The new era., 1912-07-04
GARDEN ON DRY FARM
Small Area viii Give Varied and
HeaIthful Diet.
While Results on Montana Farm Were
Not Wonderful, They Were sat's-
factory and Furnished Abund'
ance Of Vegetables.

The dry farmer should plant lib
eral garden. believe from my expe'
riences that . kitchen garden Of one
and one-half to two acres will not only
give a more varied and healthful diet'
but actually cut down the living e1-
penses OF the average family from
500 to 5000.
My garden Of 1911-was broken from
the virgin sod from six to nine inches
deep, writes F. P. Parker of Custer.
Mont:. in the Dakota Farmer. 1t was
situated next to the river and forty
inches above 1t. SO you can readily
see there was no chance for sub'irri'
cation: soil, sandy loan over gumpo
hardpan at depth OF about two feet.
planted two-thirds acre OF pota.
toes April IL. breaking the ground
six inches deep and placing the pota-
toes (cut to about two eyes) in each
third furrow and next to the square
side so the next furrow would just
break over them. This fnsures even
and uniform stand. Usually the early
planted potatoes do the best here. the
very best ones | have grown being
planted March 27. although 1t Is very
probable that in q season like 1911,
later planting would have given equal
II not better results.
April Is ! began to plant small
seeds such as onions. beets. carrots
satisfy. parsnips. spinach. radish. ruta'
baga. turnip. etc. Practically no pre-
cipitation fell from the melting Of the
snow. March l to 10. until May To-
when we were favored by heavy rain.
On May "a I re-worked half OF the
onion land and planted to pop
corn. On May 26 I set two dozen
each of cabbage and tomato plants.
and more cabbage later on. I planted
a few hills Of melon and squash May
Is: also cucumbers. Had to replant
part Of these later. owing. ! believe. to
mice taking the seed. Getting occa'
sional light rains from this time on.
all the varieties grew and produced
we'll, and while the results would not,
perhaps, be called wonderful. they
were very satisfactory. and not only
furnished an abundance OF vegetables
throughout the season. but also put
in the cellar something like go bushels
OF potatoes, Is bushels OF table beets.
q sack Of carrots. two each OF tur'
nips and rutabagas. several Of onions.
some satisfy and cabbage: also salted
down q keg Of cucumbers for pickles.
I had between 100 and 200 melons OF
each variety. squashes. while they
produced abundantly. were worth.
less mixture. Beans were omitted
from the seed order. SO had none. II
except the Syrian peas. which are
great producers here.
From one pound Of seed OF the
Golden Bantam sweet corn ! had corn
to use for six weeks (uot small guam
ties either) besides giving consider
able away. Also produced IL quarts
of select shelled seed in addition.
or onions the Southport Red Globe
Is my favorite. and my experience
would lead one TO believe they could
be profitably produced in a CONNER
cial way upon the dry farm. There Is
no patent on my way Of growing
onions: they were simply drilled In
to a deeply.inverted sod which had
been we'll worked down and after
wards kept clean. frequently COINS
through them with . f,ne-tooth hand
rake.
Carrots seem the best adapted to
dry.land conditions Of the root crops
though l had rutabagas measuring 26
inches in circumference. Plant plenty
Of these and the old COW will Willingly
help you dispose Of the surplus next
winter.