The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-31

The American farmer is an intelligent
and thrifty man. as rule, but he has
one short-coming that is serious. Fields
are we'll titled, and stock is we'll bred,
but the garden, from which should come
the best of the table supplies throughout
the year. is quite often very far from
what it should be. Many do not want
TO hear about this matter, but we have
no lecture in store, and only ask for
hearing that we may show what your
annual loss in dollars and cents amounts
70, and thus arouse a determination TO
stop some leaks in the household econO-
my. II the garden viii not pay let us
drop it. If it can be made to pay big let
us have the benefit. We farm for
the money in the business as well as
other things.
These little. square wet and weedy
patches. called gardens by courtesy, do
not pay very well: We grant that But
the fault lies in our mana cement. il may
be- What can a garden do2 Furnish
table with half its supplies throughout
the year-food fit for kings, with fresh
ness and crispness that city people would
pay a big price for. Have YOU ever
realized that while a city market has
the choicest varieties Of fruit and vege-
tables it can furnish nothing in such
delicious freshness as the home garden.
The farmers table may lack many deli
CaCies. but on the other hand 1t may be
loaded with palatable vegetables and
fruits. and store bills except for sugar
can be reduced % a tritie from May un-
I'll December. The trouble is that many
do not know the capacity Of a garden
because they have always waged half
hearted battle with big weeds in little
garden
The garden should be large. and long
or than wide. on an average farm an
acre is not too much. You may not
want To till this mucn every year, but
You want some rotation. The old-fash-
toned beds. short and broad are an
abomination Let everything be iH long
rows 50 that horse can he used in till
ing il. The soil should be "A naturally
warm one and the drainage must be
made good BY artificial means if il Is
not SO naturally. DO not hegrudse the
best acre on the farm. You can easily
make it worth S100 10 YOU. a warm, dry
soil insures an early garden. Then make
il rich Let one strip lie in clover every
year, following a rotation. This viii
help To destroy all weeds and enrichen
the land.
Plow at least one little piece Of land IN
The fall or winter. In the spring this dry
land can be planted with early Vegeta-
bles before the fields demand any care.
Plant generously. Have a succession OF
sweet corn that viii supply the table
throughout the summer and fall. It
makes cheap and rich food. Have a
succession of peas and beans. Let there
be an abundance of such appetfzers as
horse Tadish, onions, radishes, lettuce
and the like. Keep everything i'm rows
once a week let the surface cuItivator
run through the miGdles, preventing all
weed growth. Set out just twice as
many tomato and cabbage plants as YOU
expect 10 need. IN one long row have
the nutmeg melons and squashes Let
all the small fruits stand i'm rows wide
enough for cultivation. Let the horse
do most of the work. attend 10 the
garden as 70 choice plat of land that
IS furnishing the biggest income of all
or equal size on the farm
What viii all this tillage cost? Only
comparatively few dollars. What is
the result \ bountifuI table burdened
with such fruit and vegetables as the
purse Of no rich man of the CITY can
command. Cheap and wholesome living
IS supplied for the family and the farm
hands. All enjoy the food. and Vet il
costs much less than anything from the
store. can we not abandon the old
style by gardens and use a long
narrow plat Of good soil for the purpose
let the tlilage be done chiefly with the
culiVator and harrow. and have an album
ddnce OF wholesome food at little cost
Tor our Tamilies2 Is It business to do
otherwise Now is the time to change
the location Of the garden. if need be
and prepare for d feast of good things
the whole summer through. Then next
fail thank The Sentinel for urging this
change upon you.