UNITED STATES SCHOOL GARDEN ARMY DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR | U •S •S •G | BUREAU OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON V GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION TOLLOW THE PIED PIPER Join the United States School Garden Army. • CARDEN MANUAL FOR TIlE SOUlHWESTERN REGION. This Garden Manual for the.Soutbweetern Region of the United States School Garden Army has boon prepared from leaflets issued from this office in the hope that it will be found valuable by garden teachers as an aid in their classroom work. The order or the lessons may be changed by the teacher to suit conditions under which she is doing garden work. The lessons have been planned for i5-minute classroom periods in My grade above the third. PREPAJUNG 'rctm (lAnOY-N". OROPS AND THEIR ccea-c-contluned. LESlloN 1. How to Oboec Your Garden. LE8l!ON 37. Carrots. 2. Row to Plan Your Garden. 38. Mustard. 3. Selection o[ Crops for the Garden. 30. Spinach. 4. Small Garden PlaJlII. 40. Paeantpa. 5. Large Garden Plene. 41. Paraley. 6. The Hotbed. 42. Salsify. 7. The Cold Premo. 43. Chard. 8. The Compoo~Pile. 44. Kohlrabi. 9. UIlO (If Fallen Lea.voa. 45. Cauliflower. 10. Companion Crops. 46, Brussels Sprouts. .. 11. Buoceeton Crops. 47. Thinning. 12. Tho Seed List. 18. Weeding. 13. Buying Garden Seed. 49. Watering. 14. Seed 'l'esting. 50. Beane. 15. Planting DlI.tce. 51. 'rcmetces, 10. The Outdoor Seed Bed. ."12, Trnining Tomato Plants. 11. Manure. 53. Sweet. Corn. 18. Fertilizers. 54. Okm. 10. Humus. 55. The Care of the Garden. 20. Mulches. 5C. Intensive Oultivaticu. 21. Garden Tools. 57. All Season Cultivation. 22. Preparing the Soil. 58. Squash. 59. Peppers. CROPS AND TlIEIR CARE. CO. Cucumbers. 23. Radishes, 61. Melone. 24. Onions. 62. Sweet Pctetoee. 25. Lettuce from Plante. 63. Butabagaa. 26. PeRIl (Wrinkled Varieties). 64. Btrawberriee. 27. Turnips. llAltVESTING 28. Cabbage. 29. Collards. 65. When to Gather vegetables. 30. Rale. GO.Marketing Vegeta.bles. 3'1. Irish Potatoes. 67. Storing Vegetables. 32. Garden PC3t9. 68. Digging and Storing Potutoee. 33. Spraying. 69. Tho Fall Garden. 34. Anenll.te of Lead. 70. Better Carden Vegetables. 85. Kerosene Emulsion. -. Appendix. 36. Beets, 2 • • GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION. PREPARING YOUR GARDEN. Lesson I: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR GARDEN. / About 40 per cent of the food consumed in Germany during the Great Wllr was raised in homo gardens. We can do as well as this if we try. The first important thing to do wbcn you intend to raise a. garden is to sweet a site that will be convenient and eulteble. The garden should be placed in the home yard, ii possible. When it is connected with the home it becomes a permanent part of our home Me and will likely receive more careful attention then it would if located ftway from the home. Vecnnt leta are only to be considered wben there is no nvaileble space about tho home. The 19t should be chosen as ncar the home IlS possible. The distance from the home to the lot should not be too great. A great distance tends to decrease the interest and the feeling of proprietorship. Teachers can aid children in obtaining vecunt lots Jrom the owners and can greatly help in the selection of them. Lots that cnn be seen from the home can be mora easily protected from garden "Vandals and thieves. All urrcngements for lots should be mnde wail in advance oC the time for planting in order that the land may be improved by use of manures. Alter tho lot is selected, whether it be at home or away from it, the soil should be fertilized 'with street sweepings, gathered leaves, and stable manure. If the lot is a'way from the home, the owner should be seen and his permission obtained to cultivate it. This is generally easily obtained, as nearly every owner realizes that garden work win increase the value of his property. Bomeuimea it is ueeessury to pay rent for the lot. 'This should be entered as an item in the cost of the garden and should appear in the garden record. Afoor the garden plot is obtained you must dig up tho gross. The soil should be well shaken out of this and the graee thrown in a pile at the side of tho garden, where it can rot and be used for fertilizer Inter on. Cover the piled-up grass with fallen leaves and you will have a.li~tle· compost pile to use on your garden when you need it. Heavy clay soils will require much work. If they lack humus you must supply it before your plants will grow. It is generally better to get eendy or humus SOil6 if you can. Clay soils should have at Ieest u year of preparation before they nrc used for garden purposes. Moet borne gardens are well adapted for garden work and 'do nob require as much labor as the vacant lot. This is beMUSe the soil is generally worked over and over from year to • I year by the people living in the bouse . 3 4 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOU'l'E:WESTERN REGION. Lesson 2: HOW TO PLAN YOUR CARDEN. • In order to have a successful garden you must plan yOlll" work well in advance. Good gardening can not be done in the few spring weeks if you do not know exactly whnt you have to do and how you UIe to do it. Garden plans ought to be made during the winter, when tbere is little oppor-tuni ty to work in the garden. The fust thing you should do is to datarmina the 6iz~of your garden. This will depend a good deal upon what land you call get end the needs of your family. .A. garden about 20 by 40 feet is sufficiently large for one gardener to attend. This will supply enough vegetables for a family of four if it is properly cultivated. Your garden should not be larger then you ectuaIly need. H you can use more room than your family table requires, you can raise vegetables for the market on the extra space. Plen your garden with paths that will make it easy for you to go from row to row without hurting the growing plants. Rows must be further apart if you USG a horse or hundwbeel culti- vator than they would be for hand tools such as the rake or hoe. Do not waste any of your garden space. Plan your planting eo that you can use the land continuously. When you take one crop from the garden, replace it with another different crop to follow. This is called rotation. You should not grow tbe same kind. of crops over und over on the same ground. A. planting calendar (see Lesson 15) will tell you how you can always have fresh vegetables in your garden. Use all your land. Plant some crops between others. Plant lute maturing crops between early maturing ones. Vegetebloe that ripen quickly may be grown between those that ripen more slowly. Lettuce, radishes, end spinach may be planted between tomato plants, potatoes, moo~ The plants you will usa should be determined by the needs of your family and the demands .l of the market where you plan to sell your products. Do not plant anything in your vegetable garden that you can not eat, can, or sell. Lesson 3: SELECTION OF CROPS FOR THE CARDEN. You should grow only those crops that can be used at home or readily sold in tho markets. Do Dot try to grow too mfU1~varieties; select the mora easily grown crops at first, such as oni0113, radishes, pOllS, benne, turrups, boots, tomatoes, and cabbages. Study the local demands of your community find plant your gurdon to meet these. The amount of space devoted to producing vegetables for home use will depend upon the size of the family to be supplied. One-fourth of an ecre is sufficient for an average family, and the rest of the garden space DUl.Y be planted In crops to be sold in the local market. If a smaller garden is a necessity, only those crops used at homo should be planted. By careful attention to the rotation of crops and interplnntiug (that is, planting between rows nod other plants), one-fourth of an acre can be made to supply it. family of six with all tho vegeteblee needed. Plnn out n general cropping scheme simjlur to that given bolow. Always keep in mind that your plun must provide for R continuous succession of garden crops. • GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 5 • First planting.-Radishes, plants), and cabbages. PLANTING PLAN . onion sets, turnips, garden pens, beans, lettuce (from young Second l)lanting (two to four weeks Iaterj.c-Beets, carrots, corn, und parsley. Third planting (two to three wooks later).-Be!lJ15, beets, tomatoes (from plants), melons, okra, find com. Fourth andfifth plantings (late in summer or early in fall).-Benns, turnips, carrots, onion sets, mustnrd, cabbage. Tho above suggestions may be adopted by any community, with such additions as needed. The main thing is to have a definite planting plan, one that contains succession crops. Two mORTA1'<'T POINTS.-Koop your garden busy and plant only those things you can either oat or sell. Lesson 4: SMALL-GARDEN PLANS. The following plnu for a small garden, 20 by 30 foot, bee boon found' very sntisfo.ctory: DrAGRAl! OF 20 BY 30 FOOT GARDEN. North end. Lettuce, Radishes, followed by Late Cabbages. Onions, followed by Late Cabbages, Onions, followed by Parsnips, Carrots, followed by Kale. Beets, followed by Kale, Early Peas, followed by Cauliflower. Beans, followed by Fall Potatoes, Cabbage, followed by Fall Potatoes, Peppers, followed by Spinach. Cucumbers, followed by Flat Turnips. . Early Potatoes, followed by Fall Beans. PAT H Tomatoes. Squash. Compost Cold Hot Pile. I Frame, Bed . • 6 GARDEN MANUAL, FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. Lesson 5: LARGE GARDEN PLANS. The following plan for a large garden, 50 by 75 feet, has been found very satisfactory: DIAGRAM OF 50 BY 75 FOOT GARDEN. North end. Gate. Lettuce, Radishes, Late Cabbages to follow. Hot Onion Sets, Late Cabbages to follow. Bed. Carrots, Kale to follow. Cold Frame. Early Beets, Kale to follow. Early Peas, Late Beets to follow. Humus Pile. P Turnips, Winter Onions to follow. A T Tomato Plants. Beans, Fall Potatoes to follow. H Cabbage, Fall Potatoes to follow. Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Fall Potatoes to follow. Cucumbers. Early Potatoes, Fall Beans to follow. Spinach, Rutabagas to follow. Melons. Peppers, Squash. GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 7 Lesson 6: THE HOTBED. e If yOUI' garden does not contain a hotbed for raising early plants it would be well to con- struct one during October or early in the spring before the garden is started, when time can be devoted to it. Tho construction of 11 hotbed is not difficult and offers an excellent project for manual training. If the bed is constructed properly in the fall it will be in excellent condition for the next spring. In building i\ hotbed, u. pit is dug from 2 to 3 feet deep and from 5 to 6 feet wide. Gl/lSS enshee are used to cover the pit. These eeehee are generally 6 feet long and 3 feet wide, but other etendnrd sizes muy be obtained if necessary. Make the pit long enough to fit the size of the sash chosen. Place It z-inch plank, 12 to 15 inches wide, on the north side of the bed. The plank used on the south side of tho pit is about half the width or the one used on the north side. 'Ibls arrangement permits the S1l.Sh: to slope toward the south in order to get better results from the sunlight. 'Ibe ends of the bed are inclosed with boards cut to fit snugly and soil Is bunked up around tho entire framework to keep out the cold. The sashes may be hinged at the t-op nnd supported, when the pit is opened, by strong sticks, or they may be hinged on the side and thrown back when the pit is opened. Some- times the sashes fire made to slide in and out on strips of wood set into the sides of the hotbed. 