98 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the value per acre of the cereals grown in Maine is $12.81 which 

 is considerably above the average value per acre of such crops 

 for the whole United States which is only $8.02 per acre. Stop 

 for a moment and compare these statistics. The value of each 

 acre devoted to home garden purposes in the United States is 

 $49.42 against a return of $8.02 per acre for all lands in the 

 United States devoted to cereal grains which are considered as 

 staple crops. 



We must not be mislead by these comparisons, however, for 

 only a small acreage in vegetable as compared with the cereals 

 can on the average farm be made to pay. The point is right 

 here if the supplies for the table which it would take five acres 

 of grain to purchase can be grown on one acre will it not be 

 profitable to cultivate that one acre in vegetables? Aside from 

 the actual money value which comes from the garden there is 

 another which cannot be overlooked, it is the value of vege- 

 tables as well as fruit as a factor in one's diet. They give variety 

 and by so doing prevent one from tiring of the heavier essentials 

 which admit of less variety. I have reference to the flesh diet. 

 There is not so wide a range in meats to choose from. Then 

 too, most farmers depend largely upon home production for the 

 meat supply and, if this is the case, the range is limited by the 

 poultry yard, the pig pen, and the pasture, which may contain 

 either beef or mutton or both. Here is the possible rather than 

 the actual range, poultry, salt fish, and pork in one form or 

 another will, I venture to say, cover the variety in the meat diet 

 in 75 per cent of the farm homes of our country. While this is 

 a sufficient range a constant diet of meat and potatoes will soon 

 grow monotonous, but with fruit and vegetables in season the 

 sameness in other articles is lost sight of, fruits and vegetables 

 have, therefore, a worth aside from their market value. 



Since the vegetable garden must be looked upon as an eco- 

 nomic factor in the maintenance of the home, the expense of 

 caring for the garden itself must be considered. It will natur- 

 ally cost less to maintain a farm garden than to maintain a 

 garden upon a town lot or suburban place. Upon the farm, 

 land is not so much of an item. The garden can be made 

 rectangular in form, the crops can be planted in long straight 

 rows and the greater part of the cultivation given with horse 



