CHAPTER I 



STORY OF THE CONTEST 



Prizes aggregating two thousand five hundred 

 dollars were offered for the best garden accounts for 

 the season of 1899. This contest was inaugurated by 

 the American Agriculturist weeklies, Orange Judd 

 Farmer of Chicago for the west, American Agricul- 

 turst of New York for the middle and southern states, 

 The New England Homestead of Springfield, Massa- 

 chusetts, for the east. 



These prizes were offered not for the story of 

 biggest profits or for fancy results, but, in the language 

 of the rules, " to the records and reports which show 

 most clearly and accurately the methods pursued, and 

 the receipts and expenses of the garden, irrespective 

 of whether it shows a profit or a loss." 



The Orange Judd Company, publishers of the great 

 weeklies before mentioned, contributed two hundred 

 and fifty dollars in cash and defrayed all expenses of 

 the contest. Other prizes in cash and goods were the 

 donations of various dealers and producers of agricul- 

 tural supplies. Some were conditioned on the use of 

 the donors' seeds, fertilizers or implements, which fact 

 will account for their occasional mention in narratives 

 of contestants. 



The rules allowed a garden of any size above one 

 thousand square feet, and plots varied from the lowest 

 limit up to twenty acres. There were few, however, 

 above four or five acres. The garden might be in one 

 piece or divided in several plots; most of them were 

 in one field. Contestants were required to state exact 



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