24 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



August, 19 1,8 



pies are planted at three foot intervals — that is 

 that a three-foot square will have a Poppy 

 plant at each corner, there is room for a 

 vigorous growing perennial in the centre of 

 this square and I have used Perennial Asters 

 associated with Gypsophila paniculata with 

 good effect. This gives three separate sea- 

 sons of bloom. The Poppies start the display 

 and then — here being the chief fault of the 

 arrangement — there elapses almost two 

 months without bloom before the Gypsophila 

 spreads its filmy cloud over the bed. Then, 

 when the Gypsophila is turning to a warm 

 brown, which to my way of thinking is orna- 

 mental, the earlier Asters spread their pink, 

 mauve, lavender, and purple sprays above the 



dormant Poppies and ageing Gypsophilas. 

 This arrangement was the most satisfactory 

 of any perennial planting but I have discon- 

 tinued it in favor of annuals. 



Making Use of Bulbs 



'\X7'ITH the arrangement of Poppies above 

 * * noted there is ample room for a very fine 

 display of Gladiolus and this is the combina- 

 tion that I like best although there is here, 

 likewise, a hiatus in blooming seasons; but the 

 bright green spears of the bulbs are always at- 

 tractive. To obviate the flowerlessness noted I 

 have scattered a few seeds of Sweet Alyssum 

 which struggles its way into bloom and carpets 

 the bulbs without interfering with theirgrowth. 



Many people tell me that they can't grow 

 Perennial Poppies. They can't, if they won't 

 let them alone, naturally. Ignorance of the 

 plant's habits is the only excuse for lack of 

 success. The Oriental Poppy will grow in 

 any soil but seems to flourish particularly well 

 in light, well drained, but rich earth. It can 

 be raised from seed with no trouble at all, and 

 propagating from small pieces of the root is 

 simple. 



The one outstanding fact in its culture is 

 that it loses its foliage after blooming or when 

 moved during its growing season and lies 

 dormant. Not knowing this peculiarity of the 

 plant, many people conclude that it is dead 

 and hoe or dig it up and therefore lose it. 



Time Tables and Garden Truck 



THE railroads of the country have 

 been and are still strained to the 

 utmost to carry the burden of war 

 supplies to the seaboard. Citizens 

 of the United States in town and country are 

 urged to raise all the foodstuffs they possibly 

 can in their own yards, or vicinities, so that 

 the railroads may be relieved of much domes- 

 tic freightage. 



A few railroads have been accustomed to 

 let or give their land on rights of way to 

 employes or to farmers on adjoining lands for 

 cultivation. Before the war the Canadian 

 Pacific, the "Big Four" (since 1909), the 

 Grand Rapids and Indiana, the Chicago, 

 Burlington and Quincy, the Illinois Central, 

 and the Missouri Pacific, have encouraged 

 landowners on right of way and company 

 employees to cultivate the soil. War conditions 

 have stimulated these to greater efforts, and 

 have influenced other lines to join them in the 

 patriotic plan of food production. 



The land along the right of way varies in 

 width from ten feet on both sides of the track 

 to one hundred feet on many through lines, 

 in some cases several hundred feet — and 

 indeed, sometimes for miles back of the tracks. 

 To remove the danger of accidents it is for- 

 bidden to work the land closer than fifteen 

 feet from the tracks. One other precaution 

 is against raising tall crops, like corn or cane, 

 near the tracks where it might interfere with 

 the sight of the engineer. 



A letter sent out recently to about 60 rail- 

 roads by the United States Food Adminis- 

 tration has brought replies from almost all. 

 In every case there has been interest shown 

 and willingness to cooperate in this garden 

 campaign. The Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts- 

 burgh and the Chicago, Burlington and 

 Quincy roads have sent in the fullest reports, 

 and it is worth while to quote at some length 

 from them, while taking shorter items of 

 interest from communications from other 

 roads. 



The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 

 reports that it has been for some years en- 

 couraging farmers and employees to use arable 

 land .along its right of way. When the food 

 situation became acute and it was clear that 

 food was of actual military necessity, this 

 road started a vigorous campaign for gardens 

 on rights of way. Posters and other forms 

 of publicity were employed and agriculturists 

 were sent out to show employees how to grow 

 vegetables. 



