The farmer's garden, and its management

Author's Preface

In writing this treatise, it has been the author's earnest endeavor to treat the subject chosen in a plain, practical and concise manner, easily understood by all.

While aware of the fact that there are many excellent works on the "garden and its management," a great many of them do not meet the requirements of the beginner, they being written in too professional a manner, not easily understood b}^ those who are } T oung in this pleasant and profitable employment — gardening.

The author believes this work will be found complete in its way, simple in construction, plain and practical, and trusts it will be of assistance to you in supplying your requirements; and, too, we hope you will find some interest in its pages whether you are an amateur or a professional. Such has been our earnest endeavor, and we trust it will be recognized as a trustworthy guide.

After a careful study of its pages, even the most inexperienced should be able to care for the Kitchen Garden, be it an acre, or more, or less. And as a beautiful, well-kept lawn, with its beds of flowers, adds much to the attractiveness of rural as well as city homes, we have added notes on the preparation of the one and the culture of the other, so that you may not only be supplied with an abundance of the finest vegetables and fruits, but also enjo} r the delights of home life through its surrounding attractions.

The notes given on the care of the lawn and the culture of flowers are fully as trustworthy as those given on the care of the Garden, and if followed, success will be reasonably assured.

And now, kind reader, we commend it to your care, hoping you will make an aquaintance agreeable to all. So, wishing you great success in your labors, we beg to remain your faithful and humble servant,

John T. Teat.

Cardington, O., Jan. 3, '96.

' ' Gardening is an occupation for which no man is too high nor too low. ' '

And Its flanagement.

INTRODUCTORY.

^^HE GARDEN is generally regarded as one of the CJv most insignificant parts of the farm — frequently more

,iu of a nuisance than anything else — only to be tolerated yjl^ to satisfy the whims of the "wimen folks," while if

A cared for as it should be we would find it to be one of the most profitable plots of ground on the farm. So firmly grounded is this nuisance idea in the masculine mind that no effort is made to cultivate a really good one, and thereby ascertain the real value of a generous supply of crisp and delicious vegetables on the table throughout the year. Do not be content with raising the common varieties only, but have a place for everything and everything in its place.

This not being the case, we may be pardoned for scolding a little and for taking the part of the too often sadly neglected farmer's garden, when it should be a tempting feature of every home. There is no country in the world capable of producing a greater or better suppky of table "sass" than is ours. Every family in the land should be constantly supplied with the best vegetables and fruits, which is of great advantage to health, and reduces the grocer's, butcher's and doctor' s bills. In writing this treatise we shall endeavor to give a few practical points to aid 3 r ou in making a start.

The limited number of vegetable and fruit gardens worthy of the name found in connection with rural homes is realty astonishing when it is remembered that the farmer has facilities for gardening, if properly used, to distance all competition, and thereby not only improve the health of his own family but also add man}- a dollar to his income. He has his choice of soil as well as fertilizers and ample horse power to aid him in tilling the soil; and yet, of all gardens, the farmer's garden is too often the most sadly neglected and valueless.

Quite true, farm life is very busy at the season of the year when the garden calls for attention, and this is perhaps the reason for the neglect shown in the farmer's garden. The family of the town can find a supply on the market but this is quite often of inferior quality; but the farmer's family often has to go without even these, when the very best of everything could be had in abundance throughout the year by a little effort being put forth on the part of the farmer. All quick-maturing crops require much richer soil than those that require a longer season in which to reach maturit}'-. L-ate peas, like marrowfats, etc., will yield a good crop on moderately rich soil, without manure, while the early varieties that mature in May require an abundance of plant food easily available early in the season. The same is true of most all, if not all, crops; the shorter the time in which they mature the better chance they must have.

In all crops that require to be thinned, every day's neglect after the plants are large enough to thin reduces the crop. This work should be done promptly as soon as you can get hold of them with thumb and finger. The same is true of all delicate crops that require hand-weeding as they should be cleaned out as soon as the row can be seen. A delay of a few days or even hours will double the work and the loss of a week's time may ruin the crop; then, too, a wet spell may give the weeds such a start that it will be impossible to save the crop.

