The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-03-07
Economy Of the Garden.

OF all the small economies which become a
planter--and they are many-a good kitchen IS
the chief Indeed, it is great economy, and
not small one The larger the plantation the
greater need for it, and the gre;..er economy in
It. From the garden may comt nore than halt
the food required for human srts during six
or eight months of the year; aud if half the
food of small laboring force is an item worth
saving, half the food of large force is of pro-
portionabe Importance.
The want of economy in details, is the bane
of the plantation, system of the country. If all
the losses of year in small wastes, and small
negects were saved up on large plantation,
they would be found to amount to fairequiv-
aent for the proprietor's personal labor and at,
tention. 1t is the misfortune of our landed
proprietors that they will think they have not
time to give details, and that the work on the
crops of cotton and corn afford no opportunity
for garden. 1t cannot however be disputed,
that one acre in we'll cultivated garden will
afford more good than ten acres in corn and
every particle of it is available for man or
beast in its season. There will never be plan
tation gardens, while planters think o garden
can only be worked when cotton and corn do
not require the labor. The routine of the farm
is an endless unceasing round, from seed time
to harvest; and if the garden is left till leisure
comes in the farm labor then there will never
be garden. -,
Half the continuous labor of one man, with
occasional help only of horse and plow, will
easily cultivate rich acre of garden products
that will Weld half the food required for thirty
men. the greater part of the year. See the
simple list of the chief vegetables, those that
are most popular, and most acceptable to la
borers, and at the same time cheapest and easl-
est to produce in unlimited abundance. These
are cabbage, turnips, Irish potatoes, egg plant,
okra and tomatoes. The three first named
alone would constitute valuable crop, yield
ing unlimited quantities of wholesome food Tor
the wear round. The six varieties named are
the chief vegetables of all those in general use,
and if onions or schallotts be added, the round
is complete and no laborer would have want
in addition. Not one of them requires skill or
unusual labor in the cultivation, and every one
Yields abundantly. The seed of each is easily
and cheaply had, and probably every ordinary
negro in Georgia possesses the requisite
knowledge for planting and raising them. ANY
nlontation that afforded an abundant supply OF
such food would or ought to be popular home
for negroes.
that there is not even supply of vegetables for
the proprietor's family on the large plantations,
or at most there is mere apology for garden
in which may grow great stand of long stem
collards few volunteer tomatoes, with red
pepper and sage along the borders, and perhaps
q solitary sunfower or two. Such garden as
would be an ornament and a pleasure, and af-
fording twenty or thirty varieties of vegetables,
is unknown, except among city gardeners
Those who could have them with least cost are
wholly without them, and the negro laborers
scarcely sec vegetable the year round.
It would add to their health, contentment and
welfare if laborers were amply supplied with
vegetable food; and the resources of the gar
den, if made to count in the feeding of them,
would materially advance the welfare of the
nlantcr himself. Our soil and climate are fa-
vorablc to more abundant yields, than any 9TH
er part of the world, of all that is essential food
of men. We have the least expense and care