Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-17
The Farmers Garden.
(Maine Bulletin.)

| maine Bulletin.)
No part of the farm operations, boil
from the standpoint of health anC
economy, is more important than the
production of garden crops, and the gar
den is surely one of the most attractive
spots on the farm. We fear too many ol
our farmers do not give attention enough
to the vegetables, small fruits and
flowers which add so greatly to the
comfort and pleasure of farm life. The
garden is place in which all the family
are interested, and each one can de
something to aid in its growth. The
busy farmer, in these days when help ID
so difficult to obtain, and particularly
the farmer who is engaged in some
speciality which requires constant care,
may think that he has no time to devote
to garden crops. But we believe nO
farmer can afford to entirely overlook
these. No farm home is complete with.
out garden. The fresh, luscious
vegetables and fruits from the garden
are not to be compared with those pur.
chased in the markets which were
brought in by some farmer the week
before and left to wilt in the heated at.
mosphere and have lost much of their
fresh, juicy, invigorating taste. These
fresh fruits and vegetables so easily rails.
ed on the farm make the farmers table
especially inviting. His daughters on
their return from boarding school appre.
cate fully the marked difference be.
tween these delicious garden products
and those which can be found on the
table of a city boarding school. The
home is thus made more desirable.
/ Every farmer can devote little
space and time to the garden, which
means so much to the health and happi'
ness of the family. II economically
planned and well arranged, small
piece of ground, with a comparatively
slight expenditure of time and labor,
will yield a good supply of vegetables
and fruits for home use. With a judi.
cious selection of crops, beginning with
an early variety, sometimes succession
of two or three crops may be grown up,
on the same piece of ground during a
season.
The farmer usually has land enough
so that he can select a good location for
/ the garden, and sunny spot should be
Il
The soil should be deep, mellow and
we'll drained. If there is plenty of room,
the vegetable garden should be devoted
to vegetables alone, and not mixed with
fruit. A plot twice as long as wide is a
good shape, and 1t should be so arrang'
| ed that the most of the work can be
done with the horse. The soil should
be prepared in the best possible manner
and well fertilized. The garden responds
to good care as readily as any other part
of the farm. Above all, look carefully
after the weeds, and see that they are
destroyed in the early part of the
season.
Small fruits are easily grown, and
nothing is more palatable or wholesome
for summer food. The common vegeta'
bleS and fruits are within the reach OF
all, and to those who have the time and
fancy for experimenting, and for the
growing of those which may be termed
lluxurieS, the variety of plants which
may be grown in the garden Is almos,
unlimited. For market gardening,
which we believe may be pursued with
profit in many parts of the state, where
markets are easily accessible, the varie
| ties, of course, must be chosen with
reference to the market demands and
the profits to be derived.
| The flower garden should also receive
it's share of attention. II returns IN
dollars and cents are not as apparent,
certainly the sunshine which these beau,
tiful flowers bring into our homes, and
their refining, purifying influences, have
a value not to be lightly estimated
Some one has said, 1.-The world without
flowers would be like face without a
smile" No farmer should grudge a
little time devoted to the culture of the
flowers which brighten our homes an6
inspire us to better living and thinking
A few Towering shrubs and perennial'
will add much to the beauty of the
home grounds, and these require but
little care. Then, with good selection
of ANIMALS, the home may be supplied
with flowers from early summer unit
late in the fall.