New-York tribune., 1900-04-01
SIEGE GARDENS AND CROP
FRESH VEGETABLES FOR BEI,EAc,1,r-
GARRIsoNs A POSSIBILITY oF
MODERN WARFARE
From The Spectator.

the siege and blockade had even worse -a.SIH
IL the scarcity Of any green vegetable. una
later of vegetables of any sort did not c. 40
outbreak Of scurvy among the whites-tbaE = a
frs are said to have suffered from it seve-aaA< -
il had the worst effect on the general heaIsav-
the garrison and people. and the want :, - a.
rOts. onions, tUTnips and other Dot har.
making soup aggravated the nastiness 80 IW
palatable nature of the food which was av.sa AZ
BILE. After some four months Of siege the - -
vegetables left were a few potatoes Ana oal
tomatoes and the craving for these ugas -'ea @
that they were sold at twelve shIIings a sue sue,
and sovereign a tin. The bulk OF the -a'11 -111
simply had no fresh vegetable food Al an so so
suffered accordingly. The state Of Kirob.sas aas
was not much better. and IL would be difFcTI.I
point 20 a single prOtracted siege in rec-nt 80
in which the stock Of fresh vegetable soo5 -
not been exhausted long before relief or ca,,.S -
lation. '+
Even Colonel Ward 'the best cororois,.
officer since Moses" could not be exnec,sS =
lay in stocks Of fresh vegetables FOR fba -
reason that, except potatoes and a faU 80
tubers, they will not keep fresh. But rnoS
conditions Of war; which add so much N -
power OF the defensive force also make n -
sible that in very many positions The ga-..ss -
should be largely seh-sustainlng In rega,S =
vegetable food. and in some degree In the ~
ply of wheat and oats The idea Is NOT nauv ..
when General Philippfn succeeded 10 the - ~
mand Of BadajoZ. though in a cold and Ns.s
country. he instantly sowed down all the ern,rs
outside the ramparts. so far as II was So
manded by his guns, with spring wheat n, -
chance that he might reap a crop which vo,s
take at least five months to grow and rinan
This was outside the close ramparts OF an Al,
fashioned fortress. with Outworks distant -
more than thousand yards. But the iunrns,s.
extent Of modern positions. whether improyi-s
as at Ladysmith. or regular rortresses m,
Portsmouth, or Thorn on the North Gerns,
frontier or any modern stronghold rnakse :
perfectly possible to prepare for eInergencias -
cultivating inside the protected area a resnl,,
siege farm, of large dimensions, cropped M
such vegetables and cereals as experience snc-
to be most useful as food, most quickly grn,.
and generally best suited to such emerganc,..
Even poor little Ladysmith embraced an ~.
of nearly eight square miles Of land under 4,
defences, or over five thousand acres; and >,
some matter Of fact person said, IL even ~
thousandth part of this had been sown v+,s
mustard and cress 1t would have been Of sery,e,
to the defenders II might be objected that ts,
ground inside the outlying forts would probabJ
be needed to move troops over. But reinforrp,
troops go by road. not across the fields az
roads are Just as necessary on farms as -.
where. The military roads to the forts an
trenches would be supplemented in q first csas
fortress by a railroad or tram line cOnnectnr
the outer defences. This would stiI leavs 1
great space of UntrOdden ground within. HOz
this could be used to the best advantage ruseas
be part Of the regular instructions Of officers s.
trusted with siege cOmmissariat
The return in mere bulk from some ory.tn~-,
farm crop is an Indication OF what selected
seeds and intensive cultivation might prodo,
inside the fighting line Millet which is y-uvr
in Germany and Italy, and is the staple food n
given by a similar area Of wheat Field beet.
root has yielded seventy tons an acre. 1t Is nov
CROSSED" with the garden beet, a most usefa
fresh vegetable, which would be Of service Il
any time for the use OF the troops. Potatoez
which are very expensive TO grow also Yield 4.
immense weight per acre Thousand headed
kale," though grown for cattle, could easily y
cultivated for human use, and produces a greatc
weight Of good green vegetable per acre thaa
any plant 1t also fOurishes throughout Ia
winter Common beans, especially the 7ariou
'@haricot beans. which are neglected in thl
country, give very large returns 70 good SuI6
walton The latter are SOWn in Portugal q
catch crop with watermeIons. after the con
is reaped. Maize in a suitable climate grow
fast and luxuriantly, and is food. either sree
or ripe. for men and cattle. Quick ripening veg
etableS and cereals. winter growing green stun
and all the list OF carrots. turnips and cruc,ts,
Gus plants will be the mainStdy OF these zer
gardens. which will feed both man and beast
Siege farming will be managed on diferen.
principles from ordinary agriculture, and vi
need special study and special seeds and piann
The object of the ordinary farmer or mArzs
gardener is TO grow much will pay not u
much as the ground will carry He might by
heavy manuring and intensive cultivation IL
crease his crop by half but II II cost lin
twice as much 10 do so he would be content to
grow less at less cost In the siege farm With
a limited TO work on. all the crops vii s
grown by intensive methods the object being q
get the heaviest crop per yard, regardless Of
cost. 1t will practically be all market garden,
or worked market garden principles. In bot
climates where irrigation is available. the tor'
ress farm should grow at least two crops yesf.
1t is evident that IL a siege is to last even
few months much may be done by a proper and
prompt use of siege gardens and farms to maGs
the garrison self-supporting. In any case tht
simple provision OF useful food would greatl
mitigate the sufferingS OF the defenders u
protracted blockade extending through the sl'
tumn and even in winter the planting Of suis
able crops would be OF inestimable service