Mower County transcript., 1898-03-16
HORTICULTURE.

Paper Read Before the Recent
Meeting of the Southern Minne-
sofa Horticultural Society.
Atthe annual meeting of the South
ern Minnesota Horticultural Associa-
tion 10 Austin Jan. l3, 1898, the fol-
lowing paper was read by Mrs. N. S.
Gordos OF this city On the manage
ment OF a home garden.
Gardening is as old as history. for
did not an allwise Creator plant the
garden Of Eden for the home of our
6rstparents? Amply was it supplied
with fruit and flowers in the greatest
possible abundance and profusion,
giving succeeding generations, even
down to this great 10th century, an
example to follow. AS a fact wher-
ever r5civilization is found, gardening
early receives attention, but high art
is only attainable when wealth and
refinement are fairly established. My
subject naturally divides itself into
three distinct. though very closly re-
lated heads, for to my mind home
garden must consist Of vegetables,
small fruits and flowers to make it
complete and we'll worth the effort of
care. Select your seeds early, buy
from a reliable house, and disappoint-
ments will be few. Be sure you order
all the varieties you want at first to
avoid delays when seeding time comes.
Then fit the ground which must be
amply enriched and properly prepared
to receive the seed. Leave no idle
spots anywhere for they will be a
sure harbor for weeds. To me the
problem OF getting everything in it's
place has been a hard one. Indeed
my currant bushes might tell a woe
full tale of their repeated moves, thus
blighting fair prospects OF fruit bear.
| ing. Lack of experience is the princi-
pal trouble, for with a small plat OF
ground one can hardly exercise fore.
thought enough in the arrangement.
For example, such plants as straw.
berries and asparagus must be planted
so as not to interfere with the annual
plowing and fitting of the rest of the
garden, and yet should be convenient.
ly located and at the same time look
we'll: for let US not forget tha even in
a home garden "a thing of beauty il
a joy forever Plant the latest grow.
ing varieties SO the view from the
walks will not be obstructed, and the
plants requiring shade in sheltered
spot. Vegetables. like celery, which
require more water than others, pu,
where time can be saved in watering
especially when one is not better
equipped for it than amateur garden
ers are generally. In short, plan tc
have things handy and easily taker
care Of. Utilize every corner, anG
make your ground, as far as posi- BILE
produce more than one crop each sea
son, for after lettuce and radishes
cabbages and tomatoes may be trans
planted on the same ground. I have
sometimes taken out a few seeds wher
l 90 to pull radishes for dinner, ant
put them in as take out the others
thereby losing no time at all. AS
time saver, plant the vegeta bles yol
like best and use oftenest nearest tht
kitchen door. The small fruit section
of your garden is more of a fixture
and should be laid out even mort
skillfully and artistically for it come
to stay. Plant on line running ex
actly each way three feet apart. Thi
makes cultivation with horse posi-
BILE. Leave walk between the vege
tables and fruit so the horse can turl
without stepping on anything.
Last come the beauty and orna
ments of my garden, and flowers ar
planted in just that profusion whicl
time and space warrant. A prett
way to hide the view of the other sec
tions is to arrange trellis of wovel
wire for sweet peas or Towering vine
to cover. Or plant a hedgerow O
hOllyhOCkS or some tall fOwerin
plant to separate the prac tical fron
the beautiful. Ny idea of arrange
ment in a flower garden is in soli
variety, each in its own bed, bordered
if you like, with a low kind Of hal
monizing color. But individual tast
; must dictate here OF course. All thi
is accomplished not without some ex
pense and good deal Of real har
work. but the saving when all
garnered in, is indeed hard to est
mate from a financial standpoint an
harder still from the real satisfa actor
which comes of having fresh flowers
fruits and vegeta bles for our table
Health is an item of no mean import
aDce and it is a conceded fact that
home garden is an ounce of prevention
many time. II love of nature an
seeing things actually grow count TO