68 MY HANDKERCHIEF GARDEN'. 



nips, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, 

 Upland cress, chicory, potatoes, squashes, cucumbers 

 parsnips and celery. From a housekeeping point 

 of view really cheering ; from a financial point of 

 view quite as cheerful. 



The grand total produced in the garden during the 

 season was $54.79 for fruit and vegetables actually 

 consumed. The season began with a stock on hand 

 of tools, plants, cuttings, etc., of $2.64. It ends with 

 a stock of ninety currants at ten cents, $9 ; forty 

 grapevines at ten cents, $4 ; 200 strawberry plants val- 

 ued at $2 ; tools, etc., $3 ; making a total of $18. This 

 is real profit, and should be credited to the garden, 

 for the new stock of plants helps to reduce the cost 

 of the new garden to be planted next year. My home 

 lot was a nursery as well as a garden, and returned a 

 nurseryman's profits, and the whole of his profits, be- 

 cause the stock if bought must be paid for at retail 

 prices. 



Did the home lot pay? Was the return sufficient 

 for the labor? It was, and the garden did pay, be- 

 cause the time spent on it was odd time not available 

 for other work. Besides this, the work was a pleasure 

 and a sanitary measure, paying a big dividend in red 

 blood, sound sleep, a good appetite and a cheerful 

 spirit. If you have ever been sick and paid doctor's 

 bills you will know just what these things are worth 

 in hard cash. The cost in money was $14.64 and 

 about thirty days' labor between March and Novem- 

 ber. The entire return, including new stock valued 

 at $15, was $69.79. Taking cash spent from this leaves 

 $55-i5> or about $1.80 for each day's labor spent in 

 the garden. Of course if the labor had all been hired 

 at the regular rate here of $2 the garden would have 

 been carried on at a loss. 



This brings the whole matter down to a business 



