Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-15
The Farmers Vegetable Garden.


This subject seems to be, year by
year, commanding more of the atten-
tion it deserves. In confirmation OF
our own views rs expressed two or
three weeks ago, we transfer to our
columns, with our hearty endorse.
ment, the following which we find in
the current number Of the Country
Gentleman
There is no patch OF land on the farm
that yields 20 much comfort to the fam.
lily, and shows SO much profit on the
ledger, "a the garden, provided it is
properly managed. Few farmers ap.
parently believe this certainly the
great majority do not give such .atten.
ton TO their gardens As will secure the
best results, They seem to regard
gardening "a fancy work, suitable for
women aud children, but too small bus.
iness for men; and il must be confessed
that the old.fashioned farmers garden
was a pent.up Utica that contracted his
powers. With hundred acres around
him. the farmers fashion was-and is
still In many places-to fence of lit
tie patch FIVE or six rods square. with a
high picket fence 40 as 10 keep out the
hens, plant some current bushes by this
fence. and lay out the remainder in
small plats for vegetables, with walks
running between them, that occupied
good share o< the ground, aud requir.
ed no small share of attentions A frac.
tion of the garden was devoted TO
Howers, and here was displayed much
fancy work, the flower beds being made
in the form of triangles. circles, ores.
cents, ellipses, &c, as thought they
were intended to teach the children
geometry.
In all this there was much work and
little profit. Such a garden may an.
swer for n village ameteur, but the
farmer needs garden OF more size--an
acre or more-with no fence around it,
in that he can cultivate il by horse
power, and change the location occas.
ionally. II should be strictly vegeta.
BILE garden, and the vegetables should
be cultivated in long, straight rows,
with no walks between them, except
footpaths for the horse. Flowers are
all right in their place, but this place is
on the lawn. There the wife can show
her taste and knowledge of geometry
without intruding upon the province OF
the husbandman. IL was the extra Ia.
Dor upon the walks and flower beds,
which was necessarily done by hand, as
horses cannot work we'll in contract.
ed triangle, that disgusted our fathers
with gardening. Let the flower and the
vegetable gardens be divorced, and let
the latter be so located that the vegta.
bles can be cultivated as field crops
commonly are, and the housewife will
not have TO complain that che has moth.
ing but potatoes, cabbages and turnips
TO grace her table. In the old style
garden there was little opportunity for
rotation of crops, and that little
chance was poorly improved. Cabbages
and potatoes were raised on the same
ground year after year, the former be
came clubfooted, and the latter few in a
hill, and small at that. The farmers
wandered that with garden cultivation
the crops we're so light The trouble
was, there was no exchange of locality
among the few vegetables cultivated,
and the land became exhausted Of the
peculiar food which each crop demand
ed. Locate the garden In the field
where there Is plenty Of room for q va.
riety of vegetables, and let corn, beans,
potatoes, &c., follow each other In rota.
ton, and exhaustion will ensue more
slowly. even with the same quantity OF
fertilizers. Such location may neces.
state little more travel for the house.
wife, but she will be compensated for
her trouble By better vegetables and
plenty Of them. The hens, also. will sci.
dom trouble garden located in the
field certainly not IL II. is hedged