'I'be opening of the sashes is necessary to secure proper ventilation of the bed and to allow the gardener to work in the pi t. About 10 or 12 weeks before the time of outdoor planting the pit should be filled with well-heated stable manure. This mauura should be covered with 6 or 8 inches of rich soil, Keep the ~0i1moist ,·vbile it is being heated by the fermenting manure. , ·e· finely pulverized. Keep a soil thermometer .in the pit and carefully record the temperature from day to day. when the temperature falls to 90" or 85°, jt is safe to sow seeds. U the bed has been properly constructed it will produce sufficient heat to grow plants during a. period of five or six weeks. Lesson 7: THE COLD FRAME. A cold frame is made like a hotbed, except that no manure is used. Sufficient heat is secured from the SUllo The chief object of using a. cold frame is to harden plants that have been grown in a hotbed. Ii plnute like the tomato were to be taken directly from the hotbed and plnnted in the open field they would probably die. They CM not stand the quick change from warm to cold con- ditions. If) however, such plants UTe first hardened by being tranepleuted to a cold frame, they ere able to stand cousidereble cold ,... ithout injury. Cold Iramee should be constructed in the fnll so that they will be ready for spring work. It is sometimes well to have II1any cold frames in the garden, especially in northern h.titudes, as they will save OliTplflllts during the cold spells of spling. In the middle of the da)~, when ilia air is warm the glnss o,r canvl\S nbove tho frnmes may j be raised. This pcrmitsa better ventila.tion for the plants nod at the same time httrdens them. As night approoches the plants should be covered. Later on the f'Tamcs may be kept open for 1). large pm:t of the day, but this should not occur oxcept when the day is Wnrtn. Before tho plants lire trnns.ferred to the garden tbe slishes should be kept off the frames for seveml days. • In some pn.rts of the country it is impossiblo to grow plants in a hotbod or cold fl·llJDO during winter unless ndditional protection is given. This is sometimes done by placing straw or hay over t.he glass. 8 GARDEN MANUAL 'FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. Lesson 8: THE COMPOST PILE. Most gardens need plcnty of humus. Decayed animal and vegetable matter conteine 8. great deal of plant food. When natural plant food cun not be supplied to our gcrdeue we have to • depend upon commercial fertilizers, nnd these are expensive. Commercial fertilizers contain no humus and so do not permanently enrich the soil. In cities it is becoming very difficult to get stable manure, as automobiles arc displacing our horses. The beet way for us to obtain humus for our gardens is to make a compost pile. A coo- vanient spot should be chosen in our garden that will not interfere with our planting. Select some out-of-the way corner for this purpose. Pile on this spot the refuse vegetation from the kitchen IIJld garden; mix this with soil and stir thoroughly, keeping the mixture moist, as this will help decay. Clippings from the lawn, fullen leaves, and street sweepings should be added from time to time. Mix tho materials thoroughly, forking over tho pile at least twice a season. ThE) mora thorough the mixing, the more rapid the decay. Compost piles started in the full will be ready for the spring planting. The compost pile becomes a very handy place to put all our garden refuse. It is surprising how rapidly compost material will accumulate. A little of the compost mixed with fresh, mellow soil will stock our flower pete with plenty of plnnt food for our homo plants . Prequently a regular compost bed is made by gardeuera. To make such a bed you should dig n. pit about 4 Ieat squere and about 3 feet deep. Place the refuse gatherings of the IO;Wll, kitchen, and gnrden in this. Add a little manure and mix thoroughly. Add some garden soil to the bed. Gradually fill the pit. in this way, being careful to keep the mixture moist to help decay. Compost that is well rotted ma~y be used at once. The rougher the material used, the longer the time necessary for complete decay. The coarser portions of the compost may be ·A buried at the bottom of the bed. When needed, the top layer should be taken off first. Lesson 9: USE OF FALLEN LEAVES. Every full the streets and lawns of our cities ere covered with fallon loaves. Generally these 11.1'0 raked together into large piles and burned. This is a great waste of plant Iced, for these leaves would be very valuable to our gardens. Thousands of dollars ere lost every year through this wasteful extrcvngance. All the leaves about your home should be gathered and added to your compost pile, where they will decay und make humus. Mix them thoroughly with Boil, add to your compost heap, and allow them to decay. If you have no compost pile, spread the leaves on your garden where crops are not growing and spade them in thoroughly. AI. fast, us you remove It crop from the garden cover the vacant space with loaves and work them into the soil. Place It thick layer of leaves about the roots of your smell fruit bushes, such as ruspberriee, currants, etc. Place leaves between the rows of your strawberry plants. 'Ibese leaves should be held in place by a light covering of garden soil or a thin layer of grass or hay. This will form an excellent mulch for your plants. Nature's way of making her soils rich is to shed the leaves of. her trees and allow them to decay and sink into the top soil. This is the ordinary leal mold we find so frequently in our forests. We can add leal mold to our gardens just as nature doee. Lesson 10: COMPANION CROPS. The following list gives the names of the usual companion crepe cultivated in your garden. No one gardener will employ all of them but will choose those especially adapted to the type of work he is undertaking: GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 9 Snap bean, cucumbers, squash, boots. Okra, mustard, lettuce, onions, e Pole Qeallil, corn, eniona, Swiss chard. Onions, beets. Beets, lettuce, beam, carrots. Parsley, lettuce. Bruesela sprouts, cnjons, beets, com. Paranipe, cniona, radishes. Cabbage, radishea, csrrcte, lettuce. Peas, mdlsuea. • Daulljlcwer, boots, carrots, perenipa, ealeify. Peppers, carrots. Darrota, beets, beans, onions. Potatoes (Irish), lettuce. Ocilarda, onioaa, lettuce, eplnech. Potatoes (sweet), corn. Corn, melons, lettuce. Radishes, beets. Cucumbers, corn, tomstoee. Rutabaga, parsnips. Knle, com, okra, tomatoes. Spinach, boons, corn. Kohlrabi, lettuce. Squash, com. Lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, onions. Swiea chard, carrots. Melons, potatoes, corn, rad.is.bOll. Tomatoes, Irish potatoes, spinach. Mustard, tometcee, com. 'I'umlpe, cnicue. Lesson 11: SUCCESSION CROPS. The following lists give the names of the usual succession crops cultivated in our gardens. No ana gardener will employ all of them but will choose those especially adapted to the type of work he is undertaking: SUCCESSlON CROPS. '00 BE I'LANTED A.'l' la-DAY IN'l'llRVAUI. Early pees followed by late beets. Beam (dwu.rl). Parsley. Early beans followed by Bummer tumipa. Beets, early. P",. OniOM seta followed b)' tomatoes. Oae-cte, early. Radishes. Early lettuce followed by celery. Com, early. Spinneh. EMIy carrots followed by cabbage>. Kohlrabi. 'Iurnipa, Rad.is.hos followed by cebbegee. e. LA-Tit ORal'S TO ,fOLLOW omens. Beets, lute. Cl\bhllg£', late. Flat turnips. Peaa, late. Brussels epcouta. Cauliflower. Kale. Bpiuach. Lesson /2: THE SEED LIST. Seeds lor your garden should be selected in advance of the planting period. Only the amount of seed absolutely necessary for planting should be purchased. The following table gives the approximate quantities of seed necessary to supply vegetables for a family of four. The amount needed by the student may be estimated from this table. Bean: Onlcn seta '! to 6 quarts. DUllh limn ..........•.•.....•........ 1 pint, Pea,garden_.......... -t 00 6 quarts. Pole lima ....•.........•............ 1.\ pint. h 2 'A Paraley ... '" •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• " IInc.• Snap ••.•.••••• __ w qU:ll'U1. P . I Boot ........•...............•..••...... >1 ounces. IIt"l!IDp •••••.••••••••••.••• _ ••••••••••••• ounce. Onbb:1ge: Redish ............•.....• h •••••.••.••• 1 ounce. Early 1 packet. Salsify " 1 ounce. Late ··.· ...•....... ~ ounce. Spin.ncb: Oarrot ....••.......• _....•.....•••..•..•• ] ounce. Ic epnng ........•..••••••••........ lounce. Oeuttrtcwer....................•......... 1 packet. In falL. ' ..•. _ ! pound. ~~y~~i:~::::~::::::::::::::~::::~~: i1 ~~k;~ts. ounce Sq~h: Uu1Jbard........................ 1 ounce. CIleumbe r.. . "..... S ElilIplant .•...................••••..•..•. ] plicket. umIUer. .. .. . ..•••••........• ] ounte. Knle .... _.........•..........•••••.•.••• 2 ounces. Tomato: LeUuca.... .... .... . ........• _•........ ! ounce. 1lll.l'ly••..•..••..........••••........ 1 pa.cket. Melou: Late .•...•.......................... lounce. Muskmelon ••.•.......•....••••...... 1 ounce. Tu.rn.ip ......•..••.•.......•...........• 2 to i ounces. WlltenD.eIOll .••.....•.•....•....•.... 2 ounces. • It is not supposed t.hat any family will use all the vegetables listed, nor will all families require the slUDeamount of any crop. The pupil should select his seed from this list and make successive plantings so that fresh vegetables may be obtained throughout the season. 118000"-19--2 10 GARDEN MABUAL FOR SOUTHWESTEBN REGION. Lesson 13: BUYING GARDEN SEED. It is very important that only the best garden seed be bought. Care should be exercised inmaking up the seed order and only the most reliable acedsmen should be dealt with. Although • many seeds of a certain kind may look alike, yet the crops they produce will vary greatly. A seed is simply a baby plant wrapped in an outer covering, nod it is herd to tell who.t the seed will produce uuless its ancestors are known. The best seeds have had their ancestors carefully selected by the men who grew them. The poorer plants were discarded and only tbe best allowed to mature and produce these seeds. This process is celled selection of seed and is a very important step in producing the best varieties. Reputable seedsmen make it IL rule to handle only selected seeds. It is betler to purchase a packet of e, certain vnciety of seed, say Scarlet Globe Radish) than simply a packet of unnamed radish seed. In planning the seed order, therefore, the first thing to consider i~quality of seeds and the second is variety of seeds. Seeds IDIlY be bought in bulk much cheaper than in packets. As 0. general rule better seeds are obtained in this way. The seed bought in bulk should be divided into seed peckete, each packet containing sufficient seed for the garden of the individual pupil. The cost of the smaller packets should be computed from the cost per pound of the bulk seeds. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SEED ORDEn. 1. Where possible, buy in bulk from reliable seed houses. 2. Buy only named varieties. 3. Select only those varieties recommended on lists sent out from this office or those varieties that have proved snbisfnotory to your best local gardeners. 4. Keep a record of the success of your varieties to guide you in the future. Lesson 14: SEED TEST! NG. A seed consists of two parts-an embryo and an outer covering. If the embryo plant is olive it will sprout into growth under Ievorabla conditions. If dead, the seed is worthless, We ought to know IIhat the seed We plant is good. It is It simple matter to teat this sprouting ability of seeds by furnishing them with warmth, moisture, and air. Air is everywhere, SOl practically, we need to provide only warmth and moisture. SOME B1MP,LE WAYB OF '1'ESTING TlIE VIAllUJTY on SPROUTING QUALI1'Y OF SEEDS. 1. Fill a water tumbler, a cup, or bowl half full of clean, moist Bond. Place 10 seeds on top of the sand. Covel' t.he top of the tumbler with u smnll piece of glass or a saucer. Keep the seeds moist and warm. Note the proportion of seeds that germinate. 2. Cut three or more pieces of blotting paper so that they will lie flat in a pie or soup plate. Place 10 seeds between each two layers of the paper. Add enough wnter to moisten the paper. Keep in 1\ warm room. Note the proportion of seeds that germinate. 3. Plant 10 seeds in the Boil of n flower pot Or a window box. Keep the soil moist and warm. Note the proportion of seeds that germinate. A record should be kept of these experiments, carefully noting results. If the pupil places 10 bean seeds in a germinating dish nnd seven grow, let him work out the percentage of Viability. It is especially important to teat seeds that have been. held Over from previous years. It « is worth while, however, to have pupils test samples of all kinds of seeds they sow. GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN nEGION. 11 • Lesson 15: PLANTING DATES. The Southwestern States contain six of the seven designated planting zones of the United States. Theso are known as A, B, C, D, E, and F. Definite planting dates nre indicated on the IDaI' for each zone and the vegetables suitable for such plantings are grouped together under four heads. .fl' 'f' " , , ..