The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-02-27
THE HOME GARDENER.
(The Reveille.)

USAS VI uoI tnSIu lafLuSTS why IL was
that so few southern farmers had a
home garden. They simply can't see
any reason, and there is none, why in
the South where garden may be had
the whole year round with so little
trouble, they don't have one. They
simply come to the conclusion that the
southern farmers, as a rule, are lazy
and ignorant. But the real trouble is
that we southern people are self-satis-
fed and as long as we can make a
fairly easy living we don't stop and
think the matter over. Let us wake up
and start garden right away and try
it for year and see If we won't come
to the same conclusion that the editor
of Southern Farmer did, which was
mo part of the farm will pay greater
returns in health, happiness, pleasure
and dollars and cents than will a
medium-sized, well-kept garden when
given the proper attention" Later on
he makes this statement: 81 know my
home garden has paid me at the rate
of at least $500 an acre" Show me a
farmer that makes that much from an
acre of any of his farm crops.
Bailey sums up the things to be kept
in mind when planning and operating
a home garden in these four state
ments: O "A sufficient product to
supply the family; (2) continuous sue
cession of crops; (3) ease and cheap
ness of cultivation, and ca mainte-
nance of productivity of the land year
after year." Another point, believe,
that is of Importance, is the knowledge
OF what plants will stand fairly cold or
light freezes and the crops that will not.
There is no setfast rule as to how
many vegetables to grow for such and
such family or the size garden they
will need. 1t altogether depends upon
the family's fondness for vegetables
and the number or size of the family.
Bailey says: "An area 10Ox15O feet is
generally sufficient to supply family
of five persons, not considering the
winter supply of potatoes; but the area
must be we'll titled and handled" On
farm, as rule, larger area may be
secured and would suggest larger
area for one who is not versed in the
tricks of the trade, such as catch crops
and companion cropping.
The ease and cheapness of cultiva-
ton Is the one thing that farmer
should know about. The main point
here is in locating your garden so that
as long row as possible can be laid
out to prevent loss of time in turning
around at the ends. The rows should
be far enough apart to allow the use
of wheel tools, both by horse and the
hand wheel hoe. When crops are
planted in beds they require hand labor
almost entirely, and this kind of labor
is very expensive, and tiresome and
discouraging if you have to do it your
SELF II these rows are very long prob
ably several crops will have to be
planted in the same row. In that case
crops that require the same treatment
and seasonal requirements should be
planted in the same row. Then, too, all
rows containing similar crops should
be grown side by side, such as all the
root crops.
The best and only reasonable way to
maintain the productivity Of the garden
is to rotate your crops, manures and
tillage. Even in your small home gar
den it is just as essential to practice
rotation of crops as you do on your
farm. For example, on the rows where
you had the root crops the year before,
plant cabbage, and after the cabbage
plant beans and garden peas; in this
way the benefits derived from rotation
may be secured. If insect pests or
fungus diseases get so bad on one of
the crops that they cannot be grown
successfully, stop planting that crop
for number of years until you have
starved it out would advise all gar
deners to keep a small supply on hand
of arsenate of lead or paris green and
also the materials for making a soap
The former may easily be
busted on plants that are troubled with
chewing insects, and the latter or soap
may be applied effectively
with small hand spray to kill the
plant louise or aphides.
The greatest trouble with most
farmers is that they want to plant a
whole lot of one kind of vegetable at /
one time. Don't do it: make small
paintings Of the short season crops at
regular intervals of from a week to ten
days. In this way a fresh supply of
vegetables may be had all the time.