The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-03
BACK YARD IMPROVEMENT.
Timely Suggestions From an Old Gar

Timely Suggestions From an Old Gar
dener-Vines to Hide Fences.
Well kept grounds in the front OF
houses help wonderfully in making
town attractive. But the back yards
should by no means be neglected. and
an old gardener gives some good ad-
vice about improving them which Is
timely at this season Of the year:
Have you back yard? Grow
something in 1t. See something grow
which you have planted with your own
hands. No back yard is so small that
1t may not be mac to groI' something
for the table. and If 1t happens to be
vacant lot you will be surprised at the
quantities it may be made to yield un-
der little daily attention and some
nightly planning. If your back yard
consists Of only few square yards.
that fact need not deter you from en-
tering upon the joys of the gardener,
If the area at your disposal Is limited.
the time and attention required will
be correspondingly small, though the
pleasure it may afford will continue
throughout the season.
ANYBODY can gro" radlshes aand
lettuce, and almost anybody can eat
them, too. so plant these first. They
are prompt in their payment Of dlvl-
derds Of pleasure, for their first green
paired leaves will appear in three or
four days, and your hcartincss Of wei
come for them will do you vastly more
good than the possession Of two nick
els spent for their seed.
"If you have only fc" square
yards at your disposal, spaG' il Up III
any time In early spring. Il 'Ar !oi l.
large enough to admit of team Ii" -"
it plowed once a year in the spring or
fall. Plant everything in rows the
long way of the plot. Even put your
lettuce and radiShes in rows. This
will admit the greatest ease in cultiva-
ton; but. more important still, this
method will permit of the most ready
substitution by subsequently planting
other crops when the first have been
consumed.
"For example. If your lettuce Is one
long row instead of occupying rec
tangular bed, as it is customarily grown
by the town farmer, when 1t is no
longer tender, crisp and sweet you can
clean up the whole row and p!ani
beans in it's place or anything else
suitable to the narrow space OF one
row.
"A high board fence IS an eyesore.
yet many people are unwilling to cover
It with vines, because sooner or later
these will cause the wood to decay.
The thing to do Is to put up chicken
wire in front of the fence and grow the
vines on the wire.
"Foliagc vines. except English Ivy,
are good for this purpose. Virginia
creeper and ampelopss are two OF the
best of these. Vines with abundant
foliage make q good background for
cosmos. hollyhocks, single dahlias and
other flowers that require support.
These can be tied to the wire as they
grow, or else towering annual vines
can be planted each year-cypress
vine, morning glory, climbing nastur-
tiums or sweet peas for beauty. For
use and as n curiosity plant some mix
ed gourd seeds Ten cents worth Will
provide us many dollars worth OF sur
prise and entertainment
"Of course your little garden VIII be
delight, but it will never be SO allur'
Ing as to tempt you to spend more than
the necessary labor or cash upon 1t"