Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-05-09
BOARD suLLeT,N FOR APRIL.
THE FARM GARDEN.

AUGUSTA, April Is, 1899.
We call our readers attention, this
month, TO the farm garden, believing II
to be one OF the most important branches
Of our farm work. In order TO get the
most value from it, however, II should
be considered part Of the regular work,
not as necessary evil, to be tolerated
and tended when nothing else demands
| attention.
Care In selecting the location, and lay
iug out the grounds 80 as to secure =
proper variety OF the garden crops, and
10 ensure It's being handled to advantage
and mostly by horse labor, will pay.
The value Of the products viii be in-
creased and the labor will be lessened.
After considering the matter very care
fully and taking 10 account our own
experience 6s well as the experience
VI others who have sll their garden
vegetables TO buy, we believe we
are safe In placing the value OF good
gardel 10 an average family at $lO0 a
year. To produce this value In nutriti-
Gus, pals,sble, healthful food, one can
afford to put In quite an amount OF labor
and time.
The necessity for spraying orchards,
potato fields and gardens as preventive
of blight and other fungous diseases,
becomes more evident each year. The
work Of experiment stations and practi-
cal farmers gives almost universal results
which fully demonstrate this. Lot sll
take note that IL Is by spraying and not
oy sprinkling that good results are OBJ
r.trcd Tho IN, tav;al raust ho tbrowu in
flne spray, the finer the better; every
particle OF leaf, twig, and stalk must be
covered.
BARN CONSTRUCTION.
The next bulletin will be devoted to
barn construction. We earnestly desire
to secure plans and drawings OF such
barns as have been recently built, which
may combine modern convenieuces with
such hygienic arrangements IS shall
make them models for Imitation.
We ask all Of our readers who may
have, or know Of, such barns, TO give Us
brief, comprehensive descriptions Of
them. together with such plans and
drawings as they may be able to obtain.
GENERAL AVERAGE EoR OXFORD
Number Of farm stock, 10 per cent
value, log per cent. Per cent OF stock
fodder on hand. 100. Cost Of wintering
farm animals, 90 per cent. Reasons for
reduced cost, low price OF hay and other
folders, improved methods, and increas-
ed use OF ensilsge. Amount OF fall
blowing, 9s per cent. Qusntity OF yellow
corn grown will probably be somewhat
GENERAL AVERAGE FOR THE STATE.
Number of farm stock. l06 per cent
value, los per cent. Amount OF stock |
fodder on hand, 40 per cent. Cost Of
xiptering farm animals, 81 per cent |
Estimated reduction In cost based chiefly |
IN low price OF hay and other feeds. |
Acreage of land plowed last fall, as CON-
pared with former years, lo4 per cent.
several counties report indications OF an |
Increased acreage Of corn.
ANpRoscoG6IN COUNTY.
LEWISTON. vote for the garden
.arly and often, whether on the farm or
IA the town. providing the latter allows
, square rod or so Of soil. The average |
tsrmer should have good-sized garden.
Have Il In the field, say, ten rods long
md six wide, more or less, xs one IAN
,ies. Cultivate with the horse. Have II
rich enough to produce any good farm
crop. aud for some special kinds OF vege- /
sbies use some fertilizer In addition.
Have the plot range north and south. IL
one's fancy includes the small fruits,
plant u row Of grape vines on the west
side ten feet apart. Next, six or seven
leet from the grapes, rows six feet apart
and plants four feet apart In the rows,
set row each, hslf the length, OF Sny-
der and Agswsm blackberries; in the
o,her half of these rows plant raspber.
ries. Cuthbert IL good. Next have row
u currants and gooseberries, thirty OF
he former. ten of the latter. Plant ak
leet from the rsspberries and blackber-
ries and fourifeet In the row. Now two |
rows OF strawberries three feet apart,
eighteen inches In the row. The straw
berries will WELD two crops. The sec
,ud year plant the same on the other /
.ide OF the plot and alternate each year.
Next. plant sweet corn, two rows half
~sy Of Early Cory; flush these rows
With Early Minnesota then in the same |
Nay two late kinds, Black Mexican,
stowell's Evergreen, etc. The Cory next
TO the strawberries viii be mature and
Dut of the way BY the last OF August
q hen the strawberries need the light.
Next 10 the corn may be . couple rows
Of early potatoes. half gay, finishing the |
rows With turnips- Next 10 the potatoes
put pole beans, ss Paris green VIII not
DO them much harm Opposite the tur-
nips. czbbages or bush beans. Now
come two or -four or more rows OF peas,
" oudrr, No,i's Excelsior, Abundance,
etc Leave three feet be-
tween beans and peas, then plant two
rO~s of peas eight inches spart, then
tao snd one-hsf feet TO next two rows.
Bee,s, carrots, pArsaips. caulihower,
lettuce, etc, ETC.. may come next 10
double roxs. ten inehes apart, two and
oDe-han 10 three feet between, In which
10 run The cultsvstor. Cscumoers and
melons should occupy an outside corner.
Sqgashes I would have iu . spot by