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           CARE OF THE GARDEN IN MIDSUMMER
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GARDEN IN MIDSUMMER: BY
E. I. FARRINGTON
EEDS and bugs are the bane of
          the garden-maker.    But some-
          one has said that weeds serve
          at least one useful purpose-
they make cultivation of the soil impera-
tive, and this is of the greatest benefit to
the plant. Doubtless this is true, and the
time spent in rooting up pigweed and
purslane is never wasted. The ground
should be continually stirred, however,
even though not a weed can be found in it.
A good hoeing in midsummer is worth as
much as a shower in any garden. In fact,
the man who cultivates his garden most
faithfully in a dry season harvests the best
crops.
  The moisture in the earth is constantly
rising to the surface and being evaporated,
and the more compact the soil, the more
rapidly this evaporation takes place. If
the top soil is very loose comparatively lit-
tle moisture escapes. That is the reason
why cultivation is so important; it breaks
up the soil and forms a dust blanket which
             --nu -- - ý UbLUL IUUL.
 keeps the moisture in the earth just below
 the surface, where the growing plants can
 make use of it. It is especially necessary
 to get out the hoe or the wheel cultivator
 after a rain, as soon as the ground has be-
 come dry enough to make cultivation pos-
 sible. Otherwise the sun will quickly bake
 the earth into a hard crust and much of the
 rainfall that finds lodgment in the soil will
 be lost.
 The wheel hoe or cultivator is of great
 value in a garden, for it saves both time
 and energy. A tool known as the scuffle
 hoe is also useful, if the soil is light, and
 it costs but little. Many amateurs over-
 look the importance of keeping garden
 tools sharp. It is much easier to work with
 sharp tools. Even the common hoe should
 be filed often on the under side and should
 be kept bright all over. Then it will cut
 easily and the soil will not adhere to the
 blade. It is a waste of time and strength
 to use a dirty or rusty hoe and lift half a
 pound of earth every time it is raised.
 Some weeding will have to be done by
hand, if root crops, especially onions, are
- I I   -,t __r, ru mn-11 N An.  I S. i O n Lp)ulle to raise this vege-