Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-20

The average farmers wife is largely re-
stricted to her domestic duties. and those
duties should be made as pleasant and as
attractive as possible.
The garden therefore being frequently
under the care and supervision of the
farmers wife, should be located as near
as practicable to the kitchen. This makes
Il easy 10 gather the vegetables. and fur
nishes the opportunity for a little garden
work at different intervals during the day.
II not for longer periods than fifteen
minutes at a time. Such locations are al
ready quite general. but I have in a num-
Der Of instances seen the garden spot To-
Gated at least a quarter Of a mile from
the house. and in others, fully a hair
mile. To have a woman or children mir
ing up in heavy plowed ground for that
ditance during a rainy siege Of weather
IS fearful. and IL Is hard to see how
man could digest his food eaten under
UGH circumstances. The heavier crops
like potatoes and melons might be plant
ed out in the field so they could be bet
ter cultivated with the pillow and horse.
Preparation and Cultivation.
The small garden area, after being nicely
fenced against the invasion OF outside in
truders. such as poultry and stock, should
be heavily broadcasted with stable manure
and the land broken deep and narrowed or
raked down to a fine smooth filth. The
rows should then be bedded or laid off and
smoothed down with Mandrake. With the
use of nice combination garden hoe, line,
Mandrake and small wheel hand cultvator.
IL should be a pleasure to plant the seed
and cultivate the growing vegetables. With
proper tools and shallow cultivation a
person can easily keep a small plat of
ground in excellent condition without the
use OF the field teams, particularly IL the
soil has at the beginning been deeply
broken and heavily fertilized with barn
yard manure. Nearly all garden vegetables
can be planted this month with the ex-
ception of tender plants like butterbeans,
sauashes, etc. Tomatoes can be planted in
boxes or hot beds and the same with cab
bazes, or the seed OF cabbages can be
drilled out I'm the open. With the exception
OF English pea seed. all other seed should
not be planted deeper than one inch. To-
mato. cabbage and other quite small seed
will germinate better If just pressed into
the soil and covered, keeping the top sur
face moist When the little plants are up.
IL they are TO be transplanted. put them
out as soon as danger from frost is over.
Keep the ground constantly stirred, and
the weeds and grass down by prompt TIL
lage. II the plants are properly looked
after II is astonishing how soon many Of
them will be ready for the table. Man is
hytnature a vegetarian. and no food VIII
agree with him better or furnish muscle
and good health superior to an abundance
OF nice, fresh properly cooked vegetables.
Think OF the small plat Of ground and the
little work required to furnish the table
with vegetables and then figure the cost
of buying meats. canned goods, etc, at
the merchants store and decide which is
best for the farmers individual interest,
not only from financial standpoint, but
from the standpoint of health and good
feeling. Build up the garden without delay.
HARVIE JORDAN.