The time to destroy weeds is before they come up, while the mere stirring of the soil as soon as dry enough after a rain destroys most of the weeds that have started, besides giving your crop a start over the few weeds that may be left. Make it a rule that no weed, no, not even the finest specimen, shall go to seed on your garden, or better still, on your farm. The average garden ripens enough noxious seeds every season to supply the entire community. Judgment must be used in covering seeds of various kinds, and the amount of soil and compacting must be regulated according to the season.

Seeds sown early require light covering and little or no pressing of the soil, while midsummer planting requires more soil over them, which should be packed firmly about them.

All crops which come up small and require hand-weeding should be sown in straight and very narrow drills. If a crooked furrow is made it will require very much more hand- weeding to keep them clean, compared to what there is when a straight drill one inch wide receives the seed.

Where land is to grow a second crop, as in the case of early peas, beans, spinach, potatoes, etc. , everything should be on hand to do the work at once and take advantage of suitable weather that may come. All work must be done promptly and at just the right time or the labor will be greatly increased.

In nearly all cases the hoe and the rake can be used to advantage before the seeds come up, and right over the row, too, if carefully used. The weeds will thus be kept in check and the moisture retained for the future use of the crop.

I rather like the idea of keeping the ground covered with vegetation throughout the season, as there will be more encouragement to keep it clean and in the very best condition, and looking its very prettiest. Whenever possible sow a crop of rye for plowing under in the spring, if the plowing is not done in the fall. Or sow it anyway.

The Location.

The kitchen garden should be located as near the house as possible and should not be located on another road half a mile from the house, thereby compelling the ' 'gude' ' wife to travel all over a quarter-section every time she wishes a few vegetables for dinner or supper. But when located near the house it should be enclosed by a poultry tight fence, or I am afraid someone will say something not suited for publication; for "biddy" seems to know just where the hills are that contain the choicest varieties. In choosing a location I would prefer a plot in the shape of a parallelogram; that is, about twice as long as wide, provided the land that can be appropriated admits of this shape.

This plot should contain about an acre, more or less, to suit your own individual requirements; but an acre will give sufficient space for everything from radishes, onions, lettuce, etc., to potatoes, corn and small fruits. On the outside next the boundaries a border of about ten feet wide should be left for the growing of the smaller vegetables; on the sunny side, those that mature earl)- in the season and on the northernly side those varieties that require shade.

Before going farther, I will sa3^ that the garden should be as nearly level as possible, or if sloping, not so much so as to be in danger of being washed by heavy rains. If sloping, it should be toward the south or east, and should be so situated as to have a good surface drainage, for without this, or under-draining, it is almost impossible to raise early or fine vegetables at a profit.

These are to be considered the most essential points in selecting a plot for a garden. Of course, a rich soil is to be desired, but if that is deficient the gardener can, by the use of manure, remedy a deficiency of this kind in a few seasons, while he cannot make a favorable location for early vegetables on a north slope if he should endeaver to do so for a lifetime. If it were possible, I would have no fence around the garden, as it is usually more of a nuisance than anything else, being overgrown with weeds, and a waste of ground where it is not a necessit}^. But if a fence is necessary, have a good one so as to keep out poultry as well as stock.

The gardener has no use for a scratching hen, cats, dogs, etc. , in his beds of plants, for these are his most aggravating enemies. A scratching hen seems to know just where the choicest seeds are planted, while cats and dogs like to roll in a bed of plants.

In plowing the ground in early spring I would not plow more than is needed for the first planting, and the remainder when the soil has become more dry and friable, as it will not then become packed by the heavy spring rains which are sure to come about this time of the year. For the first planting the ground should be plowed and the seeds sown as soon as the ground can be prepared ; the hardier varieties such as peas, radishes, onions and lettuce, will even stand a slight frost, and while adapting their growth to the weather will be ready to smile a welcome on the first warm spring days.

Sometimes we cannot wait for the soil to be in the ver}^ best condition, as in a drought, when we wish to plant a second crop. In this case it must be brought into as fine a condition as possible, b}- rolling and harrowing. The former is often neglected in the average garden.

The small fruits should all be on one side of the garden where they will not interfere with the working of the rest of the garden in spring or fall. In planting, the width of the cultivator and swingle-tree must be taken into consideration.

