The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-05-11
The Farm Garden.

The Farm Garden.
The following appears in the April Bull
letn OF the Board of Agriculture from
Somerset towns:
PALMyRA-The importance of farmers
garden cannot be over estimated. No
half acre of ground can be so useful, and
return its owner so large profit, and do
so much towards the support of family
throughout the entire year in proportion 10
the expense. as a good and well cultivated
garden Fruits and vegetables are a
cheap and healthy livirg for people OF all
ages and especially so for those past mid
die life 1t really costs nothing to tend and
care for the garden The work, on account
of its nearness to the house, can be and
usually is done in spare moments. such as
the farmer has before sunrise, half hour
at noon, and a while after supper. And
the thought of the good things one can
raise in garden and have SO fresh, sweet,
and crisp. is enough to stimulate every
farmer to greater effort this spring than in
any time in the past. Most farmers have
their seeds for the garden already sprout
ed, indoors or under glass, and are wait
ing for the season to advance so as to COM
mence this very important and profitable
industry. Let us commence this spring
with renewed energy, courage, and de
termination to produce more better, and
at less cost, and larger profit than ever
before. p. LoNGLEY-
New PoRTLAND-One thing that far
mers don't raise, which they should, Is
strawberries. A small bed should be
planted every year There should be at
least three varieties, early, medium and
late. They are luxury and when once
farmers get In the habit OF raising them,
they will not want to be without them.
JONI MITCHELL, JR
CORNvILLE-I have no suggestions in
relation to the farm garden that will be OF
any special value. Most farmers know
now all they wish to know or need to
know about the business Most all know
what is required, but fail in practice. Not
many believe it is economy to devote much
land or time to gardening. If there is no
market. raise enough for home use. And
about all there is to it is to make the
ground rich and the soil fine; pillow fall
and spring; arrange the rows so as to cul
tivate between them; plant good seed in
proper season keep the weeds down and
out; and in some way restrain the hens
from scratching and the bugs and worms
from eating had last fall fine stano
of red clover on land dressed with ashes
Next August or September | think OF
blowing in the second crop. Is it best to
do so2 A. SMITH
NoTE-W We think you will make no
mistake in blowing in the second crop
from your clover field Do not hurry
about it, but rather let it stand until it has
begun to ripen and dry out 1t is natures
plan to allow any plant to fully ripen be-
fore it is returned to the soil. A clover
sod will form a most excellent foundation
for the growth of corn or potatoes -Secre-
tary.
SKowHEGAN-I have about the usual
farm garden, except that | raise more
roots Tor stock, such as carrots, beets and
turnips. Usually raise from one to two
hundred bushels of carrots, one hundred
bushels of beets OF the mangel wurtzel
variety, and have raised as many as five
hundred bushels of fiat turnips in one year.
The turnips | SOW broadcast amongst my
corn at the last hoeng, and let nature do
the rest. Some years have harvested
more than two hundred bushels to the
acre. The carrots I feed to horses, colts
and calves. the heets to hogs and sheep
and the turnips to cattle, with satisfactory
results TOHN WESTON
RIPLEY-In regard to large, well kept
garden. too much in its favor can not be
said. There is no other place on the farm
which makes so large return for the time
and quantity of ground used as the vegeta-
BILE garden. like to get it started early
so as to have lettuce by the Ist of June,
then radishes a few days later, then comes
green peas and new potatoes, Cucumbers
and string beans for haying time. The
garden helps much in summer. | think
those who let il go until they get done
planting and then put in few beets, car
rots and turnips, and few hills of pole
beans. lose all of the real enjoyment Of a
garden. | raise one vegetable which is
not commonly raised in farm gardens. II
is caulihower. Ii is as easy as cabbage Il
grow. and it is very nice for pit kles, and
also one of the incest vegetables for the
table. In fact. there is hardly day bui
that some product of the garden forms
some part of the bill Of fare. either as a
relish, pickle, soup, hash or Boiled dish.
w. H. FARRAR
SoLoN-The garden is generally neglect
ed. plant potatoes, turnips, beet. sweel
corn, peas, and everything of the kind
very early, SO as to have it early in the
season, and then later in the season so as
to have it for winter. The garden is, or
should be, two-thirds ofthe family's living
One should plant all kinds of vegetables.
plant in addition to what have named.
cabbage and squash. parsnips, beans,
radishes and everything that is good for
the family The garden is worth all the
rest of the farm.
STEPHEN MERRILL