The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-25

rains and the heat lately. we've man
aged to get our garden started" the
miners wife looked out of her kitchen
door to the rear yard. Once 1t was
tangle of weeds. garbage, tin cans
and rubbish now it was fresh with
growing corn, beans, a few rows OF
potato plants, tomatoes. turnips and
cabbage heads.
"They amt so much to speak Of she
continued.
Last year we did heap better. But
we haven't had to buy much outside
and we do sell what we have extra,
now and then. Next year If the rains
amt SO heavy IL will all be IN bet
ter shape. We got such late start
this season.
Yes. miss, it's a help-a mighty
big help. 1t just meant everything
when the company fenced in our
house."
Some people say. whats the use of
starting any truck gardens around a
mining camp? Who wants them?i
The best answer to the question is
simply the truck garden itself in a
mining camp. ~
Here are these oommunities-hun-
dreds of them-in the Birmingham dis
trict. scattered throughout jefferson,
Walker. Bib. Shelby. Tuscaloosa and
other counties They are more or less
isolated Some of them are very DESC
late. very foriorn-so much SO that
the very word. mining camp brings
to many minds a picture that is like a
o. this iS hprOpafpp a nj
ture of the past
Mining camp" does not mean to-
day what it meant yesterday. The new
spirit is abroad. There is change In
the Birmingham district. 1t is work
ing gradually-so slowly in some local
tiles that it is scarcely perceptible. But
it is going steadily forward.
Initial Steps
Among the first steps the truck gar
den movement stands as one of the
fundamentals.
This movement Is being encouraged
and fostered by many of the coal and
iron companies here. among them the
Republic Iron and Steel company, the
Woodward Iron company, the Pratt
Consolidated Coal company, Roden Coal
company, Tennessee Coal Iron and
Railroad company and others.
As to the ways and means of en-
coura ging the movement-hoW Is lhat
done?
To fence in the miners house is the
first essential. This is being done by
a large number of companies. good
stout, all-wire fence with iron posts
is the most practicable type, as the
board fence is frequently cut up for
kindling wood. Then comes the fertil-
izer, and this is also given by various
companies, together with vegetable
seeds and different plants.
The miners homes along Red noun
tain and out in the coal fields are be-
ing gradually transformed.
Demand for Fences
I'VE can't build fences fast enough,
said Morris Bush, assistant general
manager of the Woodward Iron COM
pany. "The men all want to move out
of their houses to those with fences.
They all want. fences and as we have
to do the work gradually. 1t takes time.
We can't supply the demand so far
"All ! wants. Marse Norris said
negro miners wife at Mulga, is 1es
to. get III piece of fence an | KIN
keen my chickens an start me tur-
min match. | don't hev to walt till mex
spring. | kin grow me turnip patch
right nowi'
once the company co-operates to this
extent the rest is up to the miner and MS
folks.
THE planting, euinvatlhs ai,u nslse s,s
ing of q vegetable garuen reilly uepenus
more ON the wire ana cniiorsh man y"
the mines himself a I9cai iiii, ~, 1921.
tendent SAID the wives u cue loie rs,
miners keep, on the who'e, .ne . pss,
6arders. me miner is usuany 'oo '"e
IN the evenings 10 40 ihu1il ~ ~ l,e -
gardening. But ms poys any SIS ar ~
taught and VIII eVen,uaiiS ie"ih ~ 'ane
pleasure In TINS sort OF thhls, - 10 ','
Lest thing in the worid ior lclli'i :, pr.
vidine there Is not TOO mucil ot l,-a. NJ. ~
the average lot III d hniihs camp
Is never too much. Inc SIZE soi inc ioe 70
almost invariably larger thahithe aVe'ase
type of city OF town lot.
Breathing Space
nut -, ~ n,ov ts ono Of the hest
-,.l.s a ~ ,,ost ~ tho mining camps
~ M. s,str,ot ~ wide snacos between
~ ~. s, nas ~ cod aenth and frontage
.n lD MUSES. $3.50 q. ,nara a 10 's,,ch nossi-
~. - ,,s,s,.o,,a,,sa,t rrh.a coneested
ri'i',na ~, lrs,,,s T., ,,,o,,, otha, locali
.oiioi.io,l " ,'..s,, Iii and1 factorv
''es' i''',iis, ...,.aI, 49, nro,aay, ~
.aiii.ss 70 ~, ,,,,,,,,,, br.,ness
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