Volume IX Madison, Wisconsin, February, 1919 Number 6 
PLANT A VICTORY GARDEN 
In 1917 and again in 1918 we planted and tended our “war gardens” and by so doing helped in no small 
measure to win the war. The war is over but gardening is just as good a game as ever. 
Very many people in 1917 and 1918 learned what a few always knew, that there is much more to gar- 
dening than a reduction in the cost of living. To the indoor worker there is health-giving exercise and 
the joy of being out of doors; to everyone, rich and poor, young and old, the pleasure of digging in the 
soil, of planting the seed, of watching the plants grow. It’s an inspiration, Creation unfolded before 
our eyes. 
So let us garden this year and each succeeding year for gardening sake. i 
GETTING READY FOR THE GARDEN 
Prof. James G. Moore, College of Agriculture, Univ. of Wis 
Most folks think February a poor 
gardening month but the fact is that 
the work done in February and March 
may largely determine the success of 
the garden. It is time now to begin 
to make definite plans for the garden 
work which is to be done later on. 
The planting season will be here be- 
fore we know it. 
Don’t waste your effort next sum- 
mer in gardening in competition with 
trees and shade. It can’t be done suc- 
cessfully. Hoeing, watering and fer- 
tilizing cannot make up for lack of 
sunlight. Many gardeners try to 
make this substitution and fail. 
Good garden tracts may be spoiled by 
worthless, often self-planted, trees or 
shrubs. Cut them out so your vege- 
tables will not have to compete with 
them for sunlight, food, and water. 
You will probably find, also, that your 
back yard looks better without them. 
If it is impractical to remove the 
offending plants, or if buildings shade 
your garden for the greater part of 
the day begin at once to make ar- 
rangements for a suitable garden 
tract. Ask the aid of the local organ- 
ization which is helping to get gar- 
deners and the garden tracts together. 
That Garden Plan 
What kind of a house would a car- 
penter build without a plan? How 
would a garden which was planned, 
row by row, while the planting was 
being done compare with one care- 
fully planned in advance of planting? 
The professional gardener finds a plan 
necessary for best results. A definite 
plan is of even more importance for 
the small garden if the best results 
are to be secured. Haphazard, hit- 
or-miss garden planting usually re- 
sults in poor use of the soil and les- 
sened production. A good plan saves 
much valuable time at planting be- 
cause the gardener doesn’t have to 
stand around and figure out where 
things are to go. 
As soon as you know where your 
garden is to be, measure your tract 
and then plan your garden on paper. 
A good working plan should show: 
1. Location of the different crops. 
2. Distances between rows. 
3. If more than one crop is to oc- 
cupy the same area during the 
season. 
4. Approximate dates for making 
different plantings of lettuce, 
peas, radishes or other vege- 
tables of which more than one 
planting is made. 
Use heavy paper and ink so that 
your plan will stand a season’s use in 
the garden. 
It is well to use a definite and fairly 
large scale in showing distance be- 
tween rows. For a small garden one- 
fourth or one-half inch on the plan 
to every foot in the garden is a con- 
venient scale. The more carefully 
your plan is made the greater will be 
the returns from your garden. 
In making a garden there are cer- 
tain things to remember. 
1. Make every foot of land work all 
would a garden which was planned, 
row by row, while the planting was 
the time. As soon as one crop 
is harvested another should 
take its place if there is room 
for its proper growth. Prac- 
tically all of the garden should 
grow two crops and part of it 
ought to produce three. Warm 
season crops such as beans and 
tomatoes, and late seeded crops 
like turnips may follow early 
cool season crops such as let- 
tuce, spinach, radishes and 
onion sets. 
2. Vegetables which can be stored 
for winter use should be con- 
sidered first. The vegetables 
will be more appreciated when 
the supply is low and the price 
is high. 
3. First plan for the long season 
crops — the short season crops 
will take care of themselves. 
Grow short season crops (let- 
tuce, radishes, spinach) be- 
tween the rows of long season 
crops. Globe radishes may be 
grown in the rows of carrots, 
