The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-05-05

No system of gardening or farming
has ever spread more quickly in Eng
land than the maraicher or French
garden system. The boon" began
exactly a year ago this March. Such
gardens had also been started little
earlier at Evesham. on big scale.
At the Evesham garden-whicb,
however. is too big for the best work.
ing Of the system-you may see TO-.
900 cloches, or bell-jars. and over 100
frames within single fence. The
sight is singularly pleasing and salts
fying-so bright and busy and neat.
The paths are just wide enough to
admit a man walking: the lines are
rectangular; the glazing and packing
sheds are coy and busy; and. above
all. every inch of the garden is, rich
with produce.
Within the past year the system
has become known, either practically
or theoretically, to many thousands
who had never heard of French
gardening, in its precise and partic-
ular term. before.
What most strikes the visitor to a
French garden is its marvellous tidi-
ness. It is the tidiest thing l know, at
almost any season of the year. 1t is
also fascinating in a peculiar degree.
partly from its neatness and absence
of any very great muscular work
women are especially successful with
the system-partly from the unceas-
ing riches that it produces OF course.
its supreme value is that the golden
soil' produces vastly more food than
any system ever yet devised, and is
therefore much the best form for
gardeners of all sorts to learn. even
if they have no idea of starting a
French garden in the proper meaning
of the term.
This virtue in the system was first
realized some two years ago by two
English women who set up a school
for gardening at Thatchain, in Berk-
shire They had not much capital, but
they were SO greatly struck by the
sight of the gardens that surrounded
Paris, where you may see acres upon
acres of frames and lights, that they
determined to set up a school at which
ladies' might learn this secret of ma
king an acre of land produce food
worth as much as $4,000 a year.
An ordinary fasm crop Is worth
about $35 an acre; first-rate English
market gardener. such as Mr.. Vincent,
knN OF lriC
duce about $500 worth of vegetables.
Whatever the difference in cost. it
must be valuable to know by what
secret this astounding production is
realized.
The cost may be heavy, but cot
tagers are beginning to use the
apparatus: and no one need begin
with more than would cost a few dol
lars. Let us say two frames, Is feet
long by four broad, for $3.50, and ten
bell-glasses, which will cost not more
than IS cents each delivered. and half
a dozen mats.
How is the marvel of fertility
wrought? Partly by the tidiness that
first strikes any visitor to a French |!
garden. The lines are all rectangular,
the paths are as narrow as possible. the |
are built SO that just five bell |
glasses may go to one light of one !
frame. The garden is SO laid out that |
the gardener can tell you at any mo- |
ment exactly what he will be doing on |
what square. at what time of year.
His little house. built at the corner
Of the garden. is a model of neatness. j
The slid, in which the glazing is
done. and the forks or nOtched bits of |
vood are cut for lifting up the bell
Jars fro1n The ground, Is the only place
where any sort of irregularity Is al
lowed.
The huge returns which some peo-