New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

When the homeward bound crowd OF New
Jersey commuters nocks through the side ways
20 West street. there is one kind of man with q
preOccupled yet cheerful air who merits par
iicular notice Neither age nor dress distinguishes
him from the mOb perhaps the callous spots
or his hands and the sunburn on his neck make
him little different Chiefly he is recognized
ny a copy Of a seed catalogue, a bunch OF
tomato plants sticking out of his right hand
pocket and some winter cabbage or egg plant in
the left side pocket others loiter before sporting
goods windows: he has an eye for young celery
plants az - cents dozen. Others buy choco-
lates for their families: he treats his wife TO a
pofted japanese moon vine. His child's birthday
present is toy rake and hoe. He is the gar
dener commuter.
The gardener commuter is a little more set
up than usual these days. He has a modest
sense OF the lustre shed on his hobby by the
IackngtOwn revelations If he ever tried to
conceal or minimize the fact that he was carry
ing vegetables. he is now almost obtrusively
open in his methods. A gently superior smile
IS the answer 10 a street gamin's INQUIRY. How
is the crops mister?'' II is possible for him to
heap Goals of fire on the head of a once scoflng
fellow commuter who emerges from Fulton Mar
ket with ten pounds OF Chicago what-is-it. The
amiable gardener does not scoff nor repay in
suit with its kind.
Ee is really wonderful character, this anna
feur vegetable grower a brother to the bug
hunter and bibliophie, whose biography will be
written some day by q sympathetic genius.
There is a simplicity and truth mot considering
his enthusiastic estimates of potato siZe) about
his attitude that must appeal TO all. he believes
60 thoroughly in gardening that he says a gar
oenless man has not lived, yet is he tolerant and
charitable toward the large portion of humanity
that cannot tell cucumber vine from Hub
bard squash.
You have converted me to the soil" said a
lawyer commuter to his friend the gardener the
other day. IF it was spring I'd start a garden"
start it now replied the crop grower. with
the jealous joy Of a missionary who sees an
other heather turn from his idols.
why it's July. What can you raise now?"
Plenty Of things. It's never too late for a
man TO begin a garden. Some Of the best veg
etables are planted this month, and, in fact. by
using early varieties you can have almost every
thing. II you don't put a seed underground
you may stin have the choice fruits of such
plants as the tomato, eggplant and sweet
potato"
How about radish and lettuce?"
That's also work for the summer You can
plant those things for succession once a week
up TO the end of August. Spinach in the same
way All the root crops like carrots. turnips
and beets, grow best when set out late-beets
up to the middle of September. oh. it's great
70 have em grow while you sleep"
"Am not barred from sweet corn and string
beans?"
mo. sir. If you plant by the middle OF
July and string beans even later. keep the
ground mellow and kill the weeds. your mouth
VIII be watering in September. Cucumbers and
squash may be planted the first week in July
cabbages, kOhlrabi and lima beans won't go
back you; midsummer planting of peas is
worth trying. and this is just the time for celery
that VIII make your Thanksgiving dinner a sue
cess"