The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-01-24
A Plea for the Garden.

/ 01O
i A Plea for the Garden.
The time of year has come when
farmers may find time to ponder over
subjects which do not come to them
readily in the busy days of the year.
We wish distinctly to impress upon our
farmers the Importance of contriving
and laying out garden plan for next
spring. You can always tellt differ
ence between families which have good
vegetable gardens and those which
never have any. Their physical APP
pearance is better. 1t is said that since
the more general introduction of veg
etables among the farmers of England
the disease called land scurvy has al
most entirely disappeared from among
that class. although we are of opinion
that this disappearance of the disease
has been greatly caused by the more
general use of fresh meats. The con-
slant use of salt meats, as is shown by
the damage done to men at sea, is pro-
ductive of bad blood and of great de-
bility. DIR. Kane relieved his men by
the use of raw meat and raw potatoes.
But in those parts of Ireland where the
peasantry rely entirely for their food
upon poor potatoes the disease of land
scurvy prevails. 1t follows that other
diseases are bred by the use of poor or
special food. You must vary it The
salts and acids that are contained in
vegetables and fruits are necessary to
the proper development of the physical
system. If you would have your chill
dren possess bright minds in fine bod
les You must give them proper nourish-
ment. 1t is a fact that the greatest
| number of cases of insanity in this
country may be found among the farm
| ers. Yet you would not think it. Some
thing beside country air is needed to
make q sound man. Yet we have
known farmers who cultivated great
acres Of corn and wheat and hay, but
who never dreamed of having good
vegetable garden. Weremember rich
farmer who had never eaten gooseber-
ries, and to whom tomato was a perfect
stranger. He was yellow and bilious,
and always in an ugly temper of mind;
nothing ever pleased him. He never
took any acids; he lived on salt meats.
1t was just the acids in fruits and veg
etables that he needed. On ships that
now 60 to sea bottles of lemon-juice
are sent for the daily use of the crew,
and where port is entered vegetables
are Immediately bought. Raw onions
are a certain cure for scurvy, and if
they are so useful at sea why are thew
not invaluable on land? The onion is
very nutritious, in this respect being,
perhaps, equal to eggs. They should
be raised not only for the young bulbs,
which are so eagerly sought for in the
early season, but also for frequent fam
lily use all the year around. Treated
raw with vinegar they are very health
full. Boiled they are simply delicious:
palatable and savoly. Baked they are
a rich garnish. Fried and eaten with
beef they are hearty gourmand's
JOY. Next year raise enough onions
for family use the year round. They
will save doctors bills. The same may
be said of the tomato. Its acid is
very healthful, though one doctor-Dio
Lewis-contends against its use in
great quantities. Of course, too much
Of good thing is good for nothing.
Tomatoes will grow luxuriantly if You
can keep the cut-worm and the chick
ems away. Stewed, they are eagerly
eaten by children. They make an ele-
CANT soup. Raw, they are, with vine
gar, a fine salad. Children love them
raw with vinegar and sugar, and in
summer they are, when fresh and cold,
a delightfully."- healthful beginning to a
breakfast. Stuffed as you would stuff
chicken large tomato, hot and spicy
from a baking-pan, makes fine des-
sert, or ever a nice, dainty supper. Yet
it is only a few years since the tomato
was curiosity. Thomas Jefferson
thought they were fit only for hog feed.
What a blessing he missed, We must
not omit the value of all kinds of
greens. the use of which, thanks to
some of our German gardeners, is be-
coming more general in our country.
We all remember how our grandmOth-
ers occasionally went out on the sod
| and got some dandelion leaves or dock
for "greens," which they boiled with
pork. But the work of getting them
was hard, although the dish was good.
Some of the men folks used to look
down upon such truck as so much
grass" The old ladies were right
and the grass was a great health-giver.
| Spinach, unless grown for market, sell
dom finds place in the farmers gar
den, and yet it is exceedingly healthful,
and served with the gravy of roasted
meet makes delicious dish. It is
easily raised, and requires but little
labor. Any soil that will grow good
corn will grow spinach. Toward the
latter end Of August ground that has
been used for summer crops may be
prepared and MANFRED for spinach.
Sow in succession from the first to the
end of September, cover with straw at
the approach of cold weather and the
most forward will furnish greens for
the table when other vegetables are
scarce, and the later crops will give a
] wholesome vegetable in early spring.
The same ground by having it well
MANFRED for spinach will be in good
condition for beets, carrots, ETC., the
following spring. Asparagus, which
is scarcely ever found on the farmers
table, is highly valued for its health.
fulness, and is q delightful article of
food. A few feet of ground devoted to
its growth will supply family, and
will not need renewal for twenty years
IN. Y. Herald.
40 that I were the Balkan Noun
tains!'' sighed he. "That is, indeed, a
remarkable wish,'' replied some one;
land why, pray, would you be any
thing so impracticablep" because"