If the soil has been heavily manured, the rows may be planted as closely as will admit of cultivation and allow a good supply of sun and air to reach the roots, excepting melons, cucumbers, squashes, etc. , which should have ample room to make a spread and sun themselves.

Bush beans, dwarf peas, etc. , can be sown as closely as two feet, while corn, pole beans and other tall-growing crops should be at least three feet apart each way, while smallgrowing crops such as onions, lettuce, radishes, spinach, etc. , can be sown as closely as one foot apart, not only to admit of working but to allow sun and air to reach the roots.

The Soil of the Garden.

Soil on which some cultivated crop has been grown is preferable to sod for starting a garden, as it is more easily brought into a fine condition in earl}- spring. Another fault is that grass is also one of the hardest weeds to destroy among small crops such as onions and radishes. Sod is also often infested with grubs, which prey upon young tomato, cabbage and vine plants. Whether new land, or in the old garden, it is best to put all coarse manure on in the fall and plow it under as soon as the ground can be cleared.

The land should be plowed in the fall and left as plowed. A plow with a straight mould board should be used for fall plowing, as it leaves the moulds more on edge and therefore more to the action of the frost, which will be of great benefit to heavy soils that are late in drying out in the spring, which is of great advantage, as ever}' kind of products can be gotten in when the proper season arrives, while it also adds much to the appearance of the garden. A few days too late may mean failure. The gases arising from the decaying of the manure also tends to lighten the soil instead of being wasted in the air, as when in heaps or in the barnyard. Such manure, when applied in the spring, makes dry soil still dryer, and unless plowed well down where it will do the young plants little or no good, it would .burn them up if the season should be hot and dry.

By plowing time in the spring this manure will have become thoroughly mixed with the soil and will be worked through the soil, thus affording an abundance of plant food in all stages of growth. Manure is the food of all plants, and you must afford an abundance of available plant food if you expect good returns from your vegetable or fruit garden. Garden soil sometimes becomes surfeited with stable manure. In this case cover with lime, use commercial fertilizer, or plow under a crop of clover or other soiling crop;

Unfortunate is the gardener who fails to see the adaptability of his soil which must in a certain degree decide the value of the crop he grows. A poorly adapted soil is a great drawback to successful gardening.

Preparing the Soil.

The time of plowing varies to meet the requirements of different soils, seasons and localities; and every piece must be considered by itself. Means should be taken for starting the plow as soon as circumstances permit.

In dry soils and well drained localities the plow can be used much earlier than on heavv soils. Nothing is gained by plowing heavy soils until they are in a proper condition, but rather the reverse, for they will become lumpy and it will be late in the season before the lumps can be pulverized and brought into a condition to impart nutriment to the growing crops.

If the plowing has been left till spring such soils should be plowed when in that condition of moisture to insure mellowness and fine tilth. To determine when soil is in the the right condition for plowing or cultivating, take a portion in the hand; if it packs and sticks to your fingers it is too wet, while if it crushes hard it is too dry. In both cases it will be hard and lumpy, and will take a long time to bring it to the condition necessary for good results.

A loose, well pulverized soil allows the air to circulate freely among its particles, and the spreading roots of the plants reach out and draw their sustenance from a more extended surface than in soils which have assumed a compact form. Seeds sown on a compact soil cannot be expected to produce other than a sickly growth of plants. It should be borne in mind that a good crop on one acre is better than half a crop on two acres. The production of crops is not a matter of chance as many may suppose, but depends on the care bestowed upon them. While it may not be possible to choose such soil as is desired, much may be done in the way of artificial improvement by draining, manuring, etc.

The soil should be well drained unless of such a nature as to render this unnecessary. Muck, manure and other fertilizers should be abundantly used. A sandy loam is one of the best soils we have, being rich in vegetable matter. Alluvial soils are well adapted to vegetables but not to small fruits. One of the best soils we have is a rich, gravelly loam. Such soil retains moisture longer than a sandy soil and is adapted to the growth of a greater variety of crops than any other and when mixed with vegetable matter is one of our most valuable soils.

