CULTIVATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FOR THE FAMILY.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2502, 6 September 1890, Page 6

CULTIVATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FOR THE FAMILY.

It is quite an it ?ra to have an early garden, as well as a good one, all through the growing season. The garden and the orchard ought to furnish all the living for the family. But to do this there must be an early supply, a full supply during the growing season, and 'plenty for the winter. There are a number of vegetables that come in early, and if planted in good season will furnish a good supply that with later varieties aud repeated planting can be kept up. Asparagus, rhubarb, and winter onions are the earliest to come into use. The asparagus and rhubarb beds should both be well manured during the winter. It a difficult to get the soil too rich for either of these, and by mulching with good manure the plants will start to grow much earlier in the spring, while the manure can, after the soil U in suitable condition, be worked in to add te Che fertility. Lettuce, radishes, beets, and spinach can all be sown as early in the spring as the condition of the 3oil will admit. There is bo gain in planting anv kiud of small, fiuo seed until the soil is sufri“cicntly dry to work readily into good tilth. In orwier to insure a good germination oi the seed and a thrifty growth, it is quite important to have the soil in fine tilth. Plants for early tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbages, cucumbers, egg plants, or anything ol this kind, can be grown in shallow boxes or in a hoi-bed, and be roa.lv to transplant as soon as the soil is in a suitable condition and danger of frost is post. Ik this way considerable saving of time can bo made. *ln using quite a number of seeds, plan so that the second sowing can be made a little Liter so that a full supply can be made. Beans, tomatoes, carrots, sr i quite a number of the more tender varieties,' should not be sowa out of doors until the danger of frost is pash With some kinds, like radishes, peas, beans, it will be best to plant one early and one late variety, as in tins way u supply can be kept up much longer and avoid t«mg obliged o make repeated plantings. One important item in having an early garden is in having the soil thoroughly drained. It will cry out earlier and warm up quicker, admitting of being worked earlier and of giving the pouts an earlier start to grow. The need should be obtained ia gi*od season, and the tools and everything be iu readiness to take advantage of the first opportunity of sowing or planting the earliest seeds. °