Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
The Profit in Gardening.

In these hard times many farmers who
have been giving entire attention to rails
ing field crops, such as cotton, corn, small
grain, ETC., have found but little remuner-
alton In the low prices for which they
have been sold, and very naturally con-
clude that farming don't pay" True,
this is a very discouraging state OF
things, but if it is considered that in
the meantime they have provided well
for their families and perhaps besides
improved their farms and added to their
stock, they will find that, on the whole,
they have done much better than many
men in the towns and cities who have
worked as hard as they the whole year.
The hard times have reached working
men everywhere. Nevertheless, 1t is wise
to arrange for the future, that there may
be more income, and, if possible, less
outlay.
Most farmers have families that can
assist them in both ways. The side pro-
ducts of the farm, to which there is often,
when the grain products are at good
price, given but little time, can be
brought to his assistance in production,
and his boys and girls, too, can be en-
ployed without any cash expenditure
and with much profit to themselves, be-
sides the money value of what they pro-
duee.
Raising vegetables and truck for the
market, when properly conducted, has
a
the farmers children. And IL the mar
kets are examined for the prices of these
things, especially if produced early in
the season, 1t will be found that they
have held their own in price and constant
demand Early potatoes, radishes, beets
and all edible roots. with lettuces, cress-
es onions and chives, 1eeks and salads.
early cucumbers, peas, caulifower and
cabbage, and later strawberries. rasp-
begries, currants and gooseberries and
even blackberries, all find a ready market
If carefully attended at home and mar
keted In a good shape.
Then, later still, celery Is never amiss
and can be raised at a great profit. The
latest vegetables of the summer are gen.
orally cheaper, but can be produced in
greater abundance. Farmers do not suf-
flciently bear in mind that town and city
people are entirely dependent upon the
market for all these things in their sea-
son.
The farmers near cities fail to furnish
what the people need and they are
brought from other places and In the
transfer are sometimes half spoiled and
yet sold for prices which would be profit
able to the home farmer, from whom the
consumer would much rather buy, be-
cause he can furnish fresh vegetables
and not wilted and spoiled before they
reach the market. Now the large part
of the work necessary to be done to pro-
duee all these things, il the truck patch
is once put in order, can be done by the
families of farmers who have boys and
girls, with much greater profit than the
harder field work which they are often
compelled to do.
If boys and girls are once interested in
such things they become very valuable
members of the farmers family.
There are other things which they can
do at the same time, which will bring
cash into the house. They can have a
well selected flock of hens and can take
such care of them as win make them
very profitable for the amount of feed
and work required. If once started in
money making in the ways indicated,
the boys and girls will soon become more
careful in their expenses and the bal
ance sheet in the family will be heavy
on the right side Don't be discouraged,
but use we'll what you have In hand.