The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-04
The Farm Garden,

The garden IL neglected portion of
some Farms, owing TO the fact that dur
| ing the busy season OF the early Spring
ine farmers are disposed to give more
attention TO the preparation 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
! I'm the rich counties OF Chester Lancas-
ter and Montgomery furnish Philadelphia
with large share OF her supply of milk.
! butter, hay and other country produce,
\ yet these counties buy largely of garden
| vegetables, market cars running regular
! ly for that purpose. The farmers consider
| II more to their interests to allow New
Jersey and Delaware to supply vegeta-
bles than TO produce such on the farms
whether IL Is more profitable for them 10
grow their vegetables than to buy them
is a matter which they no doubt well un-
derstand, but IL is doubtful IL any farmer
can buy produce OF any kind that will be
equal In quality 10 that which can be
produced on the farm and used as re-
quired. fresh from the garden.
The fact the gardeners with small
tracts of-land can devote labor and extra
fertilizer TO the production of various
vegetables is evidence that there is
large profit I'm their work, and Il is also
evident that II the farmers will give n
portion OF their time to garden work IL
VIII be equally as profitable 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 pur-
chased as when they are produced at
home. and some of them practice self-de- |
mai because IL may not be convenient 10 |
procure the article desired. Vegetables |
that are sent outside OF the large markets |
for distribution In smaller towns or viii |
lagos are not always fresh and in prime |
t..r-
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 table Even IL the cost OF a
garden appeared greater than the value
OF the vegetables and fruits purchased,
there is nothing that Will compensate for
quality.
Nearly all farmers object to the use of
the hoe, spade and rake. They will not
employ hand labor II the horse can be
used. The horse. however can be made |
10 do work required for garden by lay |
ing off the rows OF sufficient width TO per- |
nit of the use of the horse hoe, and II
long rows are planted there will be but
few turns. A garden need not be square, |
for long strip will answer fully as we'll
With the improved seed drills now used |
which will plant all kinds of garden seeds,
having markers to each, for marking the |
succeeding rows, only the first row need
be laid off with a line, and cultivation
can then be done easily and with but lit
tie cost for labor.
For an ordinary family II long rows
are used, single row each OF peas, early
cabbage, tomatoes, string beans beets |
parsnips and Lima beans will produce all |
that may be required. There Is no reason
why celery, onions. strawberries rasp-
berries and egg plants may not also be
added, and asparagus as WELL though
hey may take a little more labor. Pota-
toes and carrots are not regarded as gar |
len crops, though a few rows OF sweet
'orn should not be left out Melons will
Tot give good results unless grown on
light, sandy soil, and the same is true of
sweet potatoes. The tomato is a crop that
hrives well on nearly all soils. and should
% grown on every farm. even IL no other
Garden crop is selected, for the reason
hat when II begins TO bear II gives a
upply until frost comes. and may be used
resh on the table and also supply an |
bundance OF fruit for canning. There is
lothing that can be grown that will give ,
o much in proportion TO cost OF pro-
uction and area OF land occupied as the
omato. nor is there anything that a
armer can grow that can surpass IL for
he variety of purposes for which IL can I
e used, as IL is not only wholesome, but
ighly relished in every from In which
may be brought upon the table !
II Is not necessary 10 give methods or
of the many garden crops at
resent as they are presented every
'eek, the object being to impress upon S
irmers the Importance OF devoting a
trip OF some field to the production OF
arden vegetables and small fruits. OF
purse, manure should be used and the
md well prepared, but such conditions
re necessary for any crop. The yield OF V
y acre OF wheat at present prices would
I've smaller profit than onc-fourth OF
n acre I'm vegetables, and IL is safe to
aim that the labor required for the veg | n
iables would be much less than for the q,
heat. Every article that can be produc- ! u
on the farm is so much saved, be- IL
iuse the farmers labor Is an item I'm | :
he production OF vegetables. but when he .
lys such he sends his money off the
Irm. The first duty a farmer owes TO
msef Is TO supply his table with every
-tice that he can produce for HIMSELF