The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-01-29
The Two-Family Garden.

The garden spot is the most pro-
ductive fraction of an acre on most
farms, yet on many it is often one of
the most neglected in many respects.
In the hurry and rush of the spring
work it is MANFRED possibly, and
Flowed and planted, or partly plant
ed, and then the care Of it falls to
the women and children. If the far-
mel were TO carefully consider the
proportion of the family living that
"cmes from tn" garden, he would re-
a,ile that it deserves mnc1 mnre
careful attention than it receives from
him.
Not only can the garden be made
much more profitable, and help out
the family ration by increasing it
and also by balancing it somewhat
better, bit it can be made means
of considerable supplement to the
income received from the principal
farm industries. By having two
family garden-that is, laising
garden stuff enough for two families
and finding a customer in town or
CITY who would like to have garden
land other) products direct from the
farm at least once each week-more
could be realized from the farm, both
for the family table and the family
purse. Many a town or city house
wife would be glad to receive a
good-sized market basketful of
fresh garden stuff directly from the
producer by parcel post, express, or
direct delivery by the farmers own
conveyance-whichever would prove
the most satisfactory and economi-
cal.
While there is quite list Of veg
etables that can be grown in practl-
cally any garden, yet very many
gardens are limited to compare
lively small number of vegetables,
a few others being included rather
incidentally. In undertaking to con-
duct two-family garden one of the
first things of Importance is to Sc
cure contact with the town or city
consumer to be supplied. This is i'm
portant because the city family has
probably been using many kinds OF
vegetables that the farmer has not
raised, at least not in any quantity,
and the plans for next years garden
should be begun as early as possible.
The kinds of vegetables to be raised
should be decided upon after learn
ing the quantities and kinds used by
the city family concerned, good
seed secured in plenty of time, and
such work done toward the prepare
ton of the garden as the weather will
allow. Winter vegetables, as well as
these used direct from the garden
in summer, should be kept in mind.
These include not only sIch as dry
navy, kidney, and lima beans, but
also lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage,
celery, carrots, turnips, and the like,
depending on the particular section
of the country. (Eor instructions
and details on gardening, see Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture
Farmers Bulletins 255 and 46O.) AS
stated above, the town or city con-
sumner will likely desire vegetables
that are not now particularly used
or cared for by the farm family, but
the aim should be to produce that
which would be desired by the GUS
toner as well as that desired by the
farm family if the plan is to sue
coed.
In planning for a two-family gar
den, not only should the different
kinds of vegetables be provided for
but particular attention should be
paid to the desires of the customer
with reference to qualify. Many
city housewives, for instance, may
desire stringless beans; when they
ask for these they have in mind more
a quality than varietal name, and
if they ask for stringless beans and
are assured that they can receive
them, and then when they come to
use them find that they have strings,
they will not only be disappointed to
considerable extent but discour-
aged at the idea of direct marketing
as being preferable to securing their
vegetables in the ordinary way from
the city market or grocery store
While it will not be possible to cater
to all the whims of the would-be con-
sumner, it must be kept in mind that
the farmers family usually takes
such quality as is produced without
any particular questioning, puI when
a city consumer orders from far
mer he expects to get produce of a
quality which he has in mind, and
every endeavor should be made to
meet his reasonable requirements SC
that the business may be established
upon'a mutually satisfactory work.
ing basis. Give a purchaser what
he or she wants and is wiling to pay
l. for.
Not only will this plan provide ar
outlet for vegetables land it is prac-
tically as easy to rasie vegetables fol-
two families as for one), but it will
also establish a contact through
which various other farm products
may be marketed.