The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-25
SOUTF1ERNER'S EXPERIENCE
IN A NORTHERN GARDEN

with the asparagus and rhubarb
making a permanent row in the gar
den where the plough could not be
used and the cultivation must be done
by hand. After carefully planting my
berry bushes one foot apart In the
row | discovered I had turned two
pages in my book and had read the
wrong directions for berry planting
Every other plant had to be dug up
and reset two feet apart
I must pause here to laud my hand
cultivator. 1t made gardening pos
sible and kept down the weeds be-
tween the rows. those which came w
In the rows were easily hoed out.
About the middle OF May all the
other seeds were sown. had then
become an adept in planting. I threw
In seed, filled to required depth. nrmed
With hoe and foot. with true profes.
sionhl carelessness.
We were enjoying rhubarb and ten
der green shoots Of asparagus when
Decoration Day came. which all the
good local gardeners said was the time
TO put out tomatoes, peppers and al
the delicate plants which love no,
frost. AS soon as the tomatoes were
planted q drought began, which made
water carrying the order Of the after.
moons instead Of reading in the ham.
mock. but remembering that one die
not deserve a garden who would no
rather carry pals Of water than res
or read | continued watering.
Another drought was in full swins
about cabbage planting time, and 81
were the cucumber beetles: my tim,
! was therefore divided at this period
Two Southern vegetables, okra ant
dwarf lima or "sibby" beans, as tn,
| negro hucks:ers call them, wer,
planted In choice spots. given FIRE
quent cultivation and fertilizer, an,
| altogether treated as the pampere,
darlings OF the garden. for memorie
OF okra soup and succotash stlmu
lated vigilance. One authority said
| Plant lima beans with their eye
down. 80 the whole fifty foot roy
was planted with the eye Of ever,
bean turned carefully down. Onl,
twelve beans came up: a severe Jun
frost nipped all but six, which onl
bore enough beans for seed anothe
year. The okra shared a like fate
IL remained In a dwarf state. witt
few pods until an August frost Ia.
1t low and thus persisted the hop
of okra soup and succotash.
| Each month grew its own particu
lar predominant weed. milkweet
ironweed. ragweed. burdock. each 4
succession. hut grass all the t,mt
The appearance of "pussley" brough
to mind my enjoyment OF Dudley War
ners MY Summer in a Garden" an
the Efforts to exterminate that nu,
sance appealed to me az never befor,
and brought many smile Will
similarly engaged.
All the vegetables developed won
derfully. When the rows were thinne
We Jared sumptuously on small onion
with home made bread, small beet
cooked with the tops. and both a
sweet as sugar. The peas Amos
burst their Jackets in pride Of xrowt
ard flavor. Golden Bantam an
Golden Nugget corn shook their silk >
floss to the breeze and We'd with eac
other in quantity and quality. Thei
sweet tenderness caused many guest
10 dine up n corn alone.
| The Joys Of the garden grew as IN
rows became beautiful with the gree
OF the huffy carrots. the more dignif'r
straight leaves OF the parsnips, IN
tall triumphant Swiss Chard. IN
haunting turnips the reddish green Z
tho beets, the lacelike parsley. IN
s.al la
the tomatoes against their dar
foliage. Even the addition and mu
tipliCation of the potato bugs faile
70 lessen the pleasure OF these orderl
rows.
If the man was blessed who cause
two blades of grass to grow where or
grew before. the state NJ the garde
planter was twice blessed, for usefu
ness was added to everything else.
\ few dollars had been expended Z,
seed. The value II the produce W;
twenty-five times that of the sum e,
pended for seed The vegetables sui
piled the table every day. gave quar-
titles for winter storing. for cannin
picking and for friends. The mon,
value did not include the thorour
enjoyment + the labor OF love nor Il
going down to the bosom OF O
mother earth.
The business world must provi
| that the land be handled on bus!ne
\ principles. The time will come VIII
/ II will be- a crime in law, as 1t is
fact, TO plumber the soil The cor
munity has right to compel "A IN,
10 return to his land whatever fe
tillty he removes and to add Libel
Il percentage for pOsterity.
Nor is 1, necessary to pass stri
gent laws. The very best law. viii
will enforce itself IL the law of &c
Monies. whereby the farmer is Civ
the profit which comes from his ,
fort