The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-01-20

i was very dry to begin with
10 tesa sarden soil with a view n
determining whether or not 1t needs
water. with tho index finger dig down
it's length an dtake out a small quantity
OF soil and press It.; II it does not cor
tain moisture sufficient to make it ad-
here together firmly. you may be surp
It needs irrigation, especially for vcge-
tables But In determining this nat-
ter the appearance OF the crop should
be carefully watched. ait the same timc
remembering that when the foliage
81 cws a need of moisture. the crop Is
already damaged to some extent, though
the injury may be slight il the need Is
promptly supplied After each irriga-
ton or rain the burrows should be stir
red with the same sweep that the fur
rows were first made with TO prevent
baking and its many consequent evils,
chief among which is the loss of water.
The land on the beds and near TIE
plants may be stirred with wheel hoe
garden rake or other tool that may be
chosen as best suited or most conven-
/ icnt IN each individual case Keeping
5conomy Of labor as wen "A sthe expen-
diture OF money IN view. always remem-
herring that ina vegetable garden sufi-
cient for en average famiy.a good COM
bination drill and wheel-boe will prove
TO be a good Investment, saving much
labor and consequently insuring better
oul,ure and more satisfactory results
than by the older methods
Planting
onions. turnips, beets. carrots par
snips radishes lettuce and other crops
thai admit Of close planting sould be
drilled In on each side of the beds just
as described. about Ave inches from i!fe
edges. Where this Is giving more space
than IS usually allowed, trial vii
convince anyone that this method VII
give a very abundant yield.
Cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes,
peppers. canteoupes and other melons,
4 etc should be planted with only ona
row TO the bed and the usual space civ
en-. or little less as the land WI usu'
ally sustain an the crop that can get
air and sunlight " plenty Of moisture
Is regularly supplied.
II would be well TO remember that too
much water is more damaging than "A
J slight shortage. For example, on one
| occasion. two lots Of sweet potatoes
planted side by side, the first lot was
given three heavy irrigations and made
only one-third as many bushels per row
os lot number two made. withonly one
light watering, while the rest Of the
neld showed that lot number one was
! given about twice as much as was need
ed Tor the season and that lot number
two got only about one-half as much
as wac needed thus showing that the
use Of twa- thirds Of the land and Ave
sixths OF the water used on lot number
one was Host, clearly demonstrating
the necessity OF carefully guarding
against waste OF land and the extrava-
giant use OF water. TO say nothing Of the
disheartcning effects that such mis-
management win have on you and your
neighbors
Yield and Quality.
While the acreage that 1 have planted
IN vegetables has nearly doubled from
year 10 year aud the water supply In
creased ia proportion, stil this has
caused some confusion and much rush
Gf work and prevented the keeping Of
accurate accounts and records as should
have been done; yet / have learned that
under just fairly good cultivation ana
Irrigation onions should yield two hun-
dred bushels and up from seed sown the
FIRST Of March. Sweet potatoes Of the
various kinds win make two hundred
and nifty 10 four hundred and nifty BUSH
els per acre. 1arnips beets aud par
snips anywhere from one hundred and
hfiy TO five hundred bushels The va
riety, The soil the time Of planting aue
harvesting an are very important fac
tors in dstermining the yield.
Ia conclusion ] will say that the yield
Of most Vegetable crops under iriga-
ton have bee nthe source OF repeated
and pleasant surprises TO mee ana viii
be 20 YOU II an earnest and Intelligent
effort is put forth. The quality Of irri-
gated vegetables f. such that thoy win
sen Tor twenty fve 70 nifty per cent more
where people have become familiar with
their relative merits. 81 Is also easy 70
distinguish them Ia the mar1ct by their
general appearance
thank you for your patience and
wish you lbe good fortune Of puiiing
the finishing touch on your home by
making ana using an lrrigutod vegetable
rardln