and bacterial pests; he must know
how and when to spray, how and when to treat his seed, how and when to
poison, how and when to trap his insect foes and to destroy their
hiding-places.

Fourth, not only must the gardener grow perfect vegetables, but he must
put them on the market in perfect condition and in attractive shape. Who
cares to buy wilted, bruised, spoiling vegetables? Gathering, bundling,
crating, and shipping are all to be watched carefully. Baskets should be
neat and attractive, crates clean and snug, barrels well packed and well
headed. Careful attention to all these details brings a rich return.

Among the gardener's important crops are the following:

=Asparagus.= This is a hardy plant. Its seed may be sowed either early
in the spring or late in the fall. The seeds should be planted in rows.
If the plants are well cultivated during the spring and summer, they
will make vigorous roots for transplanting in the autumn.

In the fall prepare a piece of land by breaking it unusually deep and by
manuring it heavily. After the land is thoroughly prepared, make in it
furrows for the asparagus roots. These furrows should be six inches deep
and three feet apart. Then remove the roots from the rows in which they
have been growing during the summer, and set them two feet apart in the
prepared furrows. Cover carefully at once.

[Illustration: FIG. 89. A CRATE OF ASPARAGUS]

In the following spring the young shoots must be well cultivated. In
order to economize space, beets or lettuce may be grown between the
asparagus rows during this first season. With the coming of cold weather
the asparagus must again be freely manured and all dead tops cut off.
Some plants will be ready for market the second spring. If the bed is
kept free from weeds and well manured, it will increase in
productiveness from year to year.

=Beans.= The most generally planted beans are those known as string, or
snap, beans. Of the many varieties, all are sensitive to cold and hence
must not be planted until frost is over.

Another widely grown kind of bean is the lima, or butter, bean. There
are two varieties of the lima bean. One is large and generally grows on
poles. This kind does best in the Northern states. The other is a small
bean and may be grown without poles. This kind is best suited to the
warmer climates of the Southern states.

=Cabbage.= In comparatively warm climates the first crop of cabbage is
generally grown in the foll