To Accomplish This No Hand Tool Surpasses The Spading Fork
One other method is, however, superior especially when practiced upon
the heavier soils--fall plowing or digging. In practicing this method
care should be taken to plow late when the soil, moistened by autumn
rains, will naturally come up in big lumps. These lumps must be left
undisturbed during the winter for frost to act upon. All that will be
necessary in the spring will be to rake or harrow the ground. The clods
wi
l crumble.
I once had occasion to try this method upon about 25 acres of land which
had been made by pumping mud from a river bottom upon a marsh thus
converted into dry ground by the sedimentation. Three sturdy horses were
needed to do the plowing. The earth turned up in chunks as large as a
man's body. Contrary to my plowman's doubts and predictions, Jack Frost
did a grand milling business that winter! Clods that could hardly be
broken in the autumn with a sledge hammer crumbled down in the spring at
the touch of a garden rake!
TTITLE CULTIVATION
Having thoroughly fined the surface of the garden by harrowing and
raking, the seeds may be sown or the plants transplanted as already
noted. From this time forward the surface must be kept loose and open by
surface cultivation every week or 10 days and after every shower that
forms a crust, until the plants cover the whole ground. This frequent
cultivation is not merely for the purpose of keeping the weeds in check;
it is a necessary operation to keep the immediate surface layer powdery,
in which condition it will act as a mulch to prevent the loss of water
from the lower soil layers. When kept in perfect condition by frequent
stirring the immediate surface should be powdery. Yes, powdery! Within
1 inch of the surface, however, the color will be darker from the
presence of moisture. When supplied with such conditions, failures must
be attributed to other causes than lack of water.
TTITLE DOUBLE CROPPING
When desired, herbs may be used as secondary crops to follow such early
vegetables as early cabbage and peas; or, if likely to be needed still
earlier, after radishes, transplanted lettuce and onions grown from
sets. These primary crops, having reached marketable size, are removed,
the ground stirred and the herb plants transplanted from nursery beds or
cold frames.
Often the principal herbs--sage, savory, marjoram and thyme--are set
close together, both the rows and the plants in them being nearer than
recommended further on. The object of such practice is to get several
crops in the following way: When the plants in the rows commence to
crowd one another each alternate plant is removed and sold or cured.
This may perhaps be done a second time. Then when the rows begin to
crowd, each alternate row is removed and the remainder allowed to
develop more fully. The chief advantages of this practice are not only
that several crops may be gathered, but each plant, being supplied with
plenty of room and light, will have fewer yellow or dead leaves than
when crowded. In the diagram the numbers show which plants are removed
first, second, third and last.
TTITLE HERB RELATIONSHIPS
Those readers who delight to delve among pedigrees, genealogies and
family connections, may perhaps be a little disappointed to learn that,
in spite of the odorous nature of the herbs, there are none whose
history reveals a skeleton in the closet. They are all harmless. Now and
then, to be sure, there occur records of a seemingly compromising
nature, such as the effects attributed to the eating or even the
handling of celery; but such accounts, harrowing as they may appear, are
insufficient to warrant a bar sinister. Indeed, not only is the mass of
evidence in favor of the defendant, but it casts a reflection upon the
credibility of the plaintiff, who may usually be shown to have indulged
immoderately, to have been frightened by hallucinations or even to have
arraigned the innocent for his own guilt. Certain it is that there is
not one of the sweet herbs mentioned in this volumes that has not long
enjoyed a more or less honored place in the cuisine of all the
continents, and this in spite of the occasional tootings of some
would-be detractor.
Like those classes of society that cannot move with "the four hundred,"
the herbs are very exclusive, more exclusive indeed, than their
superiors, the other vegetables. Very few members have they admitted
that do not belong to two approved families, and such unrelated ones as
do reach the charmed circles must first prove their worthiness and then
hold their places by intrinsic merit.
These two coteries are known as the Labiatae and the Umbelliferae, the
former including the sages, mints and their connections; the latter the
parsleys and their relatives. With the exception of tarragon, which
belongs to the Compositae, parsley and a few of its relatives which have
deserted their own ranks, all the important leaf herbs belong to the
Labiatae; and without a notable exception all the herbs whose seeds are
used for flavoring belong to the Umbelliferae. Fennel-flower, which
belongs to the natural order Ranunculaceae, or crowfoot family, is a
candidate for admission to the seed sodality; costmary and southernwood
of the Compositae seek membership with the leaf faction; rue of the
Rutaceae and tansy of the Compositae, in spite of suspension for their
boldness and ill-breeding, occasionally force their way back into the
domain of the leaf herbs. Marigold, a composite, forms a clique by
itself, the most exclusive club of all. It has admitted no members! And
there seem to be no candidates.
The important members of the Labiatae are: