GARDEN IN MIXED FARMING. 25 



can command the "essentials to success" previously con- 

 sidered, and almost any one can utterly fail of doing it 

 without them. A hint is given of the succession of crops 

 possible in the California garden. There will be much of 

 that hereafter. 



The social benefit of the farm garden may enter the 

 realm of sentiment but it is none the less true, potent and 

 precious. The farm with a garden is an inexpressibly bet- 

 ter home than without it. The garden wins interest; it 

 dispenses content. It awakens home pride and strength- 

 ens home love. It has actual educational value in that it 

 directly imparts useful lessons in plant growth and re- 

 quirements which are applicable to all other farm opera- 

 tions. It has lessons also to quicken the love of the beau- 

 tiful which, in turn, leads in all phases of home improve- 

 ment and lifts the standard of rural manhood and woman- 

 hood. 



Of Especial Application to California. All these bene- 

 fits of the installation of a garden area on the farm should 

 be especially striven for in California because they can be 

 realized here in exceptional measure. The well-planned 

 California garden is evergreen. It admits of succession 

 and rotation within the year, so that a 12 month is the pro- 

 ducing equivalent of twice or thrice its duration in wintry 

 climates. Here the garden does not insist upon intruding 

 its claims just in the "rush of spring work" which is 

 known in lands of more marked seasonal transitions. It 

 is well content to be "ahead of the rush" the whole year 

 round, but it must be admitted that it stubbornly rebels 

 against being behind it. Not only is succession of tender 

 growths made possible by the long frostless term but more 

 than half of the common garden vegetables are so hardy 

 that they maintain growth even through our short frosty 

 season and, with irrigation on lands which need it, thrive 

 the whole year in the open air. Rich is the endowment 

 which a semi-tropical climate bestows upon the gardener. 

 He who does not avail himself of it for his own comfort 

 and profit, buries his talent in the earth. 



