BECKERT'S SEED STORE, 101 AND 103 FEDERAL ST., N. S., PITTSBURGH, PA. - Suburban Garden 



IIB 



BY H . E . CLINGMAN ~ EMS WORTH . PA. 



Few people who are employed in- 

 doors throughout the year, and natu- 

 rally wish to be out of bounds of brick 

 walls when possible, particularly during 

 the beautiful springtime, realize what 

 pleasure and profit there is in a back- 

 yard garden. 



I have found nothing quite equal to 

 the pleasure of planning, planting and 

 caring for a garden. As a diversion 

 from one's usual vocation, it is a 

 most healthful recreation, and helps 

 materially to reduce the cost of 

 living, and it can also be made to 

 provide a substantial income for 

 the children. 



The two garden plots I have 

 measure together, 47 x 50 feet. This 

 small garden has produced, during 

 seven years, all the fresh vegetables 

 that we (a family of six) could use, 

 besides those that were canned and 

 stored for winter use. In addition, 

 my son, three years ago added §32 

 to his educational savings account; 

 over $60 two years ago, and $84.45 

 last year from the vegetables he 

 sold that we could not use. This 

 required only an hour or two of his 

 time each morning during school 

 vacations, and did not interfere 

 with the pleasures of which a boy 

 fifteen years of age is so fond. 



The measure of success in garden- 

 ing depends entirely upon the care- 

 ful preparation of the soil; selection 

 of seeds; knowing when and how. to 

 plant, and attention when growing. 

 Any plot of ground, devoted to 

 gardening, even if only a few feet 

 square, will well repay one for the 

 effort and time expended. 



The time to plan for the best 

 results in gardening is the fall be- 

 fore, when the ground should be 

 spaded deep and thoroughly. This 

 permits the soil to be worked more 

 easily in the spring and, by turning 

 over the usual plant-growth or sod, 

 enriches it. 



Early in the winter fertilizer 



should be applied — preferably barnyard 

 manure. The amount used depends 

 upon the condition of the soil, but it is 

 better to use too much than too little. 



As soon in the spring as the ground 

 can be worked, an application of slaked 

 lime is advisable; then again spaded 

 thoroughly, turning over the manure 

 and lime. 



Parsnips 

 Hollow 

 Crown 



* Sweet Peas Superb Mixture " 



1 Beckert's Perfection - 



Sweet Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Beets Beckert's Perfection — 

 rSweet Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Beets Beckert's Perfection — 



nion Sets Yellow Danvers— 

 Sweet Peas Superb Mixture 

 Onion Sets Yellow Danvers— 



t Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Onion Sets Yellow Danvers— 



Sweet Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Onion Sets Yellow Danvers— 



-Onion Sets Yellow Danvers- 

 j Peas Superb Mixture 

 Dnlon Sets Yellow Danvers— 



t Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Onions Sets Yellow Danvers 

 3weet Peas Superb Mixture 

 -Lettuce Transplanted B. S. 81 



i.j 



~16 Hills Green Pole Beans Old Homestead 

 i Lettuce Transplanted Black Seeded Simpson 



^-Sl6! 



3 / Onion 

 !a.<<- " 

 -^16 Hil 



—3? 



Lettuce Transplanted Black Seeded Simpson ■ 



Bush Beans Sure Crop Strinnless Wax 



Kohlrabi Transplanted White Vienna 



16 Hills Pole Beans Kentucky Wonder Wax — 

 Lettuce Transplanted N. Y. or Wonderful 



Hills Pole Beans Kentucky Wonder Wax • 



Pyramid i 

 4 Hills EaSvJ 



-Beets Beckert's Perfection - 

 16 Hills Pole Lima Beans Ideal- 



-Kohlrabl Transplanted White Vienna 



Pyram: 

 6 Hills 1 



id 



Hills Pole Lima Beans Ideal - 



Radishes French Breakfast- 



-Lettuce Transplanted Black Seeded Simpson - 



-16 Tomato Plants Transplanted June Pink 



-Lettuce Transplanted Black Seeded Simpson • 



Simps. 

 iPlni- 



Hot Bed 

 2 Frame 

 6 x 6 Ft. 



Beets Beckert's Perfectk 

 13 Tomato Plants Transplanted June Plnk- 

 ~ '[fast 



Radishes French Breakfi 



Radishes French Breakf. 



My experience has taught me that 

 much depends upon the careful se- 

 lection of seeds. Their cost is so small 

 compared with what they produce that 

 plenty of seeds should be purchased, 

 and only from the most reliable seed 

 stores. It is only reasonable to assume 

 that good seeds, true to name and fresh, 

 are to be purchased from firms that are 

 established for that purpose only. 



During the winter months I 

 enjoyed planning how and when to 

 plant the various vegetables. As I 

 had previously kept a complete 

 record of these facts, as well as 

 expenses incurred, together with 

 amounts of each sold, I was able 

 to lay the garden out a long while 

 before planting. 



As the only spare time I had was 

 an hour or two each evening and 

 Saturday afternoons, I spaded just 

 enough to enable me to plant that 

 amount at one time, probably only 

 a row or two. 



I planted Lettuce about March 

 io for transplanting; I did this so 

 as to get the plants early and not 

 to interfere with the general ar- 

 rangement of the long rows I had 

 adopted. Lettuce will stand con- 

 siderable cold weather, especially 

 when covered by a light fall of 

 snow. 



About two weeks later I began 

 in earnest to plant the garden, 

 beginning with Sweet Peas and the 

 hardiest vegetables first. Early 

 planting is important, because early 

 vegetables grow better and com- 

 mand better prices, and also per- 

 mit growing two or more crops in 

 the same soil. Care should be taken 

 to plant the garden in an orderly 

 manner, because it looks much 

 better and is more easily cultivated. 



Both diagrams show how all rows 

 were planted io inches apart, 

 measured accurately, and a string 

 was drawn tightly the length of 

 the rows, as a guide. 



