"It taught me a lesson," the boy told his mother that evening, "that
lazy methods are pretty bad."

Once or twice that season he sprinkled wood ashes on the ground of the
bed. Just a little should be sprinkled on, as one sprinkles salt on a
potato. Soil gives food to a plant. This food is nitrogen in various
forms, potash and phosphorus. Sometimes we help the soil supply one or
more of these chemicals. The wood ash adds a little extra potash which
is very good for the strawberry.

It turned out after a second year that the new variety gave very small
and flavourless berries. So the old gentleman and Myron wasted no more
space on that variety.

The second year Myron obtained excellent results. From some of his
plants he got one quart of berries each, during the season. That was
good, but no better than a strawberry plant should do under good
cultivation.

As far as his lettuce and radish went there was nothing new or startling
in his experience. He tried this little trick of lettuce sowing with
some success: Instead of sprinkling the seed in the drill, he placed
each seed separately and four inches apart. By this method one need not
transplant to get good heads. He tried the Black Tennis Ball seed. This
forms a good head.

Did you ever try the Icicle radish? Myron recommends it. It is long and
white and so gets its name. Along with the radish he planted parsley.
This is a good way to do as these vegetables do not interfere one with
the other.