One very good result of the campaign 

 accomplished by the Burlington agriculturist 

 was that "dry land" outside of the right of 

 way fences was used for growing pinto 

 beans. 1 hree thousand car load lots of good 

 beans were gathered in 191 7, where hitherto 



only grass had grown. They are going to 

 beat that record this season. 



The tracks of the Burlington ran through 

 miles and miles of vegetable gardens, last 

 year, and they are going through more this 

 summer. It will perhaps become the thing 

 to choose the kind of vegetable garden you 

 wish to travel through rather than the kind 

 of train you travel in. 



The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad 

 is another which many years ago encouraged 



Plot of over 20 acres at Upper Big Rapids, Michigan, at 

 the time of its being seeded in the spring of 1916. The R. 

 R. company cleared the land of pine stumps left from a cut- 

 ting 30 years ago and put it into shape for cultivation. Last 

 year nine permits were issued to company employees to use 

 the land. They cultivated gardens in the evening after 

 supper. 



land owners, renters and employees to culti- 

 vate land on rights of way. With the out- 

 break of war it at once asked agents to en- 

 courage garden work in every way. Last 

 year 198 persons applied for garden land and 

 249 acres were cultivated, producing tons of 

 vegetables, grains, and forage food. The 

 slogan for 191 8 is 1,000 acres of right of way 

 under the -plow. Employees are also being 

 encouraged to keep a pig or two for next 

 winter's meat and fat supply. 



The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh 

 has a fine report in which we learn the results 

 of its enthusiastic labors since 1917. There 

 were 1,543 applications for gardens, which 

 were all met and the men were supplied with 

 seed, and instructions about cultivation, 

 harvesting, drying, and preserving. The gar- 

 dens were under supervision of the agricul- 

 turist. 



There were 2,150 bushels of seed potatoes 

 bought and given to the employees of the road. 

 This, with other seed furnished by the em- 

 ployees themselves, produced 28,800 bushels 

 of potatoes, this being on a basis of 150 

 bushels per acre. The money value of the 

 crop raised last year was approximately 

 $51,431, but this is considered the least of the 

 gains. The men were greatly benefited by 

 the work and the interest of helping them- 

 selves and their country. 



When it was discovered in April, 1917, 

 that there was a power shortage, both man 

 and horse, the president of the road said at 

 once "Buy tractors and help them out!" 

 Three tractors were therefore distributed 

 along the line and about 700 acres were 

 plowed for the farmers, eighty-five per 

 cent, of which would not have been tilled 

 had they not been given this assistance. A 

 nominal charge of $1.50 per acre for plowing 

 and 75 cents for harrowing was made. 



It is hoped that there will be much more 

 raised this year. Three new tractors have 

 been purchased to assist in the work and 

 everything is being done to arouse the em- 

 ployees and the farmers on adjoining lands to 

 the need for fighting with food along the rights 

 of way. 



The " Big Four" has allowed its employees to 

 use land since 1909. This road is one which 

 gives the land rent free. At first the privilege 

 was extended on application only to employees, 

 but realizing the seriousness of the war situa- 

 tion, the company has extended the oppor- 

 tunity to outsiders. For 1918 the new form 

 of license issued to every applicant is to be 

 called the Liberty Garden License. 



The Pennsylvania lines are very enthu- 

 siastic about this work of increased food pro- 

 duction. Last year their first attempt was 

 extremely successful. The road charges a 

 nominal rent and last year had 1,200 gardens 

 east of Pittsburg and Erie. The average 

 size was one acre and the total value of the 

 crops raised was about $250,000. The road 

 issues instructions on gardening. This year 

 it is planning a potato drive. Last year 

 besides the 1,200 gardens there were 142 

 acres loaned to schools and other organiza- 

 tions. 



The St. Louis and San Francisco last year 

 supplied a small amount of seed and some 

 trees, bushes, and vines. This year it is en- 

 couraging the planting especially of wheat, 

 corn, cotton, alfalfa, and potatoes. It charges 

 a nominal rent for the land used and issues 

 helpful instructions. 



Many other railroads are on the active 

 honor list fighting with food as well as with 

 transportation, the Food Administration 

 having already heard from a score. 



