The evening times., 1900-04-13
SIEGE GARDENS AND CROPS.
Fresh Vegetables for BeIcaEucred
GnrrisOIrs Possibility.

GnrrisOHs Possibility.
(From the SPECTATOR
Great though the sufferings OF the Lady
smith garrison were from want OF meat
and good bread. the lack OF vegetables to-
ward the end OF the siege and blockade
had even worse results. II the scarcity
of any green vegetables. ard later OF
vegetables OF any sort. did not cause an
outbreak OF scurvy among the whites
the Kaffirs are said to hae suffered from
IL severely-it had the worst effect on
the general health OF the garrison and
people. and the want OF carrots. onions,
turniIs, and other pot herbs for making
soup aggravated the nastincss and un-
palata DE nature OF the food which was
available. After some four months Of
siege the only vegetables left were a few
potatoes and timed tomatoes and the
craving for these was such that they
were sold at l. shillings a pound and
sovereign a tin The bulk OF the garrison
simply had no fresh vegetable food az all.
and suffered accordingly. The state Of
Kimberley was not much better, aud IL
would be difficult 10 point 10 a single pro-
Jracted siege in recent times in which the
stock OF fresh vegetable food had not been
exhausted long before relief or capituiG-
ton
Even Colonel Ward. the lest commis-
saria, officer since Moses" could rot lie
expected 10 lay in stocks OF fresh yegeta-
bles, for the simple reason that except
potatoes and a few other tubers they viii
not keep fresh But modern conditions Of
war which a Ids 20 much 10 the power Of
the defensive force, also make 80 possible
that i'm very many positions the garri Oh
should be largely self-sustaining In re-
gard 10 vegetable food. and In some degree
in the supply Of wheat and cats. The idea
is not new, for when General Phnippjn
-suceeedeu 10 the command Of Badajoz.
though in a cold and bleak country. he m
stauuy sowed down all the ground outside
the ramparts. so far as it WAS commanded
by his guns. with spring wheat on the
chance that he might reap a crop which
would take al least FIVE months 10 gro
and ripen.
This was outside the close raupsrts Of
an old fashioned fortress with outWOrFs
distant not more thar q THOUSAND ysrls-
But the immense extent 0f mode 2 10
sitiou. whether improvised. as at Lady
smith, or regular fortresses Ike Ports
mouth. or Thorn or the North German
frontier, or any modern stronghold males
lt perfectly possible 10 prepare for eucr-
geucies by cultivating Inside the pro-
teCted area a crEuIa- siege farm. o,
large dimensions. cropped with such veg
etables and cereals ss eSPsr.euve shows TO
be most useful as food, mCst quickly grown
ana generally best suited 20 s.cn em'I-
geneies.
Even poor little LadysmI,h embraced an
area Of nearly eight square mi.rS O. .ao5
under its defeuces. or over 1000 aces.
and. ds some matter OF fact pcrsCI - d. u
even Eyc-thousaucth part o. this "a
been soWu with mustard and Cress it would
have been Of service 20 the defenders 10
might be objected that the Erou-d ia- ide
the outlying forts would probably be
##.#H
forcing troops 20 hy road. EoJ GC.OSs the
fields. and roads are just a necessary N
farms as elsewhere. The military Iotcs
70 the forts and trenches yvguld be supple
MCEJe1 .u rrst-rlass IOTITesE ry q IN l.
read or tram line ccruecurE tbe outer de-
weLces. This would s-iil leave a great
space Of Uutrodden ground within How
this could be used 20 the best advantage
might be part o. the regular Instructions
OF officers Instructed with siege c3mmis-
sariat.
The return in mere bulk from some or
llnary farm crop is an Indication Of what
selected seeds and intensive c-l.i.at.
might produce inside the iglt ng Iue
Millet. which is grown in Germany and
Italy, and is the staple food Of India. Iro-
duces hve times the weight OF food gwen
by similar area Of wheat. Field ,eet-
root has yielded seventy tons an acre
IL Is now crossed" with the garden beet
= most usefui fresh vegetable. which woa j
b. OF service at any time for the use Of
the troops Potatoes. which are very OK
pensive 10 grow, also yield an immt nze
weight per acre. Thousand hCaleI
kale.' though grown for cattle. could cas-
ny be cultivated FOR human use and pIo-
duceS greater weight OF good green veg
etables per acre than any plant. II also
hourlshes throughout the winter. Con-
mon beans. especially the various "har.-
cot beans, which are neglected I'm this
country give very large returns to cod
cultivation The latter are gCwn in Per
Jugal as catch crop" with watermeI-
Ous, after the corn IS reaped. Maize in
suitable climate grows fast and luEu-
Tiantly, and IS food, either green or ripe
for men and cattle
Siege farming will be managed on differ
ent principles from ordinary agriculture
and will need special study and special
seeds and plants. The object Of the ordin
airy farmer or market gardener is 10 grow
as much as viii pay, not as much as the
ground will carry. He might. by heavy
manurirg and intensive cultivation. in
crease his crop by a half. but If il cost
him twice as much 10 do so he would be
content TO grow less al less cost In the
siege farm, with a limited area 10 worl,
on. all the crops viii be grown by inten-
sive methods. the object being to get the
heaviest crop per yard, regardless OF cost.
II viii practically be all market garden,
or worked on market garden principles
In hot climates. where irrigation is avail
able the fortress farm should grow al least
two crops a year.
1t is evident that II a siege is TO last
even few months much may be done by
proper and prompt use of siege gardens
and farms tc make the garrison self sup
porting. In any case this simple provision
Of useful food would greatly mitigate the
sufferings Of the defenders in a protracted
blockade extending through the autumn.