Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-22

AGAIN and again, lately, I nave come
across that magic word--culture. The
quarrel over the right and righteous defini-
ton OF kultur, between Germans and Allies,
already seems foolish and far away. l am
planting a garden. This is what I find in
the books and catalogs I am reading now:
CULTURE-Beans are somewhat ten
der but it often pays to take some risks.
Plant in warm, loamy soil at the begin
ming of settled warm weather in spring,
and at intervals for succession until Au-
gust. Rows may he made feet apart,
and the beans planted few inches apart
In drills, or or beans in hills to S
inches apart. Cultivate and hoe fire.
Guenty always, however when the
vines are perfectly dry. In hoeinE draw
tho soil up toward the rows or plants.
For string beans gather the pods clean
soon as fit for use. The plants will
remain all the longer in bearing
This is but one brief excerpt from the lit
erature of culture It contains, In a few
sentences, much knowledge. But knowledge
is not culture. Neither is hoeing--or other
hard work. Nor is culture confined 10 gar
dens Sometimes it goes a-1shing some
times it goes a-votlng.
Neighbors Discovered
Gardening is both utilitarian and an
aesthetic cupation-according to a mans
spiritual makeup and his economic needs.
Whichever aspect of its character is para
mount in any instance. it usually presup-
poses a respectable amount of knowledge.
And often just supposes have gained part
of what I know about the science and art
of gardening from books and catalogs-dld
you ever discover the fact that a catalog
can be very interesting reading?-and part
from my neghbors. The important thing is
that I have become acquainted with my
neighbors-and by way of my garden.
My agricultural erudition is still compar-
atvely slight | say comparatively" be-
cause. ever since | saw that the neGhbors
had got the jump on me" in the matter
of backyard industry and enjoyment. have
given my days and nights to the study of
gardens. There Is, indeed, great deal TO
consider-cmate, soil, fertilizers, and so
forth and so on. Some seeds should go in
drills, some in hills and some should be
sowed broadcast Some should be covered
with the thinnest sprinkling of earth, while
others should be buried several inches un-
derground. Some, I have discovered with
regret at this late date, should be planted
In hotbeds in January February. One
kind requires light sandy soil and an
other will thrive only in rich humus But
all these l am quite aware. are elementary
considerations. There are greater and more
numerous problems with which gardeners
and farmers have to deal
The amateur suburban gardener ought to
have some appreciation of the vast amount
OF knowledge accumulated in farming COM
munity. Professor Carver director of the
Rural Organization Service, tells us that the
agricultural lore handed down in the country
places is vastly underrated Urban commen-
tators are apt TO label 1t tradition" and not
a few misguided critics go so far as to call it
superstition" They deplore II as the chief
obstacle In the way of scientific agriculture,
They are partly right. but mostly wrong.
This wonderful lore of the farmer Is some
thing which he values highly because II has
proved workable He is not whit fonder OF
doing things without return of profit than
anybody else, and when he sees a chance OF
making two blades OF grass grow where only
one grew before he is glad enough TO do It.
He is more willing TO see than many of his
critics believe.
Rural Progressivism
ProgTessivism is present in the country. II
welcomes college extension and establishes
farmers institutes. In the State which is
sometimes called the most thoroughly rural
State in the Union every county is well or
ganized for the promotion OF agriculture
Nearly every county has a paid agent who
eonsults with and advises the farmers con-
cerning crops and other farm problems
There are more automobiles per inhabi-
tsnt in that State than in any one OF 46
other commonwealths, and this in spite OF
the fact that more people, in proportion 10
total population, own their homes, free OF
encumbrance, than anywhere else IN New
England. The Legislature has made It's
statute books notable for their reflection Or
the modern social spirit. No other stats IN