The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1920-05-13
PREPARED BY the United States Depart.
usnt % AgrcultureD

Common garden crops are divided
/ hy the United States department of
agriculture specialists into four groups
as regards the time % planting them
In the open ground.
The first group includes the vegc-
| tables that will Withstand consider.
able frost and which may be- planted
/ two or three weeks before the danger
~ frost Il past In the spring. The
second group. or seml.hardy crops. |
may be planted a few days before. ~
about the time. that the last killing
first II likely 10 occur. The third
group. those easily killed by frost.
should not be- planted until all danger
81 frost II over. The fourth group. I
the heat-loving plants. should never
be- planted In the open until both the /.
soil and N" air are thoroughly warm.
Among the crops ~ the first group
that may be- planted before frosts
arr pasture Irish potatoes. smooth |
peas onion sets. cabbage plants. kale. /
turnips. he.ts. lettuce and mustard /
They may be- planted early. because .
they require two or three weeks o. .
come M. while the young plants are .
easily injured by frost. by the time 4
they spruut and come 20 the surface 4
frost danger is likely 20 be- past.
Don't Follow Moon Rule.
Some gardeners formerly believed In .
planting Irish potatoes and CERTAIN j
other garden crops In the proper
,H.s. ~ al. moon ~. au.. a....sns g.,
know how the old moon theory orig
mated. but IL seems to date back o.
prehistoric times and probably was
based upon the method OF keeping
time by moons rather than by months.
There II no definite experimental data
90 show that the moon has any inhu.
ence one way or the other. and exI-a
rienccd gardeners prefer TO plan, their
potatoes az a time when the weather
and soil conditions are right rather
than according 10 the phase Of the
moon. Experience has shown that
the point Of most importance f. Ia
have the land In first.class condition
for planting. then proceed 10 plant as
soon as weather conditions permit.
Wnen teas onouid 20 w.
The dwarf or smooth varieties Of
English peas may be planted about
the same time a. Irish potatoes. Here
again soil preparation is important.
and the ground should be made fine
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
erred as much as four inches. while
others maintain that two Co thre
inches Is sufficient. Much will depend.
however. upon the character of the I
soil In which the crop II planted. n .
the soil Is light sandy loan and In
clIned TO dry out quickly. the peas ,
should be covered three 90 four .
inches. hut II the soil Is rather heavy
and inclined 20 pack closely. they
should not be covered more than one
and one-half 90 two inches. The VA
rietles Of peas having wrinkled seed
coats should not be planted until
about two weeks after the smooth VA.
rietles. They are just a little morr
susceptible 10 injury from frost and
will mature about as early n planted
when the ground has slightly warmed.
when 10 Take Chance.
In the case OF certain garden crops,
The investment In seed II too great
for taking a chance with the weather.
but with beets. lettuce. and radlshes
very small quantity Of seed Is re-
lulred. and n they come through IN
good shape. the product will be- ready
for use much earlier than N the plant. :
ng were delayed. About - or "a ,
feet Of row win give all the early
'eets required by an ordinary family
may be planted In the rows y
with Cs-ly peas. However II will he u
necessary 90 remove the radishes b..
fore they begin 20 crowd the peas. A. 7
/ rule. radi hes win be ready for use
IN three 10 four weeks after planting.
,r Just about the time lat the peas
have begun o. make a Vigorous
growth. 'tost gardeners make the
mistake OF planting too many rad
shes or at least of planting too many z
II one time and not being able To use n
he product. a
The old-fashloned method Of grow n
ng lettuce wis 90 plant a bed along Il
ma side or In one corner Of the gar. o.
len. and when the plants were large n
'nough. 10 thin them. using the prod n
ict as needed and leaving the ~ 7
10 grow larger. This method Ia
u growing lettuce Is not as desirable n
u the plan Of growing u In rows. -
where II can be easily cultivated. Lat, n