Some of the poorest of the soil was carted off, then into the top of the remaining soil he mixed the old manure.  Then into the garden space six inches of manure was spread, and over this was filled in the old top soil and fertilizer, that mixture which he had previously prepared.  About one foot of this was put in.  Jack’s father lent him the horse again and the services of a man.  They drove to the Longmeadow Farm and got a load of top soil.  Old Mr. Mills said he would give the soil if Jack could answer three garden questions correctly.

“All right,” said the boy, “you’ll probably knock me over, for I don’t know much about gardening, but I’m trying hard.”

“Question number one:  suppose your backyard had been clay soil—­what would you have done with it then?”

“I should have mixed in sand, using about one-quarter the amount of sand as I had of clay.”

“Good!  Question number two:  suppose you had no sand—­what then?”

“I’d have used ashes; old clinkers I guess would be best.  Everyone has ashes.”

“Question number three:  what is the object of mixing sand or coal ashes or clinkers with clay.”

“The reason is to break up the clay.  Clay bakes hard, becomes sticky, and little air or light gets into it.  Ash or sand breaks it up.  I think that’s about all I know about this.”

“The soil is yours, young man, I shall be around to see your garden some day.  Remember good gardening means working your muscles hard.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mills.  By the way my arms and legs ache, I guess I know about muscles.”

“And remember too,” continued Mr. Mills, “that certain vegetables are very closely related and will intermingle.  For example, do not plant different kinds of corn close together.  The pollen from one kind will fertilize another kind and so you get a crossing which results in a mongrel sort of corn.  Melons and cucumbers will do the same thing.  And so care must be taken in order that this sort of intermingling does not take place.  You see, Jack, that there are many things a real good gardener has to consider.  Gardening is not only a matter of soil preparation but it is also a matter of understanding plants and their relations one to the other.”

So the good soil was put on and Jack was ready for business.  Straight across the back was planted a row of sunflowers.  Sunflower seeds belong under the head of large seeds, and should be planted one inch deep and one foot apart.  Two seeds were placed in together.  This is a safe plan, because if one fails to come up, the other doubtless will come up.  If both appear, when the plants get about three inches high, pull out the weaker one.

Then the boy planted a second row two feet from the first one.  The first row was planted close up to the fence.  Jack found out that this was a mistake.  Always leave all about the garden a space of a foot or so, in order that one may walk about freely and get at the rear row of plants without trouble.  Again, do not plant too close to a fence, unless the planting be some vine or climbing plant, which you desire to have cover the fence.