The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming. | Page 5

man.
"All right, we'll have George's first."
"I shall, of course," began George, "plant my corn, Country Gentleman, in with father's. We have plenty of seed corn, so I shall not have to buy any. As far as my old slope goes I have to pick all the stone off. Then I am not sure just how to drain it, for the rains from another slope above wash it all the spring and summer. I shall then put some barnyard manure on and plant it all to corn. Of course, I must plough and harrow it, too."
"Now," said The Chief, "I guess we'd better stop right here and have a little talk, for George has brought up some problems for discussion. In the first place--let us consider the draining. All George has to consider is that he has to conduct or lead the water off his land."
"But," said George, "that is what seems to me difficult."
"Have you noticed how water takes definite courses down hills? That ought to give you some help."
"I see," cried Jack, "George could make gutters for the rain to travel along and so lead the water off his garden."
"Exactly, Jack has the idea. It is really a bit of engineering. Suppose George finds the highest point, the greatest slope, of his land. From this point a gutter or furrow should be dug so that the water is made to flow off and away from his land."
"How deep shall I dig the gutter?"
"Dig it about three feet deep and fill stones right into this gutter. Two feet of stone in the gutter is about right. Water falling on a stone mass drains off properly. It would sink into an earth mass. Bring a little sketch of this with you next week, George, showing where you are going to dig the drain. Now boys, how much fertilizer do you think ought to go on this poor land of George's?"
"I was going to put on two inches," said George.
"I should think he ought to put at least four inches on," half questioned Myron.
"I'll say eight," began Philip. The boys shouted at this.
"Philip," went on the man after the laughter ceased, "is very nearly right. If George wishes to get anything from this old land at once, he must fertilize it heavily. If your father can spare a foot of fertilizer put it on." The boys all whistled.
"Now about the corn! Did you know, George, that corn is a most exhaustive crop?"
"I don't even know what you mean."
"I do," said Jack, "he means corn tires the soil."
"Just so," continued The Chief, "the soil supplies food to the plant. Some crops use up more of the soil's goodness than others. Corn is one of these. Now, George, what do you think about planting a crop that works the soil very hard, especially when the soil you are dealing with is rather poor?"
"It wouldn't be the best thing, I should say. Will you suggest good things to plant?"
"Well, potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage demand less from the soil."
"Then I choose cabbage, I'll plant that entire old slope to cabbage."
"Now, Jack, suppose you talk."
"I have decided to build a coldframe, so I can get a little earlier start with my plants; I suppose I should have begun this frame last fall. I know this--that I have to dig out my whole garden spot and fill it in. So I thought I could get a start with the coldframe while I was working at filling in. I have decided to plant lettuce, radish, beets, tomatoes, peppers and some flowers. I think I shall plant asters, stock and sunflowers."
"Why sunflowers?" asked Philip.
"I want the seed for my squirrel's feed next winter. Then, too, I think sunflowers make a pretty nice background for a garden."
"If you wish to drop in to see me before the next week's meeting we'll have plans for the coldframe worked out to explain to the boys then. You measure the space where you are going to put the frame and ask your father about the lumber. As lumber is your father's business, I should almost think you could get us some soft wood, say white-wood, for our stakes and markers," suggested The Chief.
"Of course, I can," promised Jack.
"Now Peter," said Jay.
"My garden is to be just potatoes."
"Peter and potatoes!" jeered Albert. "Oh, Peter!"
"I don't care, I'm for potatoes and profit."
"Peter always does make money. So I suppose his potatoes will turn into money, too," volunteered Philip.
"My stunt," said Myron next, "is to be strawberries. I want to raise strawberries. Mr. Marsh, on the Longmeadow Farm, has offered to give me some plants. I'll do the corn stunt; aren't you going to, Pete?"
"Of course, that was understood, and Philip will have his corn at grandfather's too, for a city backyard is no place for corn."
"Now,