Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-05-05
The Farmers Garden.

e putting his regular spring dressin
upon the garden, and thus be give
/ US a topic for a few remarks touch
= ing the farmers garden. For tn
last ten years we have watches
this man with the regularity Of th,
. seasons, draw out the products o
his barn-yard upon the same piec,
of ground. He proposes to have
, one place rich on his farm, anC
feels each spring that be must GER
tainly pay more attention TO hi;
: garden. The land is plnwed and
manure pushed into each furrow
and the sowing of oats and corn
planting comes on and takes all
the help be can muster, when the
last of May finds nothing done on
the garden. Boys, we have put
off this garden work too long.
Mother is complaining that We
shall have no vegetables, and W.
must break off long enough to get
10 the seed. All hands are put
into the garden and a single day
suffices to accomplish the seeding.
This is the end Of garden work
FOR the year, except occasionally
season. He has spent the "glorious
Fomth" in cleaning out a little
spot as an expression Of his good
feeling. Weeds, in the rich soil.
grow rampant, choking everything
else, and making a most slovenly
appearance generally. Occasion
ally we have seen Mrs. Aloe pick
ing her way among the red-roots
ard Tigwee9. pulling ort = mess Of
hce'- or onions, that hav deyelop-
ed in spite Of no culture, but the
product Of the whole garden is
rarely more than enough to pay
for the blowing. James says his
heart is good enough, but tie fact /
IS, he believes in doing the most
important first. and when this is
accomplished there is no time for
putteIing with garden stuff. This
Is no fancy sketch, but one that il
real in every farming community.
The farmer is supposed to have the
greatest variety Of products for
the supply of his table, when the
truth is patent TO all who have paid
attention to the subject that the
average farmers table has less
variety of vegetables and fruit
than that Of his city neighbor who
is entirely dependent upon the
grocer for his supplies. Farmers
lind time for thousand things Of
nde 'initely less Importance than
he garden, and there j. no attri-
Oute of farm life that may add so
much of real comfort to the family
rs the vegetable and fruit garden.
Bat a fraction of the rural popula- :
ion raise strawberries, raspberries, /,
;urrants and gooseberries for home
Use, because lit don't pay" when a
,ross expenditure of 81 year, !,
side from picking the fruit, would
Jay for all the cost Of labor and
ime necessary to an abundance OF
hese fruits Tor a family; and what
heaper, more wholesome or healthy
living can be had We can prove
'eyond the shadow of doubt, that /.
10 crop can be raised upon the
arm that will pay 80 well as the
latch given up to the garden, if !,
he proper attention be given to +.
!, even If the entire p oduct is con-
umed in the family. Our spring :.
, so backward that there will be
reater temptation than ever TO
eelect the kitchen garden. but we J
o hope our brother farmers vii,
) a mere matter of benevolence
the household, il nothing more,
&c that arrangements are made to
npply the table with n good varie-
Y Of vegetables for the year. We
ave known, in a time of hurry, I
lrmers' daughters to look after
le garden and keep the weeds
own until the boys could spend
me from the corn and hay to
'ok after them, and in so doing
ney have lest p estige in the
pinion of sensible people. Divis-
IN of labor is good thing, but
cases Of Dece ty tie Logs can
G employed to cry good advaL-
,ge in the house, and we admire
nc girl who can snit her elf to
circumstances pnd lend a helping
and in the gardens.-Free Press.
q
Novel Duck Hunting.