Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-27

~ has finally arrived and j. Plu-
~ yius has taken at least a short
rest and the householders OF
the District have properly OBJ
served cleanup week. delayed attention
to the back yard garden is at last being
paid. Hurried visits to trusty seedsmen
are being made for bulbs and seeds. while
the hardware stores are reporting sud-
denly increased sale of the smaller gar
den tools.
Nor are the efforts of these back yard
gardeners to be taken too lightly or gen.
orally smiled at. The products OF twenty
by-thirty back yard gardens have mate
rally reduced the high cost of living. so
far as many a thrifty family is con-
cerned. while the table is enriched by
easonable viands. The healthful. recre-
ational labor incidental to attending such
a garden far more than repays. even
though the practical outcome were to be
nothing An intimate contact with the
SOIL even though 1t be the soil of ones
own back yard, has a healthful effect on
the deliver.
The first essential of a properly planned
garden is the soil itself The necessary
growth are nitrogen, potash. phosphates
and lime. Many back yards in Wash
ington do not contain these elements in
exactly the right proportions. so little
study will be needed. The best and
quickest plan to follow is to take or send
a sample Of the soil to one of the ex-
perts of the Department of Agriculture
or TO an expert gardener. in order to find
A
little judicious instruction along this line
will pay a thousandfold in the final out
come. Leaf mold from the woods. ma
nure. and bone meal are the pest ana
most available materials. In many cases
the ground will do very well just as 1t IS,
Of too much ash or some form OF waste
having been thrown upon it
In gardens here considered deep plow-
ing is necessarily out OF the question so
deep and thorough spading must suffice
In turning the soil with the spade II
will be necessary to exercise care that
each bit of earth Is thoroughly turned
to the action of the sun and air. AS
practical matter. 1t has been found that
the dark corners of the yard are worth
less for cultivation. II the shadow or an
intervening. wall or fence hides the plant
from the sun for too great part Oh the
day the result is sure to be disastrous
After being turned 1t usually Is well
TO let the soil "fallow.' or oxidize.
for a day. or. if time. allows; for
week. The fertilizer. If any Is used.
should in most cases be mixed with the
soil by scattering literally over the
surface and working In. The working
of the soil should be extremely thor
ough, all clods being broken up and
foreign bodies, such as cinders. oyster
shells, pieces of glass and pieces Of
brick. removed. An ordinary garden
rake is the best implement for this
purpose.
A much-overlooked necessity in these
small gardens is that of drainage. To
properly carry off surplus moisture in
a climate that has as much rainfall
as the. District of Columbia is abso-
lutely essential piece Of soil that
remains watersoaked too long is rem
dered poisonous to the plants and
will no more grow thriving green
things than will sterile soil. The
matter of drainage Is not difficult
one, and 1t may readily be accomplished
by noting the lay of the ground. A
smell ditch should carry. the surplus
water off the garden spot. In some
ca9oS ~ the garden is TO be DermaneDt