Imperial Valley press., 1915-01-12

THE TWO-FAMILY GARDEN
is A NEW SUGGESTION


most productive 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 manured pos
sibly, and plowed and planted, or
partly planted, and then the care of
1t falls to the women and children.
If the farmer were to carefully con-
slider the proportion of the family liv
ing that comes from the garden, he
would realize that it deserves much
more careful attention than it re-
ceives 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,
but 1t can be made a means of con-
siderable supplement to the income re-
ceived from the principal farm indus
tries. By having a two-family garden
that is, raising garden stuff enough
for two families and finding a Gus
toner in town or city who would like
to have garden (and 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
town or city housewife would be glad
to receive good sized market bas-
ketful of fresh garden stuff directly
from the producer by parcel post, ex-
press or direct delivery by the farm
er's own whichever would
prove the most satisfactory and eco
nomical.
While there is quite list of vege-
tables that can be grown in practical
ly any garden, yet many gardens are
limited to comparatively small num-
ber of vegetables, few others being
included rather incidentally. In un-
dertaking to conduct a two-family
garden one of the first things of i'm
portance is to secure contact with the
town or city consumer to be supplied.
This is important 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 S
garden should be begun as easy as
possible. The kinds of vegetables to
be raised should be decided upon after
learning the quantities and kinds used
by the city family concerned, good
seed secured in plenty of time, and
such work done toward the prepara
ton Of the garden as the weather will
allow. Winter vegetables, as we'll as
those used direct from the garden in
summer, should be kept in mind
These include not only such as dry
navy, kidney and lima beans, but also
lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage, celery
carrots, turnips and the like, depend
ing on the particular section of the
country. (For instructions and de-
tails on gardening, see United States
/ Department of Agriculture Farmers
Bulletins 255 and 1907 As stated
above, the town or city consumer 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 de
sired by the customer as well as that
desired by the farm family, if the
plan is to succeed.
In planning for two-family gar
den, not only should the different
kinds of vegetables be provided for,
Tut particular attention should be
paid to the desire of the customer
with reference to quality. Many city
housewives, for instance, may desire
stringless beans; when they ask for
these they have in mind more a quail
ity than varietal name, and if thev
ask for stringless beans and are as
sured 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 ex-
tent, but discouraged at the idea of
direct marketing as being preferable
to securing their vegetables in the Or
dinary way from the city market OF
grocery store. While it will not be
possible to cater to all the whims of
the would-be consumer, it must be
kept in mind that the farmers family
usually takes such quality as is pro-
duced, without any particular ques-
tioning, but when a city consumer or
ders from farmer he expects to get
produce of a quality which he has in
mind, and every endeavor should be
made to meet his reasonable require
ments so that the business may be
established upon mutually satisfac-
tory working basis. Give a purchaser
what he or she wants and is willing
to pay for.
Not only will this plan nrovide an