--.----.-----t ",;, \ , " ,, .... -.- ~----_ -v, _.~ ~y' ,. --_j_.L , _ r-·-··_~ • : ; " .b ~p~ ,6., ' I--,- ,, \, EARLIEST SAFE DATES FOR PLANTING IN THE OPEN. P1.ANTiNG DATF:l\llY \'~:OETADL'E cnour-a Zone. Group L Group 2. Group 3. Group 4. A ....•. __ ... Jan. 1to Feb. L ........ Feb.ltoFcb.15 ...... Feb. 15 1:0 Mar. L ........ Mar. Ito jl,fnr.15. D", ... "". Jo'eb. 1 to Feb. 15 ...... Feb. 15 to Mar, 1. ...... MaT.! to Mar. IS ........ Mar, 15 to Apr. 1. C ......•••.. Feb. Hi to Mar. L .••... Mu 1 to Mar. 15 ...•.... Mar. 15 to Apr. 1........ Afar. 1 to A&r.15. .0 .......... E ........... Mar. 1 to ?dar. 15 ........ Afar. 15 to ~r. 15....... Mar. IS to Afar. 15 .•.... Atnr. 15 to lIay 1........ V:/.1 to May L. ........ 11 yltoMo.y15 •••••... layl toh a}-IS . May Iji to June L F .......... Apr.15to ayl. ....... lIaylto1lfay15 ..•••••. May 15 to J una 1. ...... May 15 to June 15. • GROUP 1 (rna)' be planted two weeks before last killing frost).-Ell.r1r cabbage plants from hotbed or seed box, radishes, collnrde, onion eats, early smooth peea, kale, early potatoes, turrupe, and mustard. GROUP 2 (may be planted about the dllte of the laat killing frost).-Beets, paranipe, carrots, lettuce, snhify. spinach, wrinkled peaa, cauliflower plenta, celery seed, onion eeed, parale}', ewees corn, nnd Ohtoeee cabbage. Gll.QUi' 3 {should be planted two weeka after last killing frtl6t).-8nllp boons, okra, and tomato plants. GROUP 4 (can not be planted until ground is well warmed up, about a month after last ha.rd lroats).-lima beans, pepper plants, eggplant, cucumbers, melons. aquash, and sweet potatoes. 12 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REQION. Lesson /6: THE OUTDOOR SEED BED. The outdoor seed bed is u great help in starting our gardena properly. It is not necessary that this bod be very large, hut it should be located in a well-sheltered spot, where it can get • plenty of sunlight. The soil of the bed should be rich and well-drained. After the seed bed is selected, you should spade up the soil very thoroughly, making it fine and mellow. An application of humus should be worked into this soil. The finer tbe soil particles, the eaeier it is for the young plant roots to grow and get moisture. The roots of our seedlings have tiny hairs that reach out into the soil seeking food and water. These root hairs develop best in very nne, mellow soils. Clay soils may be improved by adding lime or sandy loam and working this in. Sandy soils will be improved by adding lenf mold or well-rotted manure. After these additions urn made the surface of the bed should be smoothed off carefully. . After the seed bed is prepared it; should be packed down lightly with n flat board. Lay the board on the surface and walk carefully over it. Repent this until the whole surface has been covered. Do not pack too tightly us that will drive the air out from between the soil particles. Make the drills for planting with a pointed stick. These should be as straight us you can make them. After the furrows are made, the seed should be sown. Scatter these along the furrows nt the right distances npart. Cover the seeds with tho proper depth of soil. The size of the seed planted will determine tho depth of covering. Mter the seeds. arc covered, firm tho eoil above them with a board. This. helps the roots of the young plnute 10 take a firm hold of the soil particles. Water the newly-planted seed carefully so thut they willuot be weahed away; Many gardens are ruined by careless watering when the seeds fire planted. When the plants come up t11C soil between the rows should be stirred with a hoe or a rake. If the seedlings nrc too truck, thin them out. If properly thinned they will grow rapidly and be reedy for transplanting in a few weeks. When you traneplaut. to the garden be very careful tllat you do not injure the young roots. Asma.ll trowel is an excellent instrument to usc for tro.neplunting. Some of the seed-bed soil should be removed with ouch tmneplnated plant. Lesson /7: MANURE. All garden crops require a rich soil, well supplied with humus. Humus is decayed vegetable or animal matt-er. Barnyard or stable manure is the best garden fertilizer, because it fur- nishes th ia humus. In some localities it is impossible to get manures for the garden, and dependence must be. placed upon commercial fer-tilizers. When mnnuree are selected for your garden care should be taken that there are no elements in them injurious to the soil. Bawdueb and shavings in manure tend to make tho soil sour. If the manure used comes from stables, III [ shavings and sawdust should be removed if possible. The manure from sheep, pigeons, and chickens contains a great deal of plant food. Those manures are more valuable than tho ordinary barnyard manures, but must not be distributed too thickly over the garden. It is generally customary to work coarse manure io to garden soil in the fall so thlLt it will have time to decay. In the spring, well-rotted manure can be worked into the soil with a digging fork. The amount, of munura nOCCSSl1ry for a go.rden depends upon the condition of the soil. Poor, worn-out soils will necessarily need more' than rich, mellow soils. From 20 f- to 30 tons of manure an acre is generally very satisfactory. This means about a pound of mlillure to evary squllTe foot of garde.n spnce. GARDEN lIIANUAL .FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGlON. 13 • Humus may be added to the garden soil by planting some leguminous crop. Oowpeea, soy beans, or vetch are excellent crops for this purpose. Such crops gather nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots. After these crops ure spaded into the soil, the nitrogen is U fixed" nnd becomes nvnileble for the young, growing plants. This method of supplying humus is only employed between cropping timeS and can not be successfully used to any great extent while your garden is being ~ed. . Lesson /8: FERTILIZERS. Many soils have been in continuous cultivation for so many years that they no longer furnish enough food fOl' plant growth. This food must be supplied by the gardener or plants will not develop lIS they should. You may supply this plant food by adding humus, manures, or fertilizers to the soil. Humus is any decayed vegetable or animal matter that we add to the soil to help plants grow. Lawn grilES cuttings, rotted leaves, cover crops, eto., make excellent humus Jor the garden. , Fertilizers nre chcmionl compositions tha.t contain food necessary for plant growth. Most fertilizers [1.1'0 composed of the throe elements needed by planta-e-nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. No definite rule can be given for the kind and quantity of fertilizer to be applied to the garden, 11.-$ this varies with the condition of t-he soil and the kind of crop to be raised. Garden fertilizer may be bought from your local dealer. All such fertilizer is graded nnd lebeled under the direction of the United States Government. A careful selection should be mnde and only the amount needed should be purchased. From 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of high- grade garden fertilizer may be applied to every acre cultivated. This means about 14 pounds to every 400 square feet of cultivated garden space. • As potash is scarce and expensive at the present time, wood ashes mllY be used in its place. Unleucbed wood fishes should be applied to your garden at, tllli! rate of 1,500 pounds per ncre. "Whenever it is possible, bnmynrd manures should be used to enrich the garden soil, but in some citdes it is impossible to get them. In such cases dependence must be placed on commercial fertilizers. Lesson /9: HUMUS. Humus is the decayed parte of nnimnle and plants and contains e. grout danl of plant food. Every bit of humus should be saved end used on your garden. In the cities we throw awny every day thousands of dollars worth of humus that could be used to produce more food. This is one wny we might conserve and help our country produce more, because every plant must have food and humus is the cheapest food we can give it. .An ounce of humus is aaid to produce a pound of bread. The black-leaf mold found in the woods .ia almost pure humus. This is nature's WRy of fertilizing her plants. She lets the old leaves and twigs full to the ground and decay so that other plants may get food. We could help our gardens a great deal if we were to collect all the old leaves and street sweepings and place them on our gardens. Many of the soils in the South lnck humue becuusa the sun hne burned it all out. Then the heavy ruins come along and wash it nway. Old leaves, straw, b'TtlSSCS, any decayed animal matter are excellent for humus. Tho garbage cans, found at every house in our cities, that nrc carted a,way a.nd added to the cjty dump pile, contain much vvunble fertilizing material if we would only use it. Your garden should hn:ve a humus pile for use when needed. This can be started in some • convenient corner and added to as fast as the mat-erial can be accumulated. in the pile and allow' them to decay. Mi.... old leaves 14 GARDEN MA..J.~UALFOR SOUTHWESTERN REGTON. As your garden is cleared at the end of the year, many of the plants taken out can be added to the pile. No plant should be added that is diseeaed or has been uutecked by insects. These should be burned as soon as the trouble is discovered. Some plants will decay much faster than others. Coarse, woody stems will decay very slowly. These should not be added to the pile • if it is to be used in the next year or two. Many times {lies gather about humus piles and are a nuisance. If the pile is covered with 6 inches of dirt the flies will not. gather. The addition of dirt does not hurt the humus. As new additions nrc made to the pile extre Iuyers of dirt may be used to cover them. Lesson 10: MULCHES. A mulch is anything placed on the soil to stop the evaporation of soil moisture. Straw and leaves are sometimes distributed over the ground about plants for this purpose. Often the top soil is stirred into a fine dust with 0. common garden rake or a small shovel cultivator to make a surface mulch. A mulch of llUy kind prevents evaporation. Soil moisture is continually coming to the surface and evaporating into the air. 'Ihe moisture passes up through the soil in the eame way that oil climbs the wick of a lump. This movement of soil moisture is called its capillary acticu. Oepillerlty call not take place unless the soil particles are in contact. If this contact is broken the moisture ceases to rise. The making of a mulch breaks this contact and thus destroys the capillarity of the soil. Plants need the moisture in the soil for their best growth. During the summer months there are usually many very dry spells. At these times we may help our gardens by keeping . a good duet mulch on them. This is easily dona with e rake or cultivutor, and does not take milch time. .A. shower of rnin will destroy this mulch, and &0 after each shcwer it .ienecessary • to prepare another mulch. Even if no rain fulls, there is generally sufficient dew to destroy tho mulch after n few duye. The maintenance of a dust mulch throughout the growing season is best for most garden crops. Lesson 11: GARDEN TOOLS. The number and kind of tools you require will vary somewhat with the size of your garden and the kinds of crops raised. As l\ general rule it is bast to get along with as few tools flS pos- sible. There are, however, certain garden tools that ure lndispeaeable. A rake, a spade, uud a hoe must. be available for every gardener. If the garden is largo, a plow is necessary: but generally we can employ a man to plow cur large gardens and he will furnish his own tools. It is unwise to limit oneself to only the three tools listed above, however, 118 ronny others are lnhor severs aud should be employed. A wheel hoe with extra attachment'S is inexpensive and very valuable. 'The best for general use is one that has a. single wheel with 11 diameter of about 2 feet. A seed-sowing attachment may be purchased as an extra, but this is not necessary in small gardens. The scuffle hoe is It popular tool. This hoo mny be either pllHhed or pulled and is especiolly valuable on lund tha.t is rather loose and {ree I.rom stones. It is a good substitute for t.ha wheel hoe in small gardens. A potato hook should be used in your gardeJ1 work. It is one of the best tools for culti- vating around young "Vegetables. If potatoes are .raised the hook is valuable for digging up the tubers. Trowels ore nlmost indispensablo, especially for trunsplanting young plants. Do not purchase a chenp t1'Owel, as it will brenk ellSily und is n wnste of money. The trowel should be a Strongl sturdy too1. GARDEN j\.