PART II. HORTICULTURE 



CHAPTER XVI 

 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



THE South is somewhat behind the North and West in 

 the raising of garden vegetables for the home table. Yet 

 vegetables are one of the cheapest and most necessary arti- 

 cles of food. Not only are they palatable, but they add va- 

 riety to our tables and supply certain food elements not 

 obtained from other foods. The vegetable garden can be 

 made the most profitable part of the farm. It is safe to say 

 that a garden may be made to yield at least from eight to 

 ten times as great returns as the same amount of land 

 planted to cotton or other farm crops. Most regions of the 

 South are especially well adapted to gardening, since the 

 long growing season will allow a succession of crops almost 

 throughout the year. More attention to this important phase 

 of agriculture would therefore be profitable, would add to 

 our supply of fresh and palatable food, and would save 

 both drug and doctors' bills by supplying a better balanced 

 and more healthful diet. 



TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION 



1. Measure your home garden and find the amount of 

 space devoted to vegetables this season. Make a com- 

 parison with other members of the class. Compute the 

 average size of vegetable gardens for the neighborhood. 



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