Captain Ball always insisted upon having his bean poles in place 
before planting the crop 
And the Captain’s beans grew luxuriantly, but his success was 
dimmed by a bean support of the Newcomer’s 
A Vegetable Garden Contest and Its Lessons 
THE MAKING OF A SUCCESSFUL GARDEN AND THE INGENIOUS METHODS AND 
SHORT CUTS BY WHICH IT PROVED ITS SUPERIORITY OVER ITS NEIGHBORS 
by Charles A. Hartley 
I N a little town, which nestles in a friendly elbow of the Ohio 
River, a spirited vegetable garden contest took place during 
the summer of 1910. It was strictly an old man's game, the three 
contestants ranging in ages from fifty-five to sixty-five years. The 
prize was the honor of having the best vegetable garden in 
town. 
The contestants were Captain Ball, a retired steamboatman. 
ex-Lieutenant Markham, an old soldier, and Charles Dunlap, a 
newcomer to the town. Each of the contestants had his garden 
thoroughly plowed in the fall, heavy coats of stable manure being 
turned under in each case. They agreed that stable manure was 
preferable to commercial fertilizers, even if it did bring weeds. 
The Captain was noted for poles for everything that would 
climb—for beans and tomatoes in particular. He always planted 
his poles before he planted his crop. His explanation was that he 
had a better chance to get them in 
to suit him without having growing 
things in the way. The ex-soldier, 
known in the neighborhood as the 
Early Bean Man, was noted as a 
stickler for straight rows. The 
Newcomer, as he came to be called, 
was the unknown quantity in the 
problem. He had to be tested in the 
balance, as his actions were strange. 
The fall before he had a half dozen 
loads of silt hauled up from the 
river shore and deposited in a pile 
just inside his garden fence. That 
was a rather mysterious movement, 
but he gave no explanation. He was 
also noticed carrying bundles of 
common plaster laths into his barn, 
where he sawed and hammered for 
a half day at a time. Upon this also lie continued to keep silence. 
The Captain and the Early Bean Man belonged to the intens¬ 
ive garden class. They did not let an inch of ground go to 
waste, producing two, three and even four crops a season, in some 
instances, from the same ground. In this the Newcomer was 
planning to beat them at their own game, but he was careful not 
to divulge any of his plans. 
Thus matters stood ivith the three contestants when May 
brought warmer weather. Captain Ball had spread his map of 
campaign out before the enemy. Anyone of experience could 
foresee his next move as well as if he had orally announced it. 
The Early Bean Man was just as open and easily read, but the 
Newcomer was still reticent. 
From the beginning of May the three practically camped in 
their gardens. Every day they planted, hoed, coddled and coaxed. 
In conversation together they ap¬ 
parently showed all their methods, 
but really spoke general garden 
wisdom and said nothing of their 
pet hobbies. At the same time each 
one was determined to win, though 
he wouldn’t show his enthusiasm 
for worlds. 
Their weighty discussions took 
on the appearance of a Socratic 
discourse attended by the throngs. 
The Captain would remark “It’s an 
old and true saying, ‘Treating your 
cow kindly brings best results.’ Just 
as true with cabbage ! To be a suc¬ 
cess a vegetable garden must be 
hoed every week, and it’s much bet¬ 
ter if you do it twice, I say. The 
very moment the slightest crust 
All the Newcomer’s plantings were in rows, one, two and 
three feet apart, so that succession crops could be set in 
between 
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