The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 26, 1917, Page 10

.Samaria, South Carolina, a e e L R The Farm Garden in Wartime This is a department of the Leader devoted to news, facts, information and opinions of interest to farmers as farmers and as business men. =S S S = mnumnuuunmummmm_unmmumlummnlmmmmlfmmmunumlmmmnnmnma How the Farmer Can Increase His Revenue and Do His Country a Service BY HOMER DIXON GREAT deal is being said of late in regard to the duty of the farmer in regard to the wheat acreage and the grain situation and we realize that this is all most imporfant, as this is the farmers’ money crop and he de- pends upon- it almost entirely for his receipts. 'We believe, however, that there is another phase of the farming business which should be very carefully looked after this year, and that is the farm garden. Very few farmers give their garden the consideration which is due it as one of the chief sources of food for the farm family. We know of a large number of farms which have practical- ly no garden at all, because of the fact that the farmers are occupied most of the time with their field work and the housewife has all that she can do, to take care of the house work and the chickens. At this time, with a food shortage facing the world, the garden looms up as one of the most important factors in meeting this scarcity. Small plots of ground can be made to produce wonderfully with a little extra care and attention. Recall the record of 612 cans‘of tomatoes and a profit of $60 from one-tenth of an acre of ground made by Miss Katie Gunter. of year or so ago. Miss Fay Parker of Arkansas made a profit of $161 on one-tenth of an acre or at the rate of $1,610 to"the acre. In 1913 Miss Clyde Sullivan of Ousley, Georgia, with a yield of 5,354 pounds of tomatoes, made 2,456 pounds of canned goods, and a profit of $132.39 and did not receive war prices either. A record which beats this last one was made in 1914 by Miss Hester Sartain in Alabama, who raised 7,037 pounds of tomatoes on one tenth of an acre. GIRLS" WAR SERVICE Now here is a chance for the girls, If the boys are going to the army and navy and many of them into the fields, why mnot have the girls go into the garden who do not go intoc Red Cross work? A good many girls in this Northwest of ours have run the boys mighty strong competition in other lines than garden work, some of them having prizes as pig and potato raisers. Plan a garden on the farm this year. If food products are going to be short, each farmer can have a food supply for himself and family by this means and it will be obtained at a smaller ex- penditure than any other way. Plan the farm gardens to furnish you with your winter supply of vegetables. Those vegetables which will not keep should be canned. If you were to " figure the actual value of vegetables that may be raised on a half-acre plot of garden, it would amount to at least $100. Locate your garden as near the house as is convenient, as much of the care of the garden will fall upon the women this season. If possible arrange it so that a large part of the work may be performed by horse power. Run the rows the long way of the garden and figure to have vegetables of similar growth together. This will make it easier to cultivate the rows as they will be the same distance apart. PREPARING THE SOIL The preparation of the soil is un- doubtedly one of the most important features of this garden work. Most garden seeds are small, and for this reason the soil particles must be small in order that the seeds will have a good bed in which to germinate. Well-_ rotted barnyard manure is the best fertilizer for the garden. See that it is well worked into the soil before plant- ing the early crops. Horse manure is loose, light and ferments quickly, and for this reason is especially valuable ' for the early crops. It is also valuable to mix with cow manure as it hastens the fermentation. Hen manure is one of the richest farm manures, heating very readily and so must be used with caution. If it comes in contact with rocis or stems it will burn them. It is well to apply manure in:the spring, just before the seed is planted, spread- ing it evenly over the land and cover- ing thinly with soil. However it may be applied in the furrow, and with vines in the hill. If at any time during the growing season_the crop comes to & standstill, it may be that some fertilizing con- stituent has been exhausted. In such a case it is often well to apply manure to the growing crop. Hen manure is especially good for this, and should be applied during a rain, or in a dry time by putting the manure in a furrow near the crop. In either case, mix it well with the soil. THE WAR ON WEEDS Weeds are the bugbear of the garden. They have defeated many an industri- ous boy and girl and often the older folks. This is a year of wars and strife and one of the greatest wars to be staged this year must be against the weed, if we are to have a victory in increased production and a maximum return from the garden. Weeds rob the desirable plants of their food, they shade the little plants, keeping them from the sunshine, and steal the moisture supply of the garden. The best time to kill weeds is before the seeds are planted in the garden. This is possible by constantly ‘stirring up the soil. In this way the weed seeds These will help out in the winter sary for the germination of the seed. Place the seed in mellow soil and pack the soil around it, just enough so that the particles are brought in contact with the seed coat. In this way the seed obtains moisture for germination. -Unless the seed is placed in the ground carefully, the crop can not get a good start. Most of the common garden seeds are planted one inch deep. Some of the large seeds, peas, corn, etc.,, may be planted a little deeper. Always plant the seed in freshly stirred ground. Be sure the rows are straight to insure ease of cultivation. If the soil is fairly moist when the seed is sown, be care- ful not to pack it too hard in firming the soil around the seeds. Plant