just a little NOR
susceptible to injury from frost ant
will mature about as early IL planted
when the ground has slightly warmed
When to Take Chance.
In the case Of certain garden crops
the investment In seed is too grea
for taking a chance with the weather
but with beets, lettuce. and radlshes
: very small quantity of seed Is re
} ouired. and II they come through \
good shape, the product win be read
| for use much earlier than II the plant
I ing were delayed. About % or 3
, feet of row win give all the earl
beets required by an ordinary famil!
, Radishes may be planted In the row
with carly peas. However, 1t VIII D
necessary to remove the radishes o
fore they begin to crowd the peas. a
r a rule, radl5hes win be ready for Us
{ IN three 10 four weeks after plantini
: or just about the time lat the pea
3 have begun to make vigorcr
e growth. ftost gardeners make IN
T mistake of planting too many ra'
D ishes, or at least Of planting too man
> nj one time and not being able to u
the product.
I The old-fashioned method OF grow
ing lettuce was to plant a bed alor
, one side or in one corner OF the Ga
9 den. and when the plants were lars
enough, to thin them. using the pro
net a. needed and leaving the r
mainder 10 grow larger. This methS
Ct growing lettuce Is not as desirab
a. the plan Of growing II In row
xxaora A ean he easily cultivated. IL