The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-05-01
FINDS ANYTHING
CAN BE RAISED
ON 0VERBURDEN
Expert Agriculturalist of Du-
luth, Makes Discovery at
Mine Near Virginia.
SAYS THIS CITY is
LOSING MANY DOLLARS
Thinks Particular Attention
Should Be Paid to Saving
Old Tin Cans.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
A. B. Hostetter of Duluth, district
agricultural agent, made discovery
in Virginia this morning. He found
that vegetables ,trees and grass can
be grown on strippings, another term
for overburden removed from open
cut mines.
ever since l have been promoting
agriculture in this section have been
told that nothing could be grown on
strippings," said Mr.. Hostetter. 81
had an idea that this was wrong
idea and this morning l went out to
the Alpena mine to investigate. !
was interested to find clover, cedars
and other plant life growing on the
over-burden, which probably had been
there for long time. An exami:i-
alton convinced me that almost any
thing can be grown on strippings and
would do especially we'll if fertilized.
The use of over-burden for growing
purpose should be big thing for
Clllo pdl Y VI CllC oCCl'N 90 IAIoIy c%NAN
have been given over to stripping
dumps.
Losing Money.
Mr.. Hostetter declared that Virginia
is losing money in not saving its tin
cans. venture to say that thousands
of cans are thrown aside in this city
every month and that no practical use
is being made of them The soldier
from these cans would bring in al
most enough money to operate small
mine. The city should give this mat
ter particular attention.
81 would also suggest that the city
make arrangements to save the fer
tilizer that is wasted on it's dumping
grounds. l met two boys this morning
hauling manure. They told me their
father was going to use it to fill up
a cellar. This is not sanitary. A GEL
lar filled in this way will never be
good place to erect substantial
building and the fertilizer that might
be used to help beautify your city OF
improve your gardens will never co
you any good"
Prizes are Worthless.
Mr.. Hostetter addressed the meeting
of parents and school children in the
Roosevelt school auditorium last night,
lecturing on home gardens. He illus
trated his talk with views of the
work being carried on by the children
in Duluth, where 1000 youngsters plan
gardens this season.
Mr.. Hostetter favors the organiza-
ton Of boys and girls gardening clubs
and has formed several in his dis
trict, but he does not favor giving
prizes for the best plots. "1f the boys
and girls work to make their gardens
a success they will benefit great deal
more by their efforts than if they
were working for small prize, which
in the long run amounts to very little
Plant for the Home.
The expert advised the young gard
eners to keep away from novelties in
their planting and not to attempt to
raise so many varieties of truck.
"Raise enough of one kind of veget-
able to supply the home," he suggest
ed. "Go slow on tomatoes and don't
bother with melons. Select what you
want at home and keep your attention
glued on raising that"
Mr.. Hostetter, Superintendent Dick
inson of the Duluth & Iron Range
demonstrate farm, County Agricul
tural Agent Van Wagenen, Professor
Johnsrud of Virginia, and others will
address a big gathering of farmers
at the Roosevelt school auditorium
this afternoon.