Written expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
Vegetables vs. Flowers in War Time. 
By Bertha Berbert Hammond. 
T HE VEGETABLE garden has cer- 
tainly come to its own. Never 
has the gentle art of growing 
vegetables received such an im- 
petus and never has so much gratu- 
itous and promiscuous advice on 
vegetable raising been disseminated. 
Unfortunately, much of this informa- 
tion has been so impracticable or con- 
flicting that it is no wonder that 
many a beginner has been completely 
bewildered or discouraged. 
In their excessive enthusiasm some 
writers have advocated gardening 
schemes that are far from feasible. 
Others not satisfied with trying to 
discourage the cultivation of flowers, 
“ the stars of the earth,” have en- 
deavored also to restrict even the 
production of fruit, contending that 
fruit is not essential as food, and that 
the time spent in its cultivation is, 
therefore, wasted. Absurd! Fruit is 
wholesome and nourishing, and has 
considerable medicinal as well as food 
value, and if its use were more gen- 
eral (particularly in the sections where 
it is raised) one source of great waste 
would be checked, a saving of less 
perishable foods thus made possible, 
and some of the congestion caused by 
the transportation of the fruit les- 
sened. Another extremist urges the 
plowing of one’s flower garden and 
lawn and the planting of potatoes in 
“ such useless plots.” While conced- 
ing that the potato stands very high 
as a ‘‘wheat saver” and should for 
that reason, if for no other, be planted 
freely, yet, surely there are more suit- 
able plots for the cultivation of this 
wholesome but humble tuber than on 
the front lawn. For even in these 
serious times, when we must adapt 
ourselves to so many new and changed 
conditions, suitability may still claim 
consideration. It is not yet necessary 
to “ starve the soul to feed the body ” 
and though it may be expedient to 
curtail expenditures of time and 
money, let us care wisely for the flow- 
ers that we have (particularly peren- 
nials) and add new ones as liberally 
as conditions will permit. An extra 
hour of daylight saved and devoted 
each day to the care of flowers, will 
bring its own reward. Flowers appeal 
to the best and highest in mankind. 
Their refining and comforting influence 
is far reaching. They bring consola- 
tion to those in sorrow, and increase 
the joy of those who are fortunate or 
happy. If ever we needed their sooth- 
ing, inspiring influence, we need it 
now. Give up one’s flowers entirely 
to cultivate vegetables? Emphatic- 
ally "No.” "Man can not live by bread 
alone.” 
Fortunately there are a number of 
plants from which one may obtain 
both flowers and food. The Nastur- 
tium bears a beautiful flower and 
its pungent seed is excellent for pick- 
ling purposes. The Scarlet Runner 
Bean and its cousin, the Butterfly 
Runner Bean can scarcely be sur- 
passed for their profusion of showy, 
attractive flowers and their abundant 
crops of large edible beans that can 
be used either as string or shelled 
beans. Climbing beans may also be 
used to advantage to cover and beau- 
tify unsightly stumps, fences, sheds 
or even the porch trellis. They will 
cover the porch as quickly as the 
usual annual vine and the foliage is 
quite as ornamental. You will then 
have not only the beauty and shade 
but many a meal of nourishing beans. 
As pole beans yield a food that is 
rich in protein, raise plenty of them. 
Instead of erecting bean poles which 
are not only unsightly but in some 
localities difficult to obtain, plant an 
old-fashioned, tall-growing sun-flower 
near each hill of beans and let Crease 
Back, Lima or other climbing beans 
twine around the stalk. Keeping 
most of the large leaves trimmed off 
the sun-flower plant, will tend to 
make the stalk grow taller and 
stronger and will also admit additional 
sunlight to the clinging bean vines. 
When mature, the seeds of the sun- 
flower find a ready market as poultry 
food ; the stalks or stems are useful 
as fuel and the ash obtained by burn- 
ing them containing as it does a very 
large percentage of potash ( 62 %) is 
at this time of shortage of potash 
very valuable as a fertilizer. 
[ Concluded on page 78] 
