The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1911-01-07

where beautiful, sweet
scented flowers bloom and tasty vege
tables for the dinner table mature
while icy winds and jack frost reign
with despotic power on the surface
above?
Whoever imagined that the soil OF
dark, damp coal mine-after Its
black treasures of carbon had been
exhausted to keep factory wheels in
motion and houses warm-could be
utilized for flower raising and truck
gardening?
1t has remained for an enterprising
Indianian-a Hoosier-to at least ex-
pertinent, with a measure of success,
along Horticultural and horticultural
lines in the bowels of the earth, at q
depth where sunshine and rain never
penetrate. Frank B. Posey Of Posey-
vile, Posey county, Indiana, is the
man who rivals Burbank the wizard,
and who has triumphantly realized q
lifelong dream. These names of city
and county in the extreme south
Hoosier state, along the north bank
of the Ohio river, stand as the immor-
tai tributes paid to the Posey family
by the hardy pioneers who braved
the scalping redskins" to cultivate
the Indiana wilderness more than q
century ago.
Mr.. Posey is a worthy descendant
of that sire of mysterious lineage for
whom Posey county and Poseyville
were named. He has won renown on
his own account and accumulated ten
talents by judicious use of the one
his progenitors bequeathed him-fore-
sight
The location Of the Posey innova-
ton in Horticulture and gardening is
between Poseyville and Boonville. It
is an abandoned coal mine that had
been given up as serviceable only for
the habitation of green lizards and
other Shiny denizens of dark, damp
recesses. During the winter of 1909
1910 the Posey plants thrived in the
old colliery Did Mr. Posey desire
: -. 80. cr a carration with which to
add touch Of nature to the decora-
tons of his drawing-room, he merely
went to the lift of his mine, decended
and picked the blossom. II his an.
petite needed stimulant he brought
up radish, green onion or dainty
bunch of lettuce, endive or celery,
Grips, Juicy and sweeter than any
ever grown in a dollhouse. Does this
seem like an improbability?
Somebody living in Chicago heard
that Mr.. Posey was raising flower,
and vegetables in a cavern hundreds
Of feet below the earth's surface. I'm
possible" declared the Windy City
man. ut requires sunshine and rain
to raise flowers and garden truck;
he can't do it,"
George AIDE. the humorist and play
wright, and George Barr McCuteheon,
the novelist, friends of Mr.. Posey.
told the underground farmer about
the doubling Thomas"
'Humph." remarked Mr.. Posey, he
must be from Missouri and I've lived
close to the Missouri line too long not
10 know what to do with him. I'll
show him."
So Posey trudged through several
'ncnes OF snow to the old mine shaft |
md went down to the underground
pot where his blossoms were smiling.
al @oblivious Of the fact that it was |
January He pulled up some pink |
radishes, dug up some lusty green
onions, picked a handful of green
peas in pod. nipped off some lettuce
lunches, and several flowers. He put
he collection in box and shipped
It to Col. j. Ham lewis, the doubling
Thomas"
IF you wish some more like these"
wrote the Indianian in a note he in
closed in the box, 4 would be pleased
o seln you. Ode or McCutcheon
gather them in my mine garden"
Origin of the Mine Garden.
And how did the mine garden coma
'hout? 1t is an interesting little
story. Several years ago Posey. hay-
Eg arrived at the conclusion that
Asia is for the Asiatics and China
or the Chinese" began to wonder If
indiana should not be to the HOLSTERS
t took him only short time to de-
,lde that question for himself.
Then Posey got busy and soon was
lard at work with some laborers He
feared away the ruins on the snr-
ace, erected a frame building over
he shaft and installed heating an
'aratus. He put in simple yentilatins