THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



367 



EVERY IRRIGATOR SHOULD HAVE A GARDEN 



By FRITZ KNORR 



Superintendent j/ the Ne- 

 braska Agricultural S'a- 

 tion at Scotts Bluff, 

 Neb. t on the \t>rth 

 Platte Federal irriga- 

 tion project. 



NO part of the 

 irrigated farm 

 will bring better 

 results in money 

 actually saved 

 than the kitchen 

 garden. To have 

 a large supply of 

 good fresh vege- 

 ' tables always on 

 hand during the 

 summer season to 

 furnish an abund- 

 ance of cheap and 

 wholesome food 

 for the family is a 



problem that should receive more consideration in 

 the farm home. The fruits of the kitchen garden 

 should not be limited to summer use. In addition 

 to this, nearly all the vegetables grown may be 

 preserved in some form for winter use, making it 

 unnecessary for the farmer to purchase canned vege- 

 tables. 



The canning of garden stuff has often .been 

 thought a difficult problem and something that a 

 farmer's wife could not undertake. With the guid- 

 ance of some of the bulletins issued by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture any woman may soon learn to 

 can successfully any of the common vegetables. 



Lack of gardens is more apparent in the West 

 than in the East. The reason advanced is that a 

 garden requires "the best piece of land on the farm" 

 and "considerable time and money." It does require 

 some time and a little money to have a good garden, 

 but the actual expenditure of either time or money 

 is not large. The largest cash outlay is for two or 

 three hotbed sashes and a hand cultivator. 



Experiments at the Scottsbluff, Neb., Agricul- 

 tural Station have demonstrated that with little 

 expense the garden can be planned to supply an 

 abundance of cheap and wholesome food for summer 

 and winter use. 



At an elevation of 4,100 feet, thirty different 

 kinds of vegetables have been successfully grown 

 in the garden at the Experiment Farm. 



A garden of one-third to one-half acre should 

 be large enough to supply the average family with 

 all the vegetables required and with some small 

 fruit as well. 



Plant small amounts of the various vegetables 

 and make several plantings during the season. 



If possible, protect the garden with a wind- 

 break. 



Only well-decayed stable manure should be 

 used for fertilizer, and then as a top-dressing 



An Irrigator's Kitchen Garden at Alamosa, Colo. 



put on in the fall. 

 Care must be 

 used in irrigating 

 the different vege- 

 tables in order to 

 secure the best 

 quality and flavor. 

 A little care 

 used in gathering 

 seed will cut down 

 the seed bill the 

 following spring 

 as well as im- 

 prove the vege- 

 tables from year 

 to year. 



Asparagus re- 

 quires rich, well- 

 prepared soil. 



By withhold- 

 ing water until the 

 pods begin to set 

 and then forcing 

 a growth a much 

 earlier crop of beans can be secured. 



Beets do not keep long in storage, and therefore 

 should be canned during the summer. The smaller 

 the beet, the more tender. 



Brussels sprouts should be grown only for 

 summer consumption. 



For early varieties of cabbage, the Early Wake- 

 field and Winningstadt have proved the best. The 

 same is true of the Danish Ball Head as a late 

 variety. 



Bleaching cauliflower will produce better 

 flavored heads than growing them in the open. 



Carrots should be so irrigated as to be kept in 

 a good growing condition. 



Swiss chard has proved worthy of a place in 

 the garden. 



There is no danger of giving celery too much 

 water. 



It is better to under-irrigate than over-irrigate 

 for early corn. 



Planting cucumbers in continuous rows insures 

 fruit from one to two weeks earlier than the hill 

 method. 



Lettuce should be kept growing rapidly to 

 insure tenderness. 



Growing onions from seed is cheaper and the 

 results are as good as when grown from sets. 



For varieties of peas, Premium Gem, Nott's 

 Excelsior, and British Wonder have given the best 

 satisfaction. 



For early potatoes, plant seed that has been 

 sprouted. 



Rhubarb should have a place in every garden. 

 Over-irrigation of squash produces a rank 

 growth but little fruit. 



Failure to secure a good crop of tomatoes is due 

 more to over-irrigation than to anything else. 



Watermelons and cantaloups can be grown in 

 abundance, but only early varieties should be used. 



