The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-27
THEGARDEN PATCHES
-Four Hundred-Dollar Crop Raised
on a Quarter Acre.
vegetables of Various Kinds Pro.
duced from Small PIats OF
Ground Amidst the Busy
Metropolis.

hundreds of acres of vacant land
under the control of the bureau al
charities have been apportioned to
families who will make kitchen gar.
dehs on them. Families are general
~ given quarter-acre plat. The
expense OF blowing and seeding is
borne by the county. An expert gar
aeher has been employed to advise
those who have secured garden
patches, says the Chicago Tribune.
What can family raise on an acre
of land?
An acre of land consists of about
4o,ooo square feet Of disable land for
cuitivating purposes, deducting the
$500 square feet for fences, paths.
bitches, etc; therefore, the disable
area would be 200 feet square, or
about one-half of a 300 foot block
l6o feet deep. An acre of land plant.
ed in vegetables, such as radishes,
carrots, lettuce, celery, cabbage and
caniifower, brings surprising crop
results.
Experienced Chicago farmers say
that they plant radishes in rows
about six inches apart, which would
make 400 rows 200 feet long, and each
lineal foot containing about rad
lshes. Thus, the total average of rad
lshes would be 100000. These rad
ishes, tied up in punches containing
about 16 radishes in a bunch, are
sold for say a cent a bunch, and
would bring about $3.50 per acre.
The farmers say that they plant
carrots in rows about six inches
apart and about eight carrots in a
iineai foot, the number of carrots
raised in one crop being about 64O,-
900 to an acre. These, in punches of
Ia carrots, are sold for cent a bunch
being about 1927 to an acre.
The same authority asserts that
head lettuce should be planted about
ten inches apart each way, thereby
making 240 rows and 240 heads of let
tuce in each row, altogether making
about $1,000 heads of lettuce. Let
tnce is sold in boxes, each containing
20 heads; thus there would be about
1850 boxes of lettuce. Sold at 40
cents per box, this would make a sell
ing value of about $1,152 an acre.
Cabbages ought to be planted
about is inches apart each way,
which would make 1913 rows, each row
containing little more than 1873
cabbages, making a total average of
about 1859 heads of cabbage. Cab
a 0a iG nj af
Thus an acre of cabbage would sell
for about 1884.
Potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes and
green beans are much less profitable
crops than cabbage, but, well man
aged, make good returns. Skilled
farmers say that cauliflower may be
planted about Is inches apart each
way, making 100 rows, each contain
ing 160 heads, the total average being
about $4,000 heads of caulif1ower to
an acre. They also state that the
early crop is sold for 10 cents head.
At this price an acre of caulifower
would bring the astonishing total of
S2.50n to the acre.
The farmers cultivate celery be-
tween the rows of cabbage and by
the time it is ready to be bleached
the cabbage is out of the way, and
the field cleared of the cabbage
leaves, which are used for fertiliza-
ton the next year. IF cultivated be-
tween the rows of cabbage the rows
of celery would be the same distance
apart as the cabbage. The stocks of
celery are cultivated about three
inches apart. There being about 800
stocks of celery in one row, and in
1873 rows there would be 1O6, 400
stocks. This, put up in punches con
tanning 12 stocks, would make 1896
punches, sold at rs cents bunch
would bring $2,216.5O, allowing $216.50
for the waste and the outside row,
which. if the celery was planted be-
tween the rows of cabbage, would be
lacking, would leave $4,000 an acre for
celery.
The total product of one acre of
land, if the vegetables mentioned
above be skillfully cultivated and
marketed, would be about $500. A
quarter-acre would thus be capable of
producing vegetables worth at whole
sale nearly $500; at the price which
consumers pay the value of quar-
ter-acre crop under favorable condi-
tions of raising would be perhaps
$500. Thus those who have got
quarter acre are not without pros
pect of good result if they are in
dustrious and skillful. Tt must be
remembered that the vegetables get
cheaper as the season advances and
that the first crop brings the high
est figures. 1t must also be remem-
bered that success depends largely
on the care of the gardener.
INTELLIGENCE OF FISHES