[AN"UAL TOll SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 15 A garden line is a. necessity, as most gardeners like straight rows, end a straight row I'. can only be obtained by use of a good line. The line should have It reel for winding, Il8 it so Irequeufly becomes snarled and tangled if no suitable meUJ1Sare provided to keep it in the proper condition. Choose a hoe with great care. It should be strongly made and well balanced. It should not be too heavy or too light. Many gardeners employ several hoes of different weights. The hoe should be kept sharp. Sharpening may be done with a flat file as often as necessary. All tools should be kept clean. Never allow rust to stay on your garden tools. When tools are stored away coyer them with alight coating of Inrd to stop them from rusting. Rusted tools may be cleaned by soaking them in kerosene for 10 or 12 hours and then rubbing them briskly with n rough cloth. Occasional painting helps all tools. Lesson 22: PREPARING THE SOIL. Before planting garden crops the soil should be broken uJ) and pulverized thoroughly. Just as earJy in the spring as possible your garden should he plowed or spaded. Do not work the soil when it is wet, as thie will injure it. A good way to tell if the soil is dry enough to work is La press SOIDe of it; in the hand for a moment or two and then let. it drop to the ground, If the soil clod breaks on fulling to the ground, it is safe to work the soil. Many gardens are too smell to be plowed; these should be spaded deeply with a spading fork. Deep spading gives more air to the plant and 0. bertei- opportunity for its roots to develop. After the soil is spaded the clods should be thoroughly broken up and the top soil smoothed o:ffwith a rnko. It is sometimes well to spade your garden two or three times. The finer the • soil particles are broken the better your plants will grow. Harrowing the garden with a. course rake ,,,"ill greatly benefit the soil. A liberal dressing of well-rotted stable manure should be worked into the soil. This sup- 'plies food for the plane, improves the physicaJ. condition of the soil, and helps to hold moisture in dry seasons. If the soil is too acid, lime may be o.dded as this "sweetens" tho soil or neu- tralizes the acid character. Apply about 1,000 pounds of lime to each ecre At this rate, how much lime would be needed for 0. garden 20 by 40 feet ~ How much would it require for your gnrd en ~ Always remember that it requires more cure to properly prepare garden soil than that used for any other crop. CROPS AND THEIR CARE. Lesson 23: RADISHES. The radish is a hardy crop and may be grown in the open ell winter along tho Gulf Coast, In the northern section of tho South it is generally grown in cold frames during the wiI~_tel months. VA1UETIE5. 1. 'Iurnip-shnped or round: Scarlet Globe, Scm-let Turnip. 2. Olive-shaped or oval: French Brenldast, Early Scarlet, 3. Pinger-eheped or long: Long Scarlet Chartier, Long WhiteSpanisb. Icicle. PLANTlNO. • Prepare the soil carefully us soon es it is dry enough to work. Remove all clods und work in a light dressing of stable manure or commercial fertilizer. Smooth the surface with a rake. Sow the seed in drills from 12 to 15 inches apart (about four seeds to the inch is sufficient). Cover an inch deep and firm the soil over the seeds. 16 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. GROWING. When the seedlings have come up, thin out to an inch apart. Keep all weeds out of the rows. If the soil is not rich enough, distribute a light dressing of fertilizer between the rows but do not let it touch the plants. Radishes should be pulled as fast as they are large enough to eat. Successive plantings should be made every two weeks until summer and again in the autumn, when cool weather comes. Radishes may be sown between the rows of long-season crops. Lesson 24: ONIONS. Onions can be produced on almost any good garden soil. They are one of our standard vegetable crops. Buy your onion sets by variety from some reputable seed dealer. VARIETIES. 1. White: Southport White Globe, Silver Skin, White Silver King. 2. Yellow: Yellow Globe, Danvers, Ohio Yellow Globe. 3. Red: Red Globe, Red Wetherfield, Australian Brown. 4. Bermuda: Red Bermuda, White Bermuda, Crystal Wax. PLANTING. Prepare the soil thoroughly as soon as the frost is out of the ground. Line rows about 14 inches apart. Plant the onion sets from 2 to 3 inches apart in the rows. Cover the sets with 2 inches of soil. About 8 bushels of sets are required for an acre. Compute the amount of sets necessary for your garden. GROWING. Onions require thorough cultivation, which is usually done by hand. Weeds must be kept out of the crop as they seriously interfere with the growth of the onion plant. Onions may be pulled at any time after they are large enough to eat. These are known as green or bunch onions. When onions are ripe the outer skin of the bulb becomes dry and the tops fall. If the seed stalks are developed by the plant they should be removed at once as they interfere with the development of the onion bulb. Onions may be grown from seed either by starting in a hotbed and transplanting or else by drilling the seed in rows in the garden. With rich soil and proper care fair-sized bulbs from seed may be grown in the garden in a single season. The usual method of planting, however, is to use onion sets. Lesson 25: LETTUCE FROM PLANTS. Lettuce thrives best in cooler weather. During the winter months, in the northern section of the Southwest, it may be grown in hotbeds. In some sections of the Gulf States it may be grown in the open all through the winter. Lettuce is generally planted in our gardens in the spring or in the fall. VARIETIES. Tate's Giant, California Butter Cream, Big Boston. GARDEN MANUAL :FOR SOUTHWESTElI.N REGION. 17 '. PLANTING. To make lettuce leaves crisp and tender the plants should be forced. Successive plantings should be made every 10 days. When grown in the garden, seeds are sown in rows about 14 inches apart and the plants thinned out. The heading plants should be at least 8 inches apart in the rows. If the loose-lew lettuce is grown the plants may be placed much closer together. For very early plants seeds are sown in a hotbed and plants transferred later to the garden. One-fourth ounce of seed is enough for avery 25 feet of row space. Rave tho soil well prepared and apply a good quality of stable manure, working it thoroughly into the soil. Lettuce planted in the fall may- be left in the ground all w-inter in many sections of the South. If seed is planted in hotbeds, plants should be transferred to cold frames about February or March and to the garden in .April. Plece the young plants about 8 inches apart in rows 1 foot apart, GROWING. Keep t.he lettu'ce bed well hoed. In taansplnnulng plants be careful not to get soil in the head of your plants. I ..ettuce should he grown in well-drained, rich soil. If plants are loft in ground all winter, they may be protected with leaves or boards during excessive cold. Lettuce matures in from 60 to 90 days. . Cucumbers, radishes, and onions mnka good companion crops, while celery, beans, and tomatoes make good follow crops. Lesson 26: PEAS (WRINKLED VARIETIES), Early varieties of pens should be planted from February 1 to March 15, depending UpOD • Iatitude end the openness of the season. Wrinkled varieties may be planted as late as April 15 in some sections of the Southwest. VAR.I:E·.r.ms. Telephone, Nott's Excelsior, Mammoth, Long Island. PLAN'l'INO. Peas r-equire a sandy loam soil for best growth. Like banns, peas are 11 nitrogen-gathering crop and so do not need to be as heavily fertilized us many other garden crops, A garden tha.t bas boon well fertilized the previous year will be founel suitable for the growth of peas. Plant seed about 2 inches deep, 1 inch apart, in rows 18 inches apart. .A1lOUttwo pints of seed are sufficient for 100 feot of row space. OROWIXO. Pens should be cultivated as soon us l.he rows can 1)0 aceu and till} weeds removed from around the plnnts. Steke the toll vnrieuee: do not hill them. Pens will mature from 40 to 90 dnye. Successive plantings should be made about every two weeks. Peas may be followed by okra, corn, pepper, or late tomatoes. Peas are frequently damaged by tho English sparrow. In mllUY cities these pests destroy whole crops. To guard against this depredation, protect the crop with cloth or hang strips of paper streamers over the rows. Lesson 27: TURNIPS, • Turnips may be grown any time from February to Sor:t.ember. The crop requires well-pulverized soil. Turnips should be grown both us epnng and fall crops. llSO!JOO-W-3 It rich, 18 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. VARIETIES. Purple Top, White Flat Dutch, White Globe, Milan. PLANTING. If the crop is to be raised in the spring, the soil should be thoroughly spaded as early as conditions will permit. Do not work the soil when it is cold or wet. After spading, work in a liberal dressing of barnyard manure. Lay off the rows 18 inches apart, and sow the seed one- quarter of an inch deep rather thickly. About an ounce of seed is sufficient for every 100 feet of row space. After the plants reach 4 inches in height, thin out to about 6 inches apart. The thinned-out plants may be used for greens. If late turnips are grown, the seed is generally sown broadcast on some land previously used for another crop. GROWING. The cultivation of turnips is like that of carrots. Weeding and thinning should take place early. All grass should be kept away from the young plants. The turnip plant is very hardy and will withstand several frosts. Turnips may be stored in a cellar or buried.in a pit in the yard. All tops should be removed before storing the plant. The turnip matures in from 60 to 90 days and is then ready for eating. Onions may be planted as a companion crop to turnips if the latter are not broadcasted. Early turnips may be followed by beans in the spring or by tomatoes in the summer. Lesson 28: CABBAGE. Along the Gulf Coast region of the Southwestern States cabbage may be sown in the open garden from late September to early January. In other sections of the South, hotbeds or cold frames are used for starting cabbage plants. Seeds should be planted in frames about eight weeks before time of transplanting to the garden. Cabbages will withstand a hard freeze if the plants have been carefully hardened before transferring to the garden. Cabbages are not grown during the summer as they can not withstand the heat. VARIETIES. Spring and early cabbage: Jersey Wakefield, Charleston Wakefield, Succession, Early Jersey. PLANTING. Spade the soil deeply and break up all clods. Manure may be broadcasted or placed in the opened rows beneath the plant. If the latter is done, care should be taken that the manure does not come into contact with the roots of the tender plants. In order to avoid the danger, place a little manure at the bottom of the row and cover with a light application of soil before the plants are set. Remove plants from hotbed or cold frame and place in rows about 18 inches apart. Distances between rows should be at least 2 feet. After the plants are in the rows, draw the earth up around them. GROWING. Cabbages are ready for use as soon as the heads are well formed. The interior of the cab- bage plant should bo white. It takes about 250 days for the cabbage plant to mature. Cab- bages may be followed by fall potatoes, okra, or corn. GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 19 CABBAGE PESTS. The enemies of the cabbage are also the enemies of cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Radishes, kohlrabi, and turnips are attacked by many of the same pests. THE CABBAGE WORM. This is one of the most destructive of our garden pests. The worm is really a caterpillar, velvety green in color and almost the same shade as the cabbage leaves. The adult is a butter- fly, almost white in color with dark spots on its wings. Control: Dust the young cabbages with ashes or road dust to prevent the laying of the