VEGETABLE GARDEN 145 



of an acre, under the intensive farming system, will produce 

 all the vegetables, with the exception of potatoes, that a dozen 

 people can eat in a year. We may consider, therefore, that for 

 every eight suburban places, the vegetable food of twelve per- 

 sons is sacrificed; all because of an artificial attitude which 

 looks shamefacedly at a vegetable garden as something inele- 

 gant and vulgar. Surely we are able to put all this affectation 

 away, once it is realized, without great effort. Let us turn our 

 backs on these old ideas and get at the problem of beautifying 

 the Vegetable Garden, taking as much pains with it as we 

 would with a Rose Garden, or a Garden of Old-time Perennials. 



To this end we must see first what its demands are what the 

 culture of vegetables absolutely requires regardless of where 

 they are planted, or what they are. Undisputed possession of 

 well and constantly tilled soil is their one imperative need. 

 That is, they must not be crowded by weeds, by other plants, 

 nor by each other though all vegetables really may be planted 

 much closer together than the old-fashioned farmer commonly 

 puts them. 



The chief obstacle therefore in the way of securing a pleasing 

 effect where vegetables are grown, is the amount of brown earth 

 necessarily exposed. In a flower garden, where masses are 

 thrown together luxuriantly and individual specimens are not 

 desired, the earth is covered ; but this sort of treatment simply 

 cannot be resorted to in raising vegetables. Neither is a ground 

 cover, no matter how low growing it may be, permissible, for 

 any plant other than the vegetable, will steal moisture and 

 food which should be its individual and undivided own. 



We have here nothing worse, however, than the identical 

 problem which confronts the rose grower, for roses are quite as 

 particular about their residence, and will brook no intrusion. 