a little more thickly than the plant should stand when mature, thinning out the plants later on as they show signs of crowding. WHEN AND WHAT TO PLANT Lettuce, celery, radishes, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, onions, spinach and early potatoes should be in the ground as soon as your garden is ready in the spring. It is time now to get rgady for more tender vegetables. The The High School at Perham are brought to the surface where they germinate and the next time the soil is stirred up they are killed. Always give the garden a good going over im- mediately before the seeds are planted. ‘When seeds are planted that are slow in germinating or appearing above the earth, it is often well to rake over the ground, before they come up, and in 80 doing kill off - more weeds. - This. must be -done lightly-and carefully however. Often .in . planting . slow growing parsnips, carrots, etc., radishes may be planted in the drill row with them and in this way. the row is easily; distinguished . and the cultivator: is, aided . in determining just where the proper plants are located. Never allow a weed to go to seed in your garden. ANOTHER OBJECT OF CULTIVA- TION 'The destruction of weeds though im- .portant is. but one of ‘the objects of cultivation. The retention of .moisture is another object and is accomplished by frequent shallow cultivation during the period of drought. Use any in- strument or tool which enables you to work the soil to a slight depth near the plants, as they are breakmg through the ground and when they have gained a A little strength you can easily go deeper. This provides the desired mulch which prevents the moisture in the earth from passing into the air. . Heat, moisture and air are neces- vines such as the cucumber, squash, melons, beans and pumpkin should not be planted until the ground is warm and the weather promises to hold warm. The latter part of May, toma- toes and cabbage plants may be set out and by the first of June cucumbers for pickles should be planted. In considering what vegetables to plant, take stock of the size of the family and its needs. A variety is im- portant, because of the fact that if a variety is available the problem which confronts the housewife of preparing suitable and healthful meals is greatly simplified. Plan to have fresh vege= tables’ throughout the growing season. Lettuce, radishes, beets, spinach and small onions should be ready for the table by the middle of May and as the season advances more seed should be planted so that a supply of each may be had through the summer. By July, early potatoes, string beans, cabbage, cucumbers and green corn should sup- ply the table from time to time. In August the later crops are maturing and you should plan on eggplants, sweet corn, onions, beans and peas. Plan to grow a supply of vegetables for canning. The value of canned food for the winter can not be overestimated. Swiss chard, kale, turnip tops, aspara=- gus, spinach, beet tops, and dande- lions make very palatable dishes when properly canned. Carrots, parsnips, ‘beets and turnips may all be placed in the glass jar by the new processes of canning. Tomatoes and corn, lima- beans, string beans, peas, pumpkin and squash may all be saved and had for use during the months of the year when ‘these products are a luxury. Vegetables have a value whether sold or used at home. It is true that if they are raised the money has not been paid out and many farmers fail to see where they should place much of a value upon them, If the farmer would consider, for example, the vege=- tables used worth what might be re- ceived for them if they were sold, the garden would then appear to be a busi= ness proposition. A Modern Country School school at Perham, Minnesota, we find one of the finest school structures of the Northwest for the purpose of secondary education. This new build- ing has been erected at a cost of $60,- 000 to the community and stands as a monument,” erected to the. welfare of the boyhood ‘and girlhood of that vicin- ity, by the citizens. It is a living, ac- tive monument however, throbbing with the intense activity so typical of high school boys and girls, -The bmldmg is complete in_ every detail, having beén made large enough to take care of almost double the pres- ent enrollment, which.is 106.: It con- N the new consolidated high tains beside the regular class .rooms . for the academic subjects, departments of agriculture,:domestic science, man- ual training and commercial work. A large assembly room is located on the third floor, which is capable of seating . 200 pupils.’ Immediately off from this room is found the commer- cial department and the class rooms for recitation -work. On the lower floor is a large:- well-equipped labora- tory for physics and one for chemistry with a large well lighted recitation room between them. On this floor also » ; TEN is located the superintendent’s office, library, and other class rooms: MANUAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT, The manual training department is located in the basement and has a bench room, lumber room and finishing room. . The domestic science depart- ment is eq}xipped with modern tables and equipment with acetylene gas for cooking purposes. This gas will be used in the laboratories throughout the building. The agricultural department has two rooms, one a large class room and the other a laboratory planned for a germination room ‘and for general laboratory work. A gymnasium 40x60 provides for the physical training of the students. It has a small stage arranged so that public' meetings can be held in the gymnasium, which will seat over four hundred people. It is planned to hold public meetings here and also to have .this as a place where different organi- zations may.meet to study problems which affect their. organization and their community. Situated as this school is in a rich agricultural region it seems that the citizens are far sighted in having fitted up the bufldmg as they have, providing ' (Continued on page 15) L iy & it >