eggs. Kill the butterflies as they hover over the plants. Hellebore is a good preventive if dusted on plants after head begins to form. Hot water at a temperature of 130° to 150° F., if poured on plants, will kill the worms and not injure the plants. CUTWORMS. These insects attack the cabbage early in the spring and cut off the young plants. In the fall they sometimes do further damage by feeding on the leaves. Sprays will not affect cut- worms. They must be destroyed by placing poisoned bait about the plants. This bait is usually made from 1 pound of bran, 1 teaspoonful of Paris green, 1 or 2 ounces of molasses, and one-fourth of an orange, with peel, mashed up. Add enough water to make a paste. Lesson 29: COLLARDS. Collards are very popular in the South because they can be grown through the summer months. Collards are a kind of nonheading cabbage. The plant grows a tall, sturdy stem, that is topped by a rosette of tender leaves. Collard leaves are considered especially good for the table after they have been touched by frost. VARIETIES. Creole or Southern. PLANTING. Collards are grown in the same way as cabbages. Spade the soil deeply and mix in a good dressing of barnyard manure. Open the rows about 2 feet apart. The seeds may be sown in beds or frames and the plants transferred to the garden or they may be sown directly in the rows during late spring. The distances observed in planting should be the same as for kale. One ounce of seed will produce about 3,000 plants. GROWTH. The culture of this plant is the same as for cabbage. Keep weeds away from the plant and stir the top soil as frequently as required. New leaves are continuously formed by the collard plant and are a valuable substitution for cabbage. The best leaves for use are these near the top of the plant; the others are apt Lesson 30: KALE. Kale or borecole belongs to the cabbage group of plants. Unlike cabbage, it produces no head. It is a hardy crop and may be grown in all sections of the South. VARIETIES. Dwarf, Curled, Siberian, Tall Scotch. 20 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. PLANTING. Sow seed as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. About a half ounce of seed is sufficient for 100 feet of row. The seed should be planted about one-half inch deep, lightly covered with soil. Firm the soil over the row. Kale is generally sown in drills, 18 inches apart. Keep out all weeds during growth. Thin the plants to 8 inches in the row. GROWTH. Kale is not attacked by the ordinary cabbage pests and requires only the simplest culti- vation. The leaves are more tender if picked before they attain full size. If the crop is planted in the fall, and grown for the spring market, the long-growing varieties should be used. The spring crop of kale should be sown after winter kale has become too tough to use. Kale planted in the spring will continue growth until the late fall. Only severe and re- peated freezing will kill the plant. The plant will produce continuously if only a few leaves are picked at a time. Lesson 31: POTATOES (IRISH). The Irish potato is a good substitute for wheat and for this reason should be planted in every garden. I t is generally customary to plant the main crop of Irish potatoes in a field by itself, as the crop requires much room for growth. However, every garden should have some early potatoes in it. The first crop in the South is usually planted from February to May and the second crop in July. VARIETIES. Irish Cobbler, Triumph, White Triumph (early potatoes). Green Mountain, McCormick (fall potatoes). PLANTING. Cut the seed potato so that there will be two or three good eyes in each piece to be planted. These should be soaked in a weak solution of formaldehyde to prevent disease. Do not plant too many eves to a hill. If too many are planted, there will not be enough room for the pota- toes to develop. Prepare the soil thoroughly, as the potato grows beneath the surface, and if the soil is not thoroughly broken up the young tuber can not grow in size. Potatoes require a rich, sandy loam for good growth. If manure can not be obtained, use commercial fertilizer, mixing a light dressing in the bottom of the potato rows. These rows should be opened up about 2 feet apart and at least 5 inches deep. Plant about 1 quart of potato cuttings to every 100 feet of row space. Cover about 4 inches deep. The potato pieces should be at least a foot apart in the rows. GROWING. Cultivate the soil with a hoe or rake three or four times after the plants appear above the ground. When the plants are 5 or 6 inches high, the soil should be drawn up around them. This is called "hilling." Spray the plants with arsenate of lead two or three times to destroy potato bugs. Irish potatoes are dug and stored in cool, dry places. Do not allow a temperature lower than 36° F. where Irish potatoes are stored. In the southern sections of the South, it is better to grow a fall crop than to try to keep a spring crop through the summer. GARDEN MANUAL Fo.R SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 21 • POTATO PESTS. lJOLOAAOO POTATO BEETLE. A small oval buff-colored black-striped beetle. The grubs or larvae are pinkish in color and quite short and fnt. They have black markings over the body. The grub feeds upon the leaves of the plnnt and does great damage. They are not difficult to kill if spraying is done in tdme. Generally it wilJ require ub least two spt-ayings of the crop before the "potato bugs" disappear. At the first signs of the presence of this pest, spraying should be done and repeated later, as there nrc generally two or more generations of the beetle enoh summer. Control: Lead arsenate either ns a dust or in liquid form. Paris green is [lisa frequently used. BIJGB'I'. 'Ibere fire two blights that affect potatoes, one occurring in the early summer and the other 1a,t81'in the Iell. Bordeaux mixture should be used for each. 1n tho early blight, spray- ing should occur when plants are about 8 inches high. Repeat several times at intervals of two weeks. Spray for later blight about the end of July. POTATO SCAB. This is a fungus disease. The spore or the fungus lives oval' winter in the soil or on the tubers. Control: Soak seed potatoes in weak solution of formaldehyde. Use one-third pint of formaldehyde to 10 gallons of water . • Lesson 32: GARDEN PESTS. The most troublesome pests in om' gardens ure the insects. These nee most usually abun- dant nod destructive in gardens ihn.t fire nee well cured for. Clean gardens and watchfu.l care are the best preventives. Every gardener should take pride in keeping the rows cleau and the fence comers free from trash. Nearly all insects pass the winter either in the ground 01' under ta-nah near the plants they feed on. Rake nil rubbish in piles and leave until cold weather comes. Insects will gather in these piles. After cold weather sets in, burn the piles, thus destroying tho insects. A lute fall plowing or spading of the garden is advisable, 11S it tends to destroy the insects that liibemnte in the ground. Fungi cause much damage to our garden crops. These fungi are parnsitic-c-thab is, they feed on the plant tissues. 'I'hey attack the different parts of the plant, such as the 103.f,the stelll, the root, or the fruit. The Iungi grow on the purts attacked and cause mnllormaraona or destroy tho tissues of tho plant. This hurts the growth lind development of the plant and in mn.ny cases completely destroys it. Fungi are very small spores, 'I'hey can Dot be seen separately by the eyes. 'I'hey do not move about and so are not rapidly spread from plant to plant. 'The fungi that infect leaves generally cause discolored areas tha.t nre readily seen. Sometimes only t.he discolored spots are serious: fl.t at,hor times tho ont.ire plant is ll(fected, causing a wilting ~ld dying of a large amount of its foliu.ge. 'fhe usual treatment for t.his trouble is spraying with Bordell.tL'Cmixture. Fungi uJfectilig roots arc hludol' to got rid of; in some Citses the sm~ds mU;:vbe trentod by • soaking in formaldehytle before planting. Rotation of crops helps to diminjsh root fungi. Diseased plants should be removed at onoo from the ga.rden. 22 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. Lesson 33: SPRAYING. Many of the insects that attack our garden plants may be killed by spraying. In order to get rid of our insect pests we must know what kind of an insect we are troubled with, how it lives, and how it eats. There are two kinds of garden insects that are troublesome—the kind that bites its food and the kind that sucks its food. The beetles and the grasshoppers are examples of the biting insects. These may be killed by spraying our plants with some poison. The sucking insects, such as the butterflies and moths, pierce the plant and draw the interior juices into their mouths. As the mark they leave is very small, it is difficult to detect their work. Exterior spraying would be of no use in killing these insects for their food supply is beyond the reach of poisonous sprays. To rid our plants of these pests it is necessary to use some strong spray that will kill them when it comes in contact with their bodies as they are feeding. If a powdered poison is to be used on the plants, it may be put on easily with a dust bag. This bag consists of a piece of cloth through which the powdered poison can be sifted. These bags are usually tied to short poles for the protection of the user. If liquid poisons are used some machine must be employed. In some cases a simple waterpot may be used. There are several good hand pumps on the market that may be obtained at small price. Follow directions carefully when preparing poisons. Always remember that they are dangerous to handle. Spraying formulas. Arsenate of lead: Bordeaux mixture: One teaspoonful arsenate of lead. Unslaked lime, one-fourth pound. One quart water. Copper sulphate, one-fourth pound. Kerosene emulsion: Water, 3 gallons. One gallon kerosene. (Spray without diluting.) One-fourth pound laundry soap. Nicotine spray: One-half gallon boiling water. One scant teaspoonful nicotine, 40 per cent strength. (Dilute 1 to 10 parts water.) One gallon water. Lesson 34: ARSENATE OF LEAD. Arsenate of lead is the most generally used insecticide. An insecticide is any poison used to kill insect pests. This poison is only good for biting insects and should be applied to plants according to directions. There are several ways in which arsenate of lead may be used. Some- times it is dusted on the plants as a dry powder and sometimes it is sprayed on as a liquid. If it is used as a dry powder, a bellows, powder gun, or dust bag is used. The bellows and guns may be bought cheaply at drug or hardware stores that deal in garden supplies. The dust bag may be made at home from a piece of cloth thin enough to allow the powder to pass through it. When the powdered arsenate of lead is used, it should be dusted on the plants early in the morning before the dew has disappeared. This moistens the arsenate on the plants and stops it from being blown away by the winds during the day. A liberal coating should be applied to the plants so that they will look whitish after it has been used. When using the arsenate as a liquid the spray must be mixed according to directions first and care must be used not to get any of it into the mouth. It is better to wear gloves when mixing the spray. GARDEN MANUAL TOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 23 Strength of spray. 