Another point of importance is the fining and compacting of the soil as soon as plowed in hot, dry weather. In preparing soil for garden crops during summer it is best not to wait to do a whole day's plowing, but every few hours to pulverize what has been plowed, and for this purpose there is nothing better than the plank drag. Evaporation is so rapid in the hot summer days that land will often dry out in a single day so that a good seed bed cannot be formed unless the soil is pulverized immediately after plowing.

Tools.

Although not really necessary, it is of great advantage to

, have an assortment of tools for thoroughly preparing the soil, and to facilitate the labor of caring for the crop and destroying weeds and insects.

Where the garden is cared for as it should be there will be little or no chance for the weeds to start. While there is generally an assortment of 'tools on ever} 7 farm suitable for use in the garden, I will give a list of those adapted to garden use.

First is the Plow. For breaking the ground in spring use a common two-horse plow. This puts the manure down as desired and takes a generous slice at each cross. So long as the fresh manure does not come in direct contact with the plants it will be hardly possible to put on too much, but it is best to use nothing but thoroughly decayed manure. It is also best to cut a narrow furrow when plowing, as then the manure becomes more thoroughly incorporated with the soil. Always keep your tools bright, sharp and clean, as it is much easier to use a bright, sharp hoe or plow; then too, the work is done in a much better style than where dull, rusty tools are used. And, it will go to show that you too are also sharp and bright.

Next to the plow comes the Harrow, which should also be sharp; it is then a splendid tool for making a fine seed bed on which to sow seeds, or for setting out small plants. Where more land has been broken than is needed for immediate planting, it is a good plan to run over it with the harrow, keeping it clean and in good condition for planting, as you can take advantage of a shower to set out cabbage, tomato, celery and other plants while the soil is wet. Commence planting when, or just before, the rain begins so that the plants will receive the benefit of the shower.

Next comes the Roller, which is very hand} 7 for pulverizing the soil when hard and lumpy. A small hand roller about three feet long is very convenient for rolling in small seeds when sown by hand. The value of compacting the soil about freshly sown seed, especially in summer, cannot be over-estimated.

The Wheel Hoe is a very convenient tool in the caring for crops and should be one of the best obtainable. A good implement does not throw the dirt over small plants, and the rows can be worked closely, so that it is unnecessary to go over the rows with a hand hoe after the plants have been thinned. Keep all cutting parts bright and sharp. To obtain the best results with this tool you should go over each row two or three times so as to work the soil over thoroughly. When kept sharp and bright it will surprise you to note how easy it is to run one, and how much better w r ork is done; and a man can hoe an acre a day when the soil is in good condition.

A Seed Drill is a very convenient implement, but is quite expensive and not practical in the garden when we consider that it is not often that there are more than one or two rows sown to an} T one kind of seed, 'and this can be done in almost the time it would take to set the drill. The combined drill and hoe is a delusion and a snare. Don't experiment. If you want a satisfactory tool don't have any combinations about it.

And, too, you will need a good strong garden line, long enough to reach across the garden. This will be very useful to assist in laying out the garden neatly. A good line well cared for will last for years, and will be one of the requisites for the garden as there must be no hit or miss work if you expect to succeed, as every plant must be in the row. Where it is necessary to keep a few inches from the row to avoid cutting the plants that are out of the row, either the soil will not be worked up to the row as it should be, or has to be gone over with the hand hoe, which consumes considerable time where much ground is under cultivation.

The Hand Hoe. This tool is so well known and universally used as to need no directions as to its use. It should be kept sharp and bright, however, as it will then not only be much easier to use but will also do much better work. When sharpening a hoe, grind or file on the front instead of the back. It will then slip into the soil much easier.

The Steel Rake. There is no tool of more real value in the garden when kept well in use than the steel rake. The benefit is three-fold. Pulverizing the soil for an inch or two in depth prevents the escape of moisture from below, increases the growth of plants and destroys the weeds before they can make an appearance. The mistake of supposing that stirring the soil is not necessary unless there is a visable sign of growth of weeds to be destroyed should be abandoned. The surface should not only be kept clean, but frequently broken up and mellow. The pulverization of the soil should be kept near the surface not only to insure safet)r to the roots of the plants, but because the moisture in the soil is retained better than by deeper mellowing. The rake also enables the laborer to work much faster than with the hoe, and if used as often as it should be will pass over the ground with remarkable- ease. (When through using the rake or hoe hang them up, for they are dangerous things to step on). The space between the rows of cabbage, beans, peas, celery, etc., ma}' thus be kept clean with little labor.

