February, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



19 



Why not grow fresh, crisp vegetables liKe these rather than buy wilted ones at the green grocer's? 





a variety of late peas which I had been ad- 

 vised to plant early and train on strings. Just 

 here, at the eastern edge of the garden, where 

 the soil was exceptionally deep and loamy, 

 space was devoted to a row of spinach and 

 onions. After a few seeds of parsley and 

 cress were sprinkled along the path its bor- 

 ders were to be filled up with zinnias, mari- 

 golds, and candytuft. 



The plan did not reach this finished state 

 until I had spent many hours thinking it over 

 and readjusting it. Once completed, how- 

 ever, the seeds were ordered immediately, 

 so that I might have no opportunity for 

 changing my mind. 



In April, as soon as the frost was out of the 

 ground, the land was plowed. As the earth 

 was new, there was much work then to be 

 done in the way of pulling up sods, throwing 

 out stones, and spading, where specially well 

 worked soil was needed. At first I undertook 

 to do all this myself, but was finally obliged 

 to hire a man for the heavier part of the labor. 

 By working with him the work was finished 

 in less than a day. Lastly the garden was 

 raked three times. 



No change in the plan was found necessary 

 when planting the seeds, but figuratively 

 speaking, it was necessary to have the cata- 

 logue tied to my apron-strings for constant 

 reference as regards time of planting, dis- 

 tances, and depth. As the soil had not been 

 worked for some years I was advised to use 

 a little commercial fertilizer to start things, 

 in addition to the stable manure, which would 

 carry them through the season. 



It had been predicted that the two kinds of 

 corn would mix, as both were planted in such 

 a small area, but by delaying planting one 

 variety for three weeks I had no such trouble. 

 After the earliest peas were gone, lettuce was 

 planted in that row, while more peas (a 

 wrinkled variety) went into the original 

 lettuce row. When the carrots were ready to 

 be thinned out the surplus plants were trans- 

 planted into the other half of their row, which 

 had previously been filled with beet greens. 

 The string and butter beans were successful, 

 but the pole beans did not mature so well, 

 although their flavor was good. I learned, 

 however, that more fertilizer was required 

 for that kind than for other varieties. 



Tiring of radishes in July, endive was 



planted, which was taken into the cellar in 

 the late fall and lasted some time for use in 

 salads. There were really more cucumbers 

 than I could use, but some were disposed of 

 by pickling. The turnips were a failure, 

 as the damp soil was too heavily fertilized. 

 The parsnips were left in the ground till 

 winter. 



The hardest work of all in my garden was 

 thinning and transplanting, but, it was at the 

 same time really the most interesting. Weed- 

 ing was done daily, never letting the weeds 

 get ahead. 



At first the different bugs and worms 

 seemed a great problem, so far did their num- 

 bers exceed those of the insect pests common 

 to flower beds; but I found that by fighting 

 them systematically I could check their depre- 

 dations. Later on, the toads proved to be 

 such willing partners that I introduced a 

 plentiful supply into my garden. 



In August, someone suggested cutting 

 off the tops and branches of the tomatoes, 

 leaving only three stalks to a plant. I tried 

 this with a dozen, which were tied to. stakes; 



the others were left to grow as they would, 

 supporting some in frames made of barrel 

 hoops and staves, and tying the others to 

 lattices which were at hand. The first 

 method is the best, as it economizes space, 

 and results in larger and more abundant 

 fruit. This year I am going to attempt 

 Brussels sprouts, okra, kale, and a dande- 

 lion bed. The peas are to be in earlier, and 

 tomato plants are being raised from seed. 

 The kitchen window now serves as a hotbed, 

 but I hope for a genuine one by another 

 season. The cost of fertilizers is reduced 

 by the use of wood ashes, of which I collect 

 about a bushel in a winter. Another econ- 

 omy is a compost-heap, where are thrown old 

 vines, the kitchen waste, and autumn leaves 

 raked off the front yard. These last retain 

 moisture and will be decomposed by spring. 

 When recommended to me, I thought such a 

 collection would make an unsightly object, 

 but this difficulty was rectified by sprinkling 

 seeds of wild cucumber and scarlet runner 

 over the heap, and planting around the edge 

 a screen of Russian sunflowers. 



LIST OF EXPENDITURES 



Plowing $1.00 



Commercial fertilizer i.oo 



Manure 3.00 



Seeds 2.50 



Tomato plants jo 



Bean poles 50 



Insecticides 25 



Labor hired 1.25 



Total $10.00 



My western wind-break of wild barberry 

 (Berberis vulgaris), is the outcome of several 

 years' labor and is effective, both as regards 

 use and beauty. The scent of its yellow 

 blossoms fills the spring air, and its cardinal 

 fruit adds to the brightness of autumn, while 

 some remain even through the winter snows. 



The thorns prove an additional safeguard 

 against small boys, who never make a second 

 attempt to crawl through. 



Street 



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' Flower 

 &P/ay-ground\ G<jrden 



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Kitchen Garden 



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— 50 ff.- 



Plon of Ten Dollar Garden 

 and sketch showing location 



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Spinach 



Onions 



Peas on strings 



Carrots Beet Greens 



Turnips Winter Beets 



Butter Beans 



Bush Peas 



Musfrme/ons 



Tomatoes 



Tomatoes 



Po/e Beans 



Parsnip 



Sa/sify 



Mexican Corn 



Pumpkins 



Hubbard 

 Stjuasti 



Mexican Corn \ 



-22 ft. >\z 



Ft. 



Cucumbers 



Lettuce 



Radishes 



Early Peas 



£or/y Peas 



Str/np Beans 



Muskme/ons 



Tbmafc 



Tomatoes 



Ecrrfy Corn 



\ Summer Squash 



j Early Corn 



Earfy Corn 



22ft- 



-4-6 ft.^ 



2 ! 



it 1 



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 3* 

 3% 

 3 j 

 3 



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What may be done on a 50 x 100 fool lot to raise all the vegetables for the family 



