Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-03
NURSING VEGETABLES.

NURSING VEGETABLES.
New York Times.
The invention OF chicken-hatching
ovens was a benefit both to hens and
humanity. Il greatly increased the pro-
ductiOn of chickens, and saved the hens
the mOnotonous labor OF sitting. Under
the old system, when hen had laid a
a dozen or two eggs, she would spend
several ensuing weeks in sitting on
them. Who're egg Matching ovens are IN
use, the hen gives her whole mind to
laying, and never wastes an hour in sit
ting. BY this means the production OF
eggs is increased fully threeiOld, while
the hens are spared vast deal of UNI
necessary labor, and have almost all
their time at their disposal.
In like manner, the modern practice
of bringing up infants on the bottle that
cheers, but cannot possibly inebriate,
has the advantage of enabling one artih-
clal mother to rear Il practically unlimit
ed quantity Of infants. IL is the founda-
ton on which rests the great modern
industry Of baby-iarming, an industry
in which a division OF labor between
or ginal aud artificial mothers IS attend
o with t 10 most sat sfactOry results, ex-
cept p to the infants themselves.
Ii occurred soIe time ago To q Mon
tana farmer that the principal under
living the artificial Matching OF chickens
and feeding Of infants migi be applied
to vegetables. Living in an age OF pro-
gresS, il seemed TO him that the time
had come when such vegetables for eX-
ample, - CuCumberS, melons, and
squashcs should no longer Ice reared by
the Old-fashiOned maternal vine, but by
the fostering care OF man. The vine
DOES It's work slowly, requiring, I'm fact,
a whole season 10 bring its SIuashcS,
cucumbers, or melons To- maturity.
Durin. this period it must be al
lowed the undjslurbed possession
of a large patch Of ground, where
il can run about and indulge in vege-
table exercise. Moreover one vine can
only succeSSiullvTcar a limited quantity
of vegetables. and knowing this fact. IL
ceases 10 produce buds in excess OF its
ability to bring them TO maturity. IL
we could take away the young and I'M
developed Squashes from their maternal
vine, bring them mp, so To- speak, on the
bottle, either the vine would 90 on pro-
duciug second, and even third, crop
of buds or it would be pulled up and its
place occupied by other vegetables
Thus, the production OF SquasheS would
bee increased, AMI the long monopoly of
large patches Of ground by nursing
sduash-vines would be avoided.
Having thus formed clear idea OF the
value OF the scheme OF rearing VegetJ-
blcs by hand, the Montana man sVpa-
rated an iniantile squash from its vine
taking care 10 give uO unnecessary pain
10 either-and made il the subject OF an
experiment. He fitted mp a sunny gar
ret window a. a squash nursery, and
placed the squash i'm a soft bed OF cot
ton. Around its middle he wrappg! a
loose bandage OF linen, which he satu-
rated thrre times dav with COWS milk
mixed with one-third the quantity OF
water, and Sweeteued with sugar. The
hungry young squash absorbed pint
bottle full Of milk daily, with rs much
avidity Us if it were IT. natural nouriSh-
mrut. II grew rapidly, and its com
plcNion was unusually golden and
healthy. In comparison with its
brother squashes that still remained on
the vine, il was incOntest1bly larger,
plumper, and stronger, and every one
who saw it admitted that it was drcid-
edly the most promising squash Ol the
whole family. Ii arrived at maturity
fully three weeks earlier than any other
squash IN Montana, and it has since
been engaged, at a large salary, Tor cN-
hibition at the agricultural FAIRS oil the
West.
Now, there is no reason 10 doubt that
the system by which this remarkable
squash was reared may be applied with
equal success To all other SquaShpS, and,
ior that matter, To all vegetables that
are produced bv vines. Milk contains
the same elements of nutriment which
the vine labOriOuSly absorbS from the
earth for the benefit of its musings, and
the only danger Ot pure milk dict
is that It would, in most eases bee
too strong for the weak stomach OF 4
very Young squash, and would need be
diluted and sweetened. Ii Is extremely
probable that corn, Currdnts, grapes,
and all vegetables and small fruit that
grow either on vines, stalks. or bushes
NAV he brought up on the bottle with
ease and profit. BY this system, double
crops can be raised where only single
crops are now obtained. As soon IS
the vegetables or fruit are large
enough In be detached and removed %
the nursery, the parent vines and
bushes NAV be removed, ana others
planted i'm their place which viii bear
before the season end. Potatoes, tur-
nipS, beess. wheat, rye and oats cannot,
of course, bc reared ar,iiiclaily m pre-
cisely the same way aS Squdshes, though
II is By no means impossible that some
other plan OF scientific culture may be
devised for them.
The Montana man may not be aware
of the fact. but he is, nevertheless, one
Of the greatest beneiartOrS OF the human
race. BY the division of labor which he
has introduced, he has called into eX-
iStence a new industry. Hereafter the
farmer will simply SOW the scotland the
vegetable nurse will rear the crop. Tn
easy women are ClamOring for wor, 10y
which their sex NAV become self
supporting. What more beautiful OccU-
patton could woman desire than that
of nursing young, helpless. and coutid-
ing vegetables, and watching their daily
and healthful growth? There will soon
be work enough in this field for all the
unemployed women in the land, and
We may expect to see even the stern
Miss Anthony renewing her youth in
the society Of whole nursery full OF
innocent and iniantile vegetables, upon
whom the warmest and brightest sun
shine will be lavished