The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-25

Philadelphia Record.
The garden is a neglected portion of some
farms. owing to the fact that during the
busy season of early spring the farmers are
disposed TO give more attention to the prep
aration Of the land for corn and potatoes.
AS the staple crops take up the whole of
their time, many of them depend for their
supply of vegetables upon the markets of
the large cities While the hundreds of
farms in the rich counties of Chester. Lam
caster and Montgomery furnish Philadel-
phia with a large share of her supply of
milk, butter, hay and other country prod
uce yet these counties buy largely OF
garden vegetables, market cars running
regularly for that purpose The farmers
consider it more to their interests to al
low New Jersey and Delaware to supply
vegetables than to produce such on the
farms. Whether it is more profitable for
them 10 grow their vegetables than to buy
them is a matter which they no doubt well
understand but it is doubtful if any farm
er can buy produce of any kind that Will
be equal in quality 10 that which can be
produced on the farm and used as required,
fresh from the garden.
The fact that gardeners with small tracts
Of land can devote labor and extra fertilizer
. 10 the production of various vegetables Is
evidence
work, and ii is also evident that il the
farmers will give a portion of their time TO
garden work it will be equally as prohtable
to them as they have a market at their
homes for the articles Farmers do not
make use of vegetables as freely when they
are purchased as when they are produced
at home, and some of them practice SELF
denial because il may not be convenient TO
procure the articles desired. Vegetables
that are sent outside of the large markets
for distribution in smaller towns or vii
lagos are not always fresh and in prime
condition, some articles, such as small
fruits, tomatoes, etc, being perishable and
liable to decomposition, their quality being
very different from similar articles that
can be transferred directly from the garden
to the ia BILE Even if the cost of garden
| appeared greater than the value or the
vegetables and fruits purchased, there Is
nothing that Will compensate Tor quallty.
Nearly all farmers object TO the use OF
the hoe spade and rake. They Will not
employ hand labor if the horse can be used
The horse, however, can be made to do
the work required for a garden by laying
off the rows of sufficient width TO permit
of the use of the horse hoe, and IL long
\ rows are planted there Will be but rev
turns A garden need not be square, for
a long strip will answer fully as well. With
| the improved seed drills now used, which
will plant all kinds of garden seeds, having
markers to each for marking the succeed
ing rows, only the first row need be laid
/ off with a line, and cultivation can then
| be done easily and with but little cost for
/ labor.
For an ordinary family. if long rows
/ are used, a single row each of peas, early
! cabbage, tomatoes, string beans, beets,
/ parSnipS and Lima beans VIII produce all
/ that may be required. There is no reason
/ why celery, onions, strawberries, raSpDer-
| ries and egg plants may not also be added,
/ and asparagus as we'll, though they may
! take a little more labor. Potatoes ana car
/ rOts are not regarded as garden crops,
| though few rows of sweet corn should not
| be left out. Melons will not give good re-
| suits unless grown on light, sandy soil, and
/ the same is true of sweet potatoes. Inc
/ tomato is a crop that thrives well on nearly
/ all soils. and should be grown on every
farm even If no other garden crop Is Sc
/ lected, for the reason that when 1t begins
| to bear II gives a supply until frost comes,
/ ana may be used fresh on the table and
NalsO supply an abundance of fruit for can
! ming. There is nothing that can be grown
/ that will give SO much in proportion to cost
OF production and area of land occupied as
the tomato, nor is there anything that a
! farmer can grow that can surpass 1t for
/ the variety of purposes for which 1T can be
| used, it is not only wholesome, but
/ highly relished in every form in which II
may be brought upon the table.
! 1t is not necessary to give methods OF
cultivation of the many garden crops, the
| object being to impress upon farmers the
! Importance of devoting a strip off some
| field to the production of garden vegetables
/ anu small fruits. OF course, manure should
/ be used and the land well prepared, but
| such conditions are necessary for any crop
/ The yield of an acre of wheat at present
/ prices would give a smaller profit than one
| fourth of an acre in vegetables and ii is
| safe to claim that the labor required Tor the
/ Vegeta bles would be much less than for the
! wheat. Every article that can be produced
| on the farm is so much saved, because the
| farmers labor is an item in the production
/ of vegetables, but when he buys such he
| sends his money off the farm. The first
| duty a farmer owes to himself is to support
his table with every article that he car
- IA