The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-05-31
The HORSE POWER GARDEN.
How an Acre Can lie Easily Cared For
IL Properly Arranged.


if Properly Arranged.
Iu the contrast with the intensive
garden OF small area is the garden
where the preparatory tillage and
portion at least OF the planting and
seeding ana the after cultivation al
most entirely may be accomplished 10y
horse power.
Inc area Tor the power garden should
De generous, to allow of room with.
out crowding and ecOnOmizing for
space. The length of the plot should
DE much longer than its width. to
avoid turning and the consequent in
jury to the plants by tramping. Such
garden is preferably located at suf-
hcient distance from the poultry gar
dens to need no fencing; thus allowing
of clean culture OF the entire plot and
anOrding ample room for turning of
team and implements.
An acre is none too much for the
garden, which, if its dimensions be
made Sx20 or 5x30 rods. the labor re-
Quired for its care is reduced to its
lowest terms
In garden of the dimensions Specl.
fled two rows of cane berries and bush
fruits will afford an ample supply
OF these fruits for the average family.
Another of Strawberries will produce
an abundance of this delicious and
healthful berry.
Everything should he grown i'm rows
of uniform width except the bush and
cane fruits mentioned; these should be
placed at least six feet apart, SO that
ploW and heavy cultivator or har-
row may be readily used between
them. The other rows should bc ut
least three and one-half feet apart
and be straight and evenly gauged i'm
width TO make the horsepower care
success and Il pleasure as well. Il
will be found that the small truck
usually grown i'm beds and hills will
Go well with this level culture when
the fertility and preparatory filling of
the seed bed have been sufficiently
provided.
The seeds can be rapidly put in with
any of several good horse or hand
drills, which will distribute fertilizers
at the same operation, or i'm absence
of one Of them various seeds may be
put in with the ordinary form grain
drill by mixing with fertilizer or some
other substance to govern the quantity
planted.
The cultivation can best be accom-
pliShed with twO-h0rSe cultivator
provided with guards following close
to the small plants to prevent cover
ing them when delicate. This horse
cultivator will need TO be supplemented
nv ho I, -,
the soil and keep down the weeds
in the small space left 10y the cult
vator. There will also 10 needed some
hand wedding with certain kinds Of
slow and delicatc-growing vegetables.
In the writer's case the horse cult
waiting has been done largely by giving
few minutes TO it several times a
week when going to and returning
from the regular work of field cultiva-
ton. By this plan no noticeable time
has been taken. The soil has been
kept in the best possible condition and
the weeds. have been efTectually con-
trolled.
This generous method Of gardening
allows of thin planting and consequent
fine quality OF products. AS n matter
of fact, the small acre can he handled,
in the manner described, with less time
and labor than garden of quarter
the size rs worked by the average
farmer, where the energy is consumed
in loosening baked soil laborlously by
hand hoes and fighting weeds among
irregular patches of vegetables and
crooked fence rows.-T. w. Thorpe,
MOntclair, y. ].