3 level teaspoonfuls arsenate of lead, 1 quart of water, or 1 ounce of arsenate of lead, 1 gallon of water, or 1 pound arsenate of lead, 25 gallons of water. If it is difficult to make the spray stick to the leaves add 1 ounce of resin fish oil soap to each gallon of water. Dissolve the soap in hot water before adding. Arsenate of lead may be purchased from any store dealing in garden supplies. Do not leave arsenate of lead about where children can get it. It is a poison. Lesson 35: KEROSENE EMULSION. Insects that bite our plants in getting their food can be killed by ordinary sprays, such as arsenate of lead or Paris green. Insects that pierce the plants and suck their juices for food can not be killed in this way. The best way to kill these sucking insects is by spraying our plants with kerosene emulsion or by a nicotine extract of tobacco. Kerosene will kill any insect that it touches by suffocating it. The kerosene goes through the breathing tubes of the insect and closes them up. Kerosene will also hurt our plants if we put it on without diluting it. If hot soapsuds is mixed with the kerosene our plants will not be hurt. This mixture is called an emulsion. To make kerosene emulsion you heat a half gallon of water to the boiling point. Slice half a bar of soap into pieces and stir it in the water until thoroughly dissolved. Put a gallon of kerosene in a 2-gallon pail and add the half gallon of soapsuds. Mix thoroughly. Take a small spray pump and pump the emulsion back and forth until thoroughly mixed. One part of this emulsion should be added to 10 parts of water for final use. Allow the emulsion to cool before using. It will become a jellylike mass and will keep for a long time if stored in a cool place. If a smaller amount is needed, 1 cubic inch of soap may be dissolved in half a pint of hot water. Add a pint of kerosene and shake hard until thoroughly mixed. When used, dilute with 10 parts of water. Lesson 36: BEETS. Beets grow best in a moist, well-drained soil. The red garden beet will grow in any good soil. Best results are obtained, however, from a rich, sandy loam. VARIETIES. Crosby's Egyptian, Early Eclipse, Early Blood Turnip. PLANTING. The early varieties may be planted as soon as the ground can be prepared. The other varieties should be planted as soon as the soil becomes warm. Line your rows from 12 to 13 inches apart. Seeds are planted by hand or with the drill about 1 inch apart in the rows. After the beets are up, thin them out to 4 or 5 inches apart. The plants removed can be used for greens. Successive plantings should take place at intervals of about two weeks so as to have a supply of tender beets all the season. It is sometimes advisable to fertilize with nitrate 24 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. of soda, About 200 pounds to the acre should be distributed three times during the growing • season. Compute the amount needed lor YOUl'garden. Two ounces of seed are sufficient to plant a lOO-foot row. GR01\LNG. The beet reaches market size in four or five months' time. Beets should be used before they exceed a diameter of 2 inches. Those tha.t are unused at the end of the season should be allowed to grow until frost. Beets may be stored in a cellar or pit if the air is dry, or may be Calmed for use later in the winter. Lesson 37: CARROTS. Beets end carrots thrive well under the same general garden conditions. Carrot seeds are much smaller than beet seeds and should not be planted as deeply. A1lOther reason for shallow planting is that the carrot seedlings are much weaker theu the beet seedlings. VAJUETIES. Half-Long Scarlet, Early Scarlet Horn, Ohuntenuy. PLANTIN(l. Carrots do best in n deep, warm, fairly fertile soil. The' addition of humus to the soil previous to pluntiug will greatly aid the growth. Spade the soil carefully and thoroughly mix in the humus. Decaying leaves, lawn cuctinga, or any green crop will furnish the humus ,..- necessary. If these me n.ot available, coarse barnyard manures sbould be added to the soil. Smooth off the eurlace with a rake and open the 1'OW8 with a hoe handle. One ounce of seed is sufficient for ]00 feet of row. Plant seed one-half inch deep in rows 18 inches apart. Sow • rather thickly and thin out the young plants to 3 or 4 inches apart, Finn the soil over the seed. Carrot plants may be grown much closer thun beet plants . • ouowrn. Thorough tillage should be given this crop from the stnrt~ Weeding und thinning: should take place as early as possible. Currota ml;.tybe dug in tho full or leit in the ground until needed. If dug, they may be stored in banks. Medium-sized carrot roots arc considered the best for table use. Plante arc frequently gathered before thoyfully mature. Successive plant- ings and early harvcstings arc adopted by many gardeners. It is difficult, however, to get good plants during the hot summer months unless the rows are artificially watered. Lesson 38: MUSTARD. Musterd makes an excellent greens crop. It can be planted either early in the spring or late in the autumn. In some sections of the South it may be planted as late as :May 1. VARLETrES. Giant Ostrich Plume, Large-Leaved Curled. PLANTING. Prepare the soil thoroughly lIS soon as it can be worked. Mix barnyard manure with the I soil and smooth off with a rake. Lino rows about 12 inches apa.rt. Sow about 10 seeds to the inch. Cover seeds one-half inch deep. Thin young plants to 4 inches apart. GARDEN MA1·mAL FOR SOUTHw;ESTERN REGION. 25 • GROWTH. Keep weeds away from plants. Cut leaves when they era about 4 inches long. As the plant reaches maturity quickly, frequent sowiugs are necoseery to have u continuous supply of greens. Do not let any of the plants go to seed. Pull them up ns Inst es the leaves are gathered. Mustard is sometimes sown broadcast in the garden. When early spring salad is desired, the seed should be sown in September or October. Mustard may be used for salad as well as for greens. The plent thrives on most any kind of soil provided it is rich end lias plenty of mositure. Lesson 39: SPINACH. Spinach is one of the best greens crops that cnn be grown in our gardens. Every Southern gurdon should raise some of twa vcry desirable plant. Spinach is generally used as a spring and fall crop in the South. It is l\ cool-weather crop and quickly goes to seed when the weather gets too wnrm. v AlU"ETrffiS. For spring and Iell: Norfolk Savoy. For summer: New Zeeland. PJ..ANTINO. The best crops are grown in the cooler climates of the middle and northern sections 01 the Southwest. Spinach can be grown during all tue winter months in the southern sections of the Sou tho The win tel' crops fire generally protected wi th straw or leaves in the-colder sections. • Seeds may be planted early in February and March orin September and October. One ounce of seed is enough for 100 feet of row. Sow the seeds iu drills from 12 to ]5 inches npur-t. 'fho plants are not thinned out The soil ill which spinach is grown should be deep, rich, warm, and well- .drained. Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to the soil IlS u, top dressing in tbe ORTly spring. Successive sowinga should be rnndc. . , GROWING. Spinach will not grow ";1311 in hot, dry weather. Every effort should be mede to Conserve soil moisture. If practicable, the splnnch bed should be ar-tificially watered during droughts. 'I'he plant is ready to harvest ns soon its the tender green rosette of leaves has formed, and the entire plant should be removed from the bed. To harvest tho plant, cut the root about It hill inch below the top of the soil. Take the larger plnuta before the smaller ones. 'Ibis allows the latter more time to mature; 60 to 90 days 0.1'0 required for spinach to mature. Beans 01' corn milk-a good companion crops to spinach. For tho eprlng-growu spinach, beets or onions make good follow crops. There is no follow crop for the ","inter-grown spinach. Lesson 40: PARSNIPS. Cere should be taken tuat the parsnip seed 'used is perfectly fresh. Obtuin seed only from reputable dealers. Parsnip seed quickly loses its germinative power, and only the best should be planted if good results am to be obtained. VARIETIES. • Early Round, Guernsey, Hollow Crown. 26 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGlON. PLANIIN{l. Parsnips require a long season for growth cud so should be planted as early as possible. They have deep Toots and are able to withstand droughts very well The soil should be deeply • spaded and thoroughly pulverized. Add e.Iiberal dressing of manure or fertilizer and thoroughly work it into the soil. Heavy clay soils are not good for the plants as the roots do not develop well in them. The market value of t.he parsnip depends upon the shape Mel texture of its root. Sow about 1 ounce of seed to every 100 feet of row space. Place the rows about 18 inches apart. The seed should be covered very lightly with top soil, about one-fourth of au inch deep. Thin out young plants to 4 inches. OROWING. The cultivation of parsnips is the sIUDa as that for beets find carrots. Keep out ull weeds and stir the soil frequently. Thinning should be dono when the plnnbs are yotmg and small, us itis very difficult. to l/ pull" the older plants. The parsnip matures in about 100 days. When digging this plant much care must bo taken not to hurt the root. It is very dlfficult to dig parsnips with a spade. Dig Do trench on euch side of the row and pull the roots out by hand. Onions or radishes are good companion crops for parsnips. Lesson 4/: PARSLE Y. PtU'51eyis used mostly for flavoring soups or garnishing meets. It is not a common crop in our southern gardens, but might be cultivated mO~'eextensively wit.h much profit. v ARI"ETIES. Plain Leaved, Moss Curled. PLAN1.'L"W. The ground should be well prepared and richly manured. The crop does not require much room for growth. If it is 80\\'11 broadcast, about. a yard square is sufflcien Lfor the needs of any fninily. 'I'he seed should be sown eitbcr thickly in drills or brondoeeted from February to ApriL One ounce of seed is enough for 100 feet of row apace. The seeds should not be planted over nn inch in depth. CRQWI)'UAL FOR SOUTRW1::STERN REGION. 29 • The cultivation in about 175 days. GROWL\!G' • for Brussels sprouts is the same as that\RH:TlliS. Sweet: Golden Queen. Bull Nose, Chinese Ginnc. Rot: Cayenne, Red Hot. PLANTINO. Do not transplant, until the soil is warm. Place the pepper plants in rows about 18 inches aport. There should be at Ienst 2 feet between rows. About one-half pint of pepper seed will ( raise all the plants ueeessary for the garden. • GRQWTU. Keep weeds a.,vay from the plants and stir the topsoil as frequently as needed. If the soil is warm and mellow, the plants may be started early in boxes and trnnsplauted when danger of frost is past. The pepper plant is not attacked by insects or diseases readily. Protection from enemies is seldom needed. Peppel's are generally followed by turnips. The smaller peppers are much hotter than the larger ones. Tho smaller ones nrc used for flavoring pickles or for making pepper sauce. Peppers fire frequently dried for winter use. Lesson 60: CUCUMBERS. Cucumbers nre easily injured by tho cold. They grow best in a rich, mellow soil. If an early crop is desired, the plants should be started in a hotbed nnd transferred later to the garden. Two or three weeks may be saved by using this method. v AUrETlES. Wbit,e Spine, Davis Perfect, Everbald. PLANTI,NO. Cucumbers are usually planted in hills. When all danger of frost is past prepare the soil thoroughly and open the hills a foot deep and 2 feet across. Fill each h~le two-thirds full of barnyard. manure and. mix in R spadeful of soil. Cover this with about 3 inches of soil. Drop 8 or 10 seeds on the hill and cover with an inch of fine soil. If the cucumbers , are planted in rows, open the furrows about 5 feet apart. Scatter manure along the furrow and mix with soil. Plant the seed about 2 incites deep. 'I'hin young plants to 12 or 18 inches apart in row. GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 37 • GROWING . Cucumbers should have frequent cultivation until the vines are well grown. Protect the plant from the cucumber beetle by spraying with arsenate of lead or by covering the hills with cheesecloth. Air-eleked lime sprinkled over the plants will help to keep off posts. If cucumbers are planted in hills, the waste lend between the plants may be used by sowing rows of bush beans. As fru,t as the beans mature, gather them. and remove the plants as soon IlS the crop is gathered. OUOUMHl'lR PESTS. The cucumber bcede is small, green, und has three black stripes down its back. It Ilpp8n.rs VeJ:y early in Our gardens, find tho adult feeds upon the young plants, cutting them off near the ground. The larval of this beetle are rootworms. TIley live in the roots but do not cause enough damage to be noticed es the adults do. Control: In smllJl gardens a lurger number of seeds may be planted to each hill, and the attacked plaute may be pulled out. Cover the plants with a box Or flowerpot until well grown. The beetles disappear as soon aliithe plants nttniu n considerable size. This pest attacks cucumbers as well lIS squashes and melons. It is the enuerpillar of a moth that has brillinntly colored wings. Control: It is very hurd to Tid the garden of this pest. Hill the vines and encourage I the plant to throw off roots. .As this insect hibermltes in the soil, fall plowing is beneficial by destroying the winter homes. DISEASES. Several leer-spotting and wilt fungi nueck tho cucumber. Bordeaux mixture will cheok most of these. If plants of the previous ycer were infected with these pests, spraying should take place early with the now crop as u preventive to their reappearance. Lesson 6/, MELONS. l\mSJO\.1ELQNS. VARIETIES. Rocky Ford, Netted Gem, Jenny Lind, Paul Rose. PL.L'/"TINO. Muskmelons are planted in much the same way as cucumbers ure, except that they are given more space. Prepare the hill by adding a rich dressing of barnyard manure. Plant 8 or 10 eoeds in the hill, spacing hills about 6 foot apart, Thin out to four plants to the hill. If melons are planted in drills, the rows ebculd be 6 feet apart and the plants thinned out to 4 Icct apart, WATERMELONS. VARIF.TIEij. • Kleckley Sweets, Florida Favorite, Tom Watson, Georgia. Rattl~nllke. 