Garden Trowels, Spades, etc. , are also very useful in the

AND ITS MANAGEMENT Id

garden and must have care, and an occasional call on the grindstone.

Laying Out the Garden.

As before stated, a parallelogram is the best shape for a kitchen garden, as it renders more easy the preparation of the soil, and also the cultivation of the crops. On the outside next the boundaries a border of about ten feet should be left for the growing of the smaller vegetables, which should be sown in beds; those on the sunny side for the early ones and those 011 the northern^ side that require shade. The rows (for the seeds in these beds should never be sown broadcast), should run with the slope of the land wherever possible and should be the long way of the plot.

In winter while there is plenty of time before spring work comes on, the year's work should be planned; what varieties to plant, the quantities of each required, in what part of the garden to plant each variety so as to avoid the crossing of the different species, etc. , and thereby spoiling each other. Then, too, if the soil is of different quality in different parts of the garden, it should be planned so that the heavy and light soils shall be occupied by such crops as best succeed on the respective soils. Ease of cultivation and the rotation of crops should also be brought into consideration. The smaller varieties which require hoeing should be together; also those that mature at the same time, and those that require horse culture, making it much easier to prepare the soil for the succeeding or second crop. When la} r ing out a new garden, when it comes to the second season, rotation should be especially considered, as no two crops of the same varieties should be raised on the same ground two succeeding seasons as each consumes certain properties of plant food from the soil, so this change must be made so that the soil may be kept in a good state of cultivation.

Reference must also be made to the kind of food each plant requires, as for instance, potatoes and strawberries should not succeed each other, as each requires considerable potash for their development; therefore does it not stand to reason that where the soil has produced a crop of one it would of necessity develop but a small crop of the other if planted in close succession, if the deficiency has not been supplied? Neither should cabbage follow oats in direct succession, as the latter seems to poison the soil for the growth of the former.

It is much cheaper to work the garden with the plow than with the spade, so where sufficient land is to be had a large garden is much better, and can be cared for proportiouately much cheaper, than a small one, and your supply of potatoes, sugar corn, squashes, melons, as well as smaller vegetables can be had in profusion. In planting, sow a variety of seeds so that the different tastes may be supplied; not only your own, but other people's as well.

No fruit trees of any description should be allowed to grow in the kitchen garden, as they are a source of continual annoyance, while in time their spreading roots and tops render them a nuisance. They not only injure the vegetables, but they themselves are injured by plow and spade. Fruit trees should be planted separately where they may receive proper attention and not be an impediment to the care of the garden.

It is of great importance to rapid work and good gardening that all these points should be arranged in the mind, or on paper, before work begins in the spring. The plan, if kept, would be quite beneficial to the operator the following season as it indicates where each variety was grown the season before.

Compost.

Every gardener should have a generous suppty of this, as it is greatly superior to coarse manure for garden use, especially in making hills for melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, in celery trenches, etc. It should be stacked in the autumn and thoroughly decomposed.

It is composed of hen manure, hog manure, barnyard scrapings, ashes, leaves, bean and pea vines, or green weeds; in fact anything that will decay and make fertilizer, of which 3 r ou really cannot have too much. If made in the fall, as recommended, so much the better, as it will then become thoroughly decayed before needed; but it must not be exposed to the weather, as this will cause it to leach out and much of its value to be lost. To prevent this it maybe covered with old boards, or may be in some out building. Fork over occasionally to prevent burning and promote decay, always keeping the heaps flat on top, and moist by giving it a soaking whenever possible with washing suds, liquid manure, etc.

To make a good compost the heap should be one-half soil or ashes. Night soil may also be made into a valuable fertilizer by putting it into the compost heap or by mixing with soil or coal ashes. You really cannot make too much manure on the farm.

Manure.

It is a good thing to make manure and a better thing to save it. Manure is the food of plants, and you cannot expect good returns from your garden or fields unless the crops are supplied with nourishment. Therefore a good supply should either be made or otherwise procured, as the garden should have a heavy dressing at least two years out of three.