Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-12-27
HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN.
North Many Times Its Cost to Every
Farmers Dinner Table.

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Professor J. r. Shirn, horticulturist
Of the Idaho Experiment station, Mos
COW, Idaho, in recent letter gave the
following suggestions copcelnii :, the
home vegetable garden:
The vegetable ,arien should be an
importan. factor in every farmers home
throughout the country. 1t will afford
him an economic element in providing
for his family; it will add to the COM
fort and happiness OF the mother, the
children and himself; and it will DO
much toward creating an interest in
farm life if properly planned and man
aged.
''The fact that -egetable garden
will aid in keeping d,Sn the expenses
of the home is likely to appeal strongest
TO the average man, and for this reason
it demands first consideration. In or
der to gain some definite idea OF the ex-
act usefulness OF the home garden the
experiment station Of Illinois conducted
experiments with a garden for a period
OF five years. This garden consisted Of
one-half acre of black prairie soil and
the average net profit for the FIVE years,
after all expenses for seed and labor
had been deducted, was s7i .S5 per year.
Some years gave less returns than 9TH
ers owing to the effect of dry seasons
but under irrigation it is probable that
the returns would be much more con-
slant and even higher. During the bsst
year this plot of one-half acre gave a
net profit OF Sill 0o Where could the
average farmer turn to find a more pay
ing use for his ground?
In the matter OF creating happiness
in family and rendering the home
life more comfortable the farmers veg
etable garden may exercise an import
ant mission. Happiness always comes
to those who are deeply interested in
the things that surround them. If a
farmer has fine herd Of Hereford calves
be immediatly shows his interest by
taking his friends or relatives tc see
them as soon as they arrive at the
farm; ii the wife has something in the
parlor that is attractive and new, no
time is wasted before the guests receive
information about it, and from these
facts the whole household rejoices and
the guests are made glad with them.
In like manner the vegetable garden
may create another avenue ior happi-
ss. Visitors will undoubtedly enjoy
seeing well kept garden and especial
ly if the number varieties is great and
the size of the individual vegeta bles
large, the pleasure OF the occasion will
be at its maximum. Then the comfort
OF sitting down to meal where vege-
tables in great variety adorn the table
will be greeted with the utmost salts
faction on the part of guests, but it is
to the family that gather around the
same board three times each day that
such an assortment of food is the most
satisfying and comforting. Pork and
beans may satisfy hunger adequately
for time, but the same things appear
ing on the table too frequently become
distasteful. The average individual
therefore needs change in his ration
often. No other method is so readily
accessible to the farmer as the garden
to meet this demand for variety for his
table.
"Asids from the economic value of
tie vegetable garden and the satisfac.
tion it brings to the home, the interest
which it may create in farm life may
be Of no small moment. Rightly plan
ned and properly conducted the garden
may furnish the first element that shall
interest the farm child in his surround
ings. The little tots all enjoy garden
making time and no farm garden is
without certain definite por-
tions set aside for the special provision
for the children's garden. Here is
where the fret lessons in the science Of
agriculture should be taught, and
through these lessons the very sanest
and brightest children will decide early
in their career to follow the calling OF
their parents.
Viewing the vegetable garden from
the standpoint of its economic value,
its value as a comfort and pleasure to
the household, and its usefulness in
arousing deeper interest in the farm,
it beho lves every farmer to direct his
attention toward plai ning the garden
for next year during the long evenings
at his disposal this winter"