33 OAIWEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. PLANTING. Watermelons require more space than either cucumbers or muskmelons. Plant water- melon seeds iu rows 10 feet apart or in hills from 8 to 10 feet apart. Thin plants in the rows to 3 feet apart. Prepare the soil in exactly the atune way us for cucumbers. Both muskmelons and watermelons me important truck crops. They grow best in sandy soils and warm climates. If the growing eeaeon is short, the melon does not grow very large and is not of 11 good quality. Field melons are so common in the South that gardeners do not take the trouble to raise them in their home gardens. They should be grown, however, whenever there is room enough for their cultivation. Lesson 62: POTATOES (SWEE7). Sweet potatoes (lJ"8 not usually considered a garden crop in the South. They are generally cultivated in extensive trncte by themselves. However, it is advisable to have a few plants in the garden for early summer use. Sweet potatoes are not raised from seeds but from slips or small plan te. VARrETJES. Pumpkin Yam, Nancy Hill, Big Stem, Big Stem Jersey, Triumph. Only well-drained laud should be used for planting sweet potatoes. The planting is gener- ally done in ridges. Plow or spade the soil well and break nll clods. Mix in a dressing of eteble manure or commercial fertilizer. If a plow can be used, two furrows are generally throe...n together for a ridge. If no 'plow is avn.ilable;.these.fiages must be made with a spade. Potatoes .'flJ should be in the ground by April. About 100 plants are sufficient-for every 100 feet of row space. Set plants 1 foot apart in ridges 2~ feet apart. Plant f.rom 4 to 6 inches deep. The roots planted are generally those that are too small for marketing. If an early crop is desired, the roots must be bedded for five weeks in a hotbed before setting in the garden. GROWING. Sweet potatoes grow well in dry, hot weather. Alter the plants are once established, little further attention need be given them. Keep weeds away from tho very young plants. Sweet potatoes, like Irish potatoes, are dug and stored through the winter. It is best to dig the potatoes before there is danger of a herd frost. Digging should occur when the soil is perfectly dry. ASter digging, allow the roots to lie exposed for three or four hours to thoroughly dry them. After they have become dry, place in a warm, well-ventilated room. Many people in the South bank their potatoes in the ground. Lesson 6;: RUTABAGAS. Rutebnges or "Swedish" turnips require a much longer growing season than the common turnip. 'I'heyare a fall crop and should not be planted in the South before July, us tbeydo not witb:'tand the summer beat well. Their <;ultivation aud harvesting are tho same tIS for tho turnip. VARIETIES. Purple Top. GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 39 PLANTING. Prepare the soil carefully, break up all clods, and add a good dressing of barnyard manure. Line off rows about a foot and a half apart. The seeds are sown in drills and the plants are thinned out later. About one-half ounce of seed is enough for every 100 feet of row space. The seed is planted about 1 inch deep. When the plants have reached 3 or 4 inches in height, they should be thinned out to 6 or 8 inches apart. The thinned-out plants are used for greens. GROWING. Keep the soil stirred. Remove all weeds from young plants. The plant matures in from 60 to 80 days. The rutabaga is very hardy and will grow right through the usual southern winter. Parsnips make a good companion crop to rutabaga. These may be planted between the rutabaga rows. After the rutabagas are harvested, peas may be planted to follow. Lesson 64: STRAWBERRIES. Although strawberries are not generally considered a garden vegetable, being termed a fruit, nevertheless they are very common in many home gardens and you should have several straw- berry plants in your own garden plot. Strawberries are planted in beds and it will be neces- sary for you to set aside a part of your garden for their cultivation as they form a permanent crop. VARIETIES. Early: Excelsior, St. Louis, Premier. Medium: Barrymore, Marshall, New York. Late: William Belt, Gandy. Fall-bearing: Progressive, Superb. PLANTING. Strawberries do well in any good garden soil that is fertile and light. Plants are generally set out in the late summer or fall. If good, hardy plants are transplanted to the garden in August, a crop of berries will be ready the next year. Spade up the selected strawberry bed carefully and smooth off the surface with a rake. Set the plants about a foot apart in rows 3 feet apart. Spread the roots of the plants out carefully and firm the soil about them. The bed should be well watered before the plants are set. After the plants are in and the soil has been firmed, scatter a layer of fine soil about each plant. This acts as a mulch and prevents moisture evaporation. GROWING. Keep a mulch on the bed during the growing season. The bed should be watered every evening until the plants are well started. Pinch off the runners as fast a3 they get long so that your plants may become hardy. Do not let the bed "mat up " too much. When fall comes cover the plants with a mulch of old manure and fallen leaves. Renew your beds every two year3 to keep a fresh growth. Mildew and rust sometimes attack your plants. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture will eradicate these. 40 GARDEN MA1fUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. HARVESTING. Lesson 65: WHEN TO GATHER VEGETABLES. • If you take good care of your garden all through the season, following directions given in this IDllJ1Unl, you may expect to gather a good crop. This table tells you when to ga-ther several kinds of vegetables that you will grow. Crop. TUne to guther. RCIIUU'ka. Beets __ "'hen y(lung . Beet greene, wben tender, wake u delicious dish. Brueaele sprouta .. _.... After fl'Ollt._ ••.••• _ •••....•.• _ ..•••.••.• Cold rmprovee this vegetable. C~bbage (early) •..... _ When three-fourths headed __. __ . 1I..Io.ybe left until frost. Oeerote .. _._ \Vhen young .........•••.•..... _ _. _ . Should always be gathered young when used for BOllf!? Chard __ When outside IOOVllS are ebout 1 foot high. O\lt hghtly at first. Midribs of leaves can be ueed like asparagus. KohlmbL __. _ Before skin hardens .. _.•.... _. _.•..•.... Tho bulb should be about two-tbieds l\S large as a baseball. Lettuce. _ _ . While Ieevee are tender ........•.••.•.... Small yOWlg Iettcce Jeevee make best ealade. Lima beans . While atill green •.•..•.................. Pcde ehculd be spongyat the tip. :Melons ..............•• When they crack around the stem . Let your melons ripen on stem if }JO!!8ib1e. Potatoes . When viaee are dry . Harvest ll. few lit II time except nt end of SeMOn. Rediahee . When young ......................•.•.... nadisbea get rough and spongy with age. String bcene .•.•...... When they snap readily ••..•.......... _.. Tipa should be soft lind eaaily bent or twteted. Shelfbeana . When ~II are well £1100.... _.•......... Do not let them dry on vines. Sweet corn .••..••••... When It haajuet come to milk with black- Should be used as eooa us picked. ened silks. Lesson 66: MARKETING VEGETABLES. t After the home table has been supplied with all the vegetables. that it needs we should sell our extru. products as fast as they are ready for the market. Our home needs must be supplied first before we attempt to sell to our neighbors. You should not only supply your family needs and pay for the cost of your garden, but you should make a. neat profit on the vegetables you raise. It would be au excellent idea. for every gardener to invest his vegetable profits in war-savings stamps. Most selling from our village or city gardens is done by peddling among our neighbors. This will encourage thrift and business system upon your part. To Bell our vegetables readily there are a few rules that should be followed: L Gather your vegetables when they are ripe and ready for the market. Do not pick hull- ripe fruits; choose only those that are ready for a quick aule. 2. Grade your vegetables according to size and quality. Do not have a mixture of varying sizes and varying qualities. 3. Make your display of fruit attractive. Customers will buy quicker and pay better prices if the goods offered for sale look neat and clean. 4. Do not place tbe best vegetables on top while poorer ones are hidden beneath. It would be better to separate the kinds and sell them separately. 5. Be honest. Do not claim for your goods what they will not show. Try to keep your customers by honest dealings. 6. Whatever conteinera are used for selling or displaying your vegetables, make them attractive. QARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN REGION. 41 • Lesson 67: STORING VEGETABLES, The storing of vegetables is a. food conservation measure that is as important as any with which the gardener has to deal. Wo must save and use every product we can, and we must eliminate all waste. Potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, turnips, and many other of our garden products may be pre- served for winter use by storing. The best results from storage will be obtained if care is exer- cised regarding the proper temperature and ventilation needed, the requisite nmount of moisture necessary, and the quality of the vegetables when first placed in storage. Some vegetables may be stored on our pantry shelves while others require cellar nccommoda- tiona, and still others should be kept in outdoor pits. Frequently many neighbors "ill join together and erect a pit or storage collar for their vegetables. This is known as community storage. This cooperation upon the part of several gardeners will reduce to a minimum the individual storage expense nnd will expedite the handling of products. If cellar storage is used, care must be exercised tosee that there is sufficient ventilation and that the requisite temperature may be easily kept. The cellar should have a good dirt floor, or, if it has a concrete Boor, the floor should be covered with 3 inches of saud. This floor should be kept slightly moist. Beets, celery, cabbage, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes may be stored in the collar. A mound-shaped IlH is the beat form for outdoor storage. To construct this, dig a hole in the ground 6 inches deep and I1S wide and long as necessary to contain the vegetables to be stored when placed in a conical pile. Before putting the vegetables in the pit it should be lined with hay or straw. Cover the piled vegetables with several inches of same material used to line • the pit. Finally, cover the mound with 4 or 5 inches of dirt. As the cold weather approaches add 10 or 12 inches of dirt to the covering of the pit. Lesson 68: DIGGING AND STORING POTATOES, The potato is one of our most valued foods. It ranks next to wheat in importance, end many European countries use it as the principal ar-ticle of diet. Every garden should have several rows of potatoes growing in it, and great core should be taken that the potato bug does not injure the plants. One or two sprayings with arsenate of lead will keep the plente free from. these pests. When the vines are dead the potatoes should be dug with a fork or treevel. A regular tined potato digger is excellent for this purpose. This garden implement may be bought Itt any supply store. When digging with II fork, care should be taken that the potatoes are not injured by jabbing the fork into them as you pull them out. Cuts and gashes greatly decrease the value of the crop. Potatoes should be dug on a. dry, sunny day and allowed to lie on the ground for a few hours. .ASterdrying for f1 while, gather them carefully into baskets or boxes and carry them to the cellar or shed. Do not leave potatoes au the ground overnight under any circum- stances. The moisture in the night air injures the potato. If you have taken care in selecting your seed. potatoes, and have tended to their cultive- tion properly, the better your potatoes will keep. If you. have .soaked the seed potatoes ~ Iormnlin before you pluu ted them and have sprayed your vines WIth arsenate of lead, you will probably have tubers free from rot and blight. . . . . Before- storing your potatoes, sort them over carefully, picking out all ~e injured ones. • These you can use a.t once, as they will not-keep welL Store the good potatoes m boxes, barrels, or bins in a fairly cool, dry cellar. Nearly half the potatoes we raise annually nre lost by improper handling. This is unnec- essary and is too great a waste to be tolerated. 