Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-27

WASlllNGTON, December 26--If you
nave any vacant land at all about your
house this may and should be made
means al tconomizinE on food prod
ucts Not only may any individual
substantially reduce the cost and add
10 IN" qualify and variety OF his food
ny being = Backyard farmer, but IL
All town and suburban back yard, were
intcliiscntly used to this end. the to-
tai food supply Of the nation would he
greatly Increased ami prices forced
down accordingly
or course. back yard farming is not
practicable unless YOU have n fair
amount Of leisure time. and can make
at your amateur yeomanry Il recreation
hS well az u source Of profit; Most
persons take pleasure in such work,
"hSe they have gotten fairly started.
ana IL Is an excellent means Of cdu-
cation and manual training for chill
drrn.
Vegetable gardening aud poultry
raising are the two forms Of home
farming that may he most convcnicutIv
ana prohtably practiced. The object OF
this article Is not Ia discuss tho de-
tails OF either OF these avocat!ons--
the Department Of Agriculture will
supply that Information TO any one
hut to poin, ont to YOU tho possibilities
and advantages of being your own
farmer as far possible.
In tho first place il docs not take
mica room TO have garden. The
experts have decided that "A space
21H'n feet in size. If properly cultivated.
VIII Well enough Vegetables to keep
small family well supplied. lIaIf an
acr" ca' be made to produce 800
worth Of vegetables in year. and
whom IL g taken into account how
much more than that "a town or sub
urban family would have Ia spend for
the Vegetables in the open market;
and 10" much more desirable are those
raised At l'o:.". tho profit Of garden
inr becomes 'vid,nt.
The aNcrac" back rd garden gives
~ such ra.rTr as this. chiefly because
il is not planned rightly You should
begin about this time laying out tho
ia" 81 Nonr garden on a piece OF
iaDcr. aud studying Your government
Bulletins and books on tho subject,
Your plans should be devoted ch.cny
10 tw" ends namely. getting two or
- possible. tNree crops ont o. YOUR
Land. and producing tho vegetables
that arc most expensive TO buy and
hardest TO get fresh
is Individual Problem.
Tor example" If YOU can buy plenty
of "abharcs and potatoes TO store for
wiut"r use from til" farmers in tho fall
~ reasonable price, IL would hc fool
ish !" devote vour garden space to
those things. Likewise IN general II
SuuaSh"s because they arc chcap when
tu season and talk" up a large amount
~ room. Green peas aud strinrhcans
ON thr other hand. would probable be
advantageous "a plant because th"v
must h" very fresh 20 bc good and arc
usually expensive. Tho matter "f what
"a riant. however. Is essentially nn in
diviiual problem and on" ,ha' YOU must
think our. What do YOU ,ilc that Is
hard IT, buy That is III" Gist 81 the
problem.
Tho :tdvsntar go" OF homo grown over
ANY ether vegetables ~" seize yid"nt.
What : on produc" in ro'ir own car,iti,
* sure L" L." fresh and fro" from in.
lection. and IL is very often tho only
way THAT such produce can bc obtained.
The other E:cat home avocation is
puuljry raising. ami here again. thous-
ardS Of opp", tunitics arc neglected:
Will" many more persons. although
thcy rails" pcu''rN. do not make a prac-
teal success Of II. or course. poultrv-
keeping in cities and towns IL restricted
nv law. aud onl" tho suburbanitc and
country dwcll"r can take this means
OF experimenting his meat supply.
The great essentials 20 profitable
poultry on a small L.. SOY
the government chicken exports arc 10
select a good breed "f chickens, and To