EXPERIENCE IN GROWING SHELTER BELTS. 143 



It seems to me it would be better to make that strip narrow 

 and leave a space, and then you could put your evergreens in. 



Mr. Dartt : Where would you have your fruit trees if you 

 had any ? 



Mr. Clark : I have studied that a good deal. I think the 

 best way is not to have any. (Laughter.) We can ship in 

 enough from Minnesota. I think I should put the fruit trees 

 on the north side of the shelter belt. 



THE FARMER'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



A. K. BUSH, DOVER. 



Not one farm in twenty has a garden worthy the name — a deplor- 

 able fact, and that, too, in a country where vegetables in large quan- 

 tities, of superior quality and in wonderful variety, can be grown 

 with but little work, aided by some fekill and the energy that char- 

 acterizes the average Minnesotan. 



The conditions are favorable for a first class vegetable garden on 

 every farm in the state, but the opportunity, like many others, is 

 not improved by our farmers. Scott says: "Of all sad words of 

 tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'it might have been.'" We 

 might have bearing orchards all over the state furnishing home 

 grown fruits of the best quality to every family in the country; we 

 might grow small fruits in large variety in every garden; we might 

 have flowers in great profusion, and home grounds protected and 

 adorned with beautiful trees, shrubs, etc., all made most beautiful 

 and attractive, perfectly developed under the influence of our clear 

 skies and fifteen hours in the day of sunshine. But it is the old 

 story of missed opportunities. Still they return every springtime 

 with added promise. Why not improve them? 



In the south, people live largely on " hog and hominy;" they pre- 

 fer this simple bill of fare to working in the garden. Minnesota 

 farmers are not too lazy to make gardens, but are too busy. I know 

 just how it is. While at home on our farm of several hundred acres, 

 when I had all my teams and help in the field, and I was as busy as 

 a man killing snakes, taking care of the young pigs, calves, lambs 

 and colts, my wife would say: ''We should have a garden made. 

 You enjoy the vegetables and fruits. They also help so much in 

 giving variety for our table. Again, the children should have less 

 meat and sweets and more of a vegetable diet to develop a healthy 

 body and vigorous pure minds." I would agree with the statement 

 but still neglect the garden. 



Time is worse than wasted if used to criticise an evil with no effort 

 or thought of a remedy to substitute the same with something 

 which shall make the world better. I have in mind a practical 

 method by which the "weed patch," the common apology for farm 

 gardens, can be converted into a clean, productive, profitable 

 " Farmer's Vegetable Garden." Here it is: 



