June 
1918 
45 
The overhead system of 
irrigation will supply ar¬ 
tificial rain whenever the 
garden needs it. It is 
worth many times the 
cost of installation 
THE WAR GARDEN DEPARTMENT 
On another gage of this issue we print an article which tells of ways in which the children can do their bit 
in the campaign for food production and economical distribution. Their efforts and those of the grown-ups 
as well will avail little, however, without a knozvledge of the fundamental requirements of vegetables. To 
touch upon these fundamentals is the purpose of this Department. If your individual problems are not 
discussed here, we shall be more than glad to help you solve them personally. Simply state the case in a 
letter and mail it to the Information Service, House & Garden, 19 West iith Street, New York City—Editor 
ROBERT STELL 
a “dust mulch” on the surface of the ground, the 
reasons for the effectiveness of which are these: 
Soil moisture tends to work upward by capillary 
attraction. As soon as water is added to the ground, 
and has ceased its downward movement due to gravity, 
it begins to set up lines of communication by which 
it gradually climbs to the surface and is there ab¬ 
sorbed by the air. If these capillary waterways, so 
to speak, are broken at any point the movement ceases 
and the moisture below the break becomes compara¬ 
tively static. 
Such an interruption of the capillary action is ac¬ 
complished by the dust mulch. It is nothing more 
or less than a layer of finely pulverized, dry earth 1" 
to 2" deep over the surface of the garden. For very 
small areas a rake, and for larger spaces a wheel-hoe 
with a flat blade will create it. Go over the garden 
after every rain or water¬ 
ing, with whichever of 
these two implements you 
decide upon, and break up 
the surface thoroughly. 
Not only will you thus 
create a dust mulch, but 
much will be accomplished 
in the way of keeping 
down the weeds. 
Preserving Vegetables 
and Fruit 
June sees, too, the real 
beginning of the canning 
season. So much is to be 
accomplished in laying up 
a supply of preserved 
vegetables and fruits for 
the non-productive season 
that it seems worth while 
to add here a few sugges¬ 
tions which can readily be 
supplemented by the more 
complete bulletins issued 
by the Government. 
The open kettle method 
of preserving follows: 
Select fruit or vege¬ 
tables that are not over¬ 
ripe. Sterilize all rubbers, 
jars, covers, spoons, etc. 
Use no rubbers that have 
been used before. Avoid 
the use of chipped jars or 
dented covers. Make a 
syrup of any desired 
sweetness. Cook fruit in 
syrup until tender. Cook 
vegetables in slightly salted 
water. Adjust sterilized 
rubber to sterilized jar. 
Fill jar to overflowing with 
(Continued on page 58) 
W ITH June begins a critical period in the war 
garden’s career. Vegetables should be develop¬ 
ing rapidly and gaining a roothold that the 
really hot summer weather cannot shake. Yet this 
desirable state cannot be reached without attention 
on the part of the gardener, particularly in the mat¬ 
ter of watering and conserving the moisture which is 
already in the ground. Plant food in the soil is 
practically useless without sufficient moisture to make 
it available for the roots. A fifty per cent saturation 
of the soil is said to be ideal for plant growth. To 
maintain anything like this during June artificial 
watering is necessary in most seasons. 
By artificial watering I do not mean merely sprin¬ 
kling the surface now and then, or even every day. 
A thorough soaking of the soil is the only correct 
thing, for remember that it is the roots and not the 
leaves which need it. 
Water thoroughly once a 
week and you will come 
close to eliminating the 
dry weather menace. 
Generally speaking, two 
methods of applying water 
artificially may be con¬ 
sidered. The first is the 
common hose, which is too 
well known to need ex¬ 
planation here. The sec¬ 
ond is the overhead irri¬ 
gation system, which is 
more effective, far easier 
to operate properly, more 
durable and not much 
more expensive to install. 
The general effect of the 
overhead system is shown 
in the photograph at the 
top of this page. The pipe 
from which the jets of 
water are issuing revolves 
on its supports when de¬ 
sired, so that the water can 
be directed to either side 
of the line. With good 
pressure the jets will reach 
from 20' to 25', so that 
one pipe line will cover a 
strip of garden 40' to 50' 
wide and as long as the line. 
The system can be bought 
ready to connect with the 
regular water supply. 
Fruits and Vegetables which May Be Put Up 
During June 
Wild Greens 
Lamb’s Quarter 
Dandelion greens 
Pepper cress 
Mustard 
Milkweed sprouts 
Garden Vegetables 
Lettuce 
Young onions 
Radishes 
Radish seeds 
Asparagus 
Beet tops 
Mint 
Swiss chard 
Spinach 
Cabbage sprouts 
Fruits 
Strawberries 
Pineapples 
Rhubarb 
J* 
V 
The Dust Mulch 
When the water has once 
reached well down among 
the plants’ roots, how is 
it to be kept there as long 
as possible? Simply by 
creating and maintaining 
Where comparatively few 
celery plants are grown, 
they may be blanched with 
paper or fibre bleachers 
The cabbage plants 
need attention to kill 
the worms. Hellebore 
is the poison used 
Keep the wheel-hoe 
working. The double 
type cultivates both 
sides of the row 