42 GARDEN MANUAL FOR SOUTHWESTERN BEGlON. Lesson 69: THE FALL CARDEN. Every southern home should have a good fall garden. Just because cold weather is com- ing is no reason why we should allow our garden plots to go to weeds and become unproductive. The fall season is really another epring.nnd OUl' gardens would be increased in efficiency by using this season of the year in growing suitable vegetables. The fall is also the time to lay the foundation for next year's garden. If we keep our garden soil under cultivation all the time it will be more mellow and more suitable for spring use. IT we clean up all trash and remove all dead crops, putting in their places growing plants, we will reduce our troubles from insect pests. Insects hibernate through the winter in trash Or just beneath the soil surface. If we destroy this trash and keep tho soil stirred, we l.-ill off most of the hibernating insects. The late garden work consists of three things: 1. Taking care of crops on hand. 2. Replacing gathered crops by others. 3. Preparing for next yenr's work. We should endeavor to place a fall crop in the space of every gathered crop. Keep the land working. Wl} should also select our full crops with an eye to OU1' next year's plantings. It is well to have a definite plan for our fall work, jU.51. as it WIlS important for us to plan definitely for our spring and summer work. July is about the first month in the South when serious attention should be given to the full garden. Study your local situation carefully and plant only such Cl'OpS as are suitable to your needs. Aim to supply your own table just as long as it is possible to l'llise plants during the colder season. There will probably come a time later when it will be too cold to grow anything in tho garden. Until that lime comes make the garden work every minute of the day and night. Lesson 70: BETTER CARDEN VEGETABLES. Our home gardens should fumieh us with fresh vegetables all the year around-very much better vegetables than we can get in any of our markets. In order for us to have the beat in our gardens it is necessary that we learn all we can about growing, caring for, and harvesting our crops. :Most plants are better when used at a certain period of their growth. The good gardener learns when this time occurs nnd gathers his products accordingly. We must also know how to grow our vegetables to the best advuntega. We need the best we can produce, and it takes knowledge and skill to produce the desired results. There is always something to learn about growing vegetebles. If we would have good vegetables we must remove the weeds from Our gardens. Leave no vines, shrubs, or half-grown vegetables to offer homes for insects. Dig out all grass by the roots; do not be content with simply hoeing off the tops. Most of the gmae appearing in our gardens must be dug up, root nnd ull; no other way will kill it. Do not have nuy loose etcnes in your garden; these interfere with its cultivation. Gather all the refuse and plnce it on your compost pile. Do not burn anything unless it is so infested with insects tbat it is dangerous to leave in. the garden. Spray such plants (IS need protection and are not hurt by spraying und the methods employed in using it on plants. Study the habits nod needs of every plant you cultivate end try to make conditions just right for their proper growth. Give your plants plenty of room, air, and water. Keep a mulch au the surface of tho soil to stop evaporation. Do not step on plants; use the paths. Have your rows straight and your paths clean. A well-kept garden is as pretty as a flower bed. If you have room about your garden, you ought to plant hedges of flowers to make the place more a.ttrn.etive. Try to have better vegetables every year than yon had tbe past year. If you sell any of your vegetables, select for this purpose only your best. Cultivate a reputation for honesty [uet as you cultivnte your vegetables. Never be satisfied with a poor product; always strive for something better. • APPENDIX. JUDGING THE HOME GARDENS. The fairest Wl\,y to judge a garden is to visit it while it is in operation. The judges can then see the conditions involved in making it successful, and can. estimate pretty fairly the various points to be considered. Such an estimate is difficult I1t best, and the following score card is oflered simply M fl, suggestive guide, which uny sot of judges may modify to suit them- selves. Any such modifications should, of course, be agreed upon in advance. Score card/or jud!!iWJ hlHll,8 ;JurJf'/ls. A. Gunernl appearance •.••..•.....•.•.•..... _.......... . . .•..•.•. ... . 20 Arrangement of rows _...........••......•..•......•.......... __. . . ..•......•.... _ 5 FreedomIrcruweeds........................ . ...........••............. _............ 5 Guldvatdcu and~nre.............................................. 5 Propllrthiuning........................................................ II n. Obolce cr vegcecblee __ 15 Forhomeu8C........................................................... . 5 Forffillrketiug.......................................................... .._ _......... 5 ForeaDuiug.................................. . . _ 5 • ,C. Freedom [rom pests..... Sprayinglorinsacta Spra.y.iDg for disease........ Other remodinl mCIl8U1l:/3. _ . ..••..... . . .. .. .. .. . . 4_.......... . . . . . .. . . . ...•.... . • .. • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• •• • . • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. 5 5 6 15 D.E'·ideneesof......................................................................................... 15 Continuouscultivation ~........................... l) Compauiou cropping................... 5 Succeesicn croppiJ.Ig.. .. . ...••.•.. .... .•....... . . . . .. 5 E. Caee of tcols .........................•......................•..............••.............. _.• _ 10 :It. Valueofproduce.................................................................. ..............]5 UBed ntJlome............... ..•.... ..•.... 5 Soldin the Dmrkllt......... . _.............. . .. . . . . . . 5 Used for canning , ,........ 5 G. Accuracyolgardenrecords... _ _ __............ 10 'l·ot.'],!. . 100 .' SUGGf.STIONS AS TO ORGANIZATION. The following suggestions are submitted to teachers and supervisors in the hope that they may be helpful in promoting the organization of the unit companies oC this Army: Number of members in a company.-Ten to one hundred. Age limit.-Any child old enough to plant and cultivate. Requ.ire:ment8for enZistments.-Tne signing of an enlistment sheet in which the pupil agrees to raise one or 'more food crops and to keep records of his work and the results, reporting them to the teacher or garden supervisor. These shoots will be furnished by this olllce. A. company.-The maximum. number of soldiers in a company is 100. Officers.-Each company to have a captain and one or more lieutenants, the lo.tter depend- ing upon tho number of soldiers enlisted. . Iwifl~ia.-Fol'the private, 0. bronze and black enameled bar with U. S. S. G. on it; for the second lieutenant, It bronze bnr with one star in tho border; for the first lieutenant, a bronze bar with two stars in. the border; for the captain, a bronze and black enameled double bur. These insignias will be Iumished by us upon request, stating the number of enlisted garden soldiers. Aim.-The aim of this Army is to nariouulize and unify the groat work now being curried on muong the school children of America. " GARDEN RECORDS. Every gardener should keep au exact record of his expenditures and receipts. The ,following samples of UCCOWlts may be used by the teacher for this purpose. Smull blank books may be obtained and the children directed how to rule them off into the various accounts needed. Date of Names of vegetables, flowers, and fruits. Dates of harvesting. planting. WORK DONE. Number Date. of hcura . Kind of work. Coot. ........................................................... ~ ...••.............•• - _- cosr OF GARDEN. Da.te . jeer fertilizer, !leedll, tools, etc. ""'t. ...•........................... __ __ .•........................•................. __ .•........ __ . ... -_ _ _ -... ... . ..............•.......................................... .~ : ...........:::::::::::::::::::: ...::::::::::::::::::::.:::.. :::::::::::::::::::r:::::: . VEGETABLES USED AT HOME. This record should be kept to conform to the standard measures of your Iocal market. The teacher should get local market quotations every few days and help the children enter .' true value on this form. Ch.ildren should be taught to read market reports and keep themselves informed as to values. Date. Bceketa . Name of vegetables, fiowera, end fruits. Value. ••••••......................... _-- .........•..... __ ......•....•..........••••....... .... -_ _ -. - _ .. -- - --- -- _ _ . CANNED PRODUCTS USED AT HOM£ Number. Date. Name of vegotablee or fruits canned, preserved, or pickled. Value. Qunrts. Pinta . ................ . CROPS SOLD. Date. QU:lIItitl'. I Name of vegetablea, {Jowers, and fr'uite. Oaah received. TOTAL RECORD FOR GARDEN YEAR, COB.l" OJ' l'ROOl1onON. !fON'I':V V....LUE Olf PRODUCTS. 1. Yeur ewnwcrk, .•.... houra,at8cente ... ' .. 1. vulue of products used at home ......•.... 2. Hol'SG labor, •..••• hours, nt 15 cents ..•.•.. 2. VaJucofprodud.ll~old _. __ . 8. Coet oj eeede end plunts .. 3. Value of canned pl"OdUCUIfor home uee . (look up market. price) ' .. 4. ccee of manure and fertilizer .........•... ' .. 4. Value of cenned goodl!l801d....•..••..• ~. 5. Co/lt of cane, jlU'll, nud lnbele used in canning . Total , .• 6. Other espeaeea 'f'-'-"+--f---j Expenses deducted . Total., ................•.•......... ' .• ". Net-Income >-- _ ..•• • • LESSONS IN GARDENING FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION. The following 40 lessons in gardening are suggested as a suitable course for schools that can devote only two lessons a week to the subject from January to June. 'Iue list is based on the Garden Manual for the Southwestern Region of the United States Scbool Garden Army. EfLCh lesson can easily be taught in a 15-minute recitation period in any grade above the third. The Lessons in Gardening for the Southwestern Region will he furnished garden teachers free on npplicetion to the United States School Garden Army, Bureau of Education, weshingtou, D. C. Le$!!OU 1. Pil'llt Catch Your Rabbit. Lesson 21. Seed TellUUIl'in the Schools. 2. How to Choose Your Garden. 22. Weeding. 3. How to Plan Your Garde:n. 23. Thinni..ug: 4. Companion Crops. 24. Tomatoes. • 5. Succeealcn Crops. 6. 7. 8. 9. Smull Gaedan Plana. Large Ga.rden Plans. Selection of Orope for Glll'den. 'Phe Seed List. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. POO8. PotatoC3. Sweet com. Cabbage. AU Season Culli veucn. 10. Buying Garden Seed. 30. Rotating Your Garden Orope. 11. How to Prepura Your Garden. 31. The Cue of the Garden. 12. Humus. 32. Gnrden P~. 13. MllJlure. 85. Spmying. 14. Fertili.ze.rll. 34. Kcrceeue Emulaion. 15. Mulchee. 85. Cabbage Peete. 16. lladish8ll. S6. When to Gnther Your Vegetabletl. 17. (Iuiona 37. Selling Your Vegetablell. IS. Lettuce. 38. Storing Your Vegetables. 19. Tumipe. 59. Typell of Marketing. 20. Beam. 40. Jodging nome Gardens. 47 o • \ · ,