Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-04-22
Lev NJ. {. Renaisl

(Ey NJ. E. eemis)
Throughout the entire country there
is widespread interest in the plan to
produce more food, as well as to save
with less waste that which has already
been produced. one of the most sig
nificant moves, because of the large
number of people who will take part, is
the plan to raise gardens on city lots.
This is very cOmmendable, and a plan
which should have every encourage /
ment but at the same time so far as |
gardening in the city OF Phoenix is
concerned it should be entered into
with a full knowledge of the things !
which may be produced at this sea
son of the year, and with some knOwl- /
edge It least of the methods required
70 produce them.
Unfortunately the variety Of vege-
tables which may be planted at this
season Of the year is not large, and
it is important that only those which
will succeed from now on be planted.
These vegetables include squash, Gu
cumbers. beets, beans corn and
melons, the seeds of which are planted
in the open, and plants of tomatoes.
egg plant. pepper and sweets potato
which may be purchased and set out.
One OF the best examples of a city
garden is found at 1904 East Washing
ton street of this city. }. w. Wherry
has here three city lots and in addition
to his garden keeps some rs laying
hens which are producing a goodly
number of eggs. He has, too. a large
number of small chicks and some
| squads and a number Of ducks.
Most of his garden is on plot Of
ground about forty feet square. On
this small plot Of ground are growing
! many different varieties OF vegetables.
| Lettuce with heads weighing ~
| pounds each are grown. Peas of two
different varieties are now producing
and will continue to bear for some
! time to come Cabbage nearly ready
/ to head, beets, turnips, kale, swiss
| 5hard. carrots tomatoes and many
/ other varieties of vegetables
! This garden is intensively cultivated.
and as one crop natures something
else takes its place. For instance
where lettuce is taken off, tomatoes.
onions, or perhaps egg plants are
planted or rather set out. All the work
| in this little garden is, of course, done
! by hand. The difference in this garden
| and the truck gardens of the valley is
quite marked, particularly in the depth
of the irrigating burrows, these being
deeper and the sides sloping less than
in the gardens where a horse is used
| for cultivation. This permits of the
| rows being closer together. These II
rieating burrows are laid off with
| line and are accurately graded so that
| the water stands at exactly three
! inches from the surface of the ground
| where the plant is growing. One
| larger ditch takes the supply Of water
/ and from this it is distributed to the
whole garden, so that the water stands
| in all the burrows at the same height
| Unlike the usual method of irriSaung
gardens the water is not allowed to
| flow through the burrows from one to
another. but backed up from the SUP
ply ditch it fills each furrow to the
! required depth and then the excess
flows off to another part of the lot
AS may be imagined it has required
| careful planning to level this little
| garden and line off the bitches so that
it would work just right, but once
arranged it works with little attention
| The work of caring for the garden is
| done a little at a time. Mr.. Wherry
| states that it requires about two hours
| each day This includes hOeing, irri-
eating and transplantinS.
| In another garden he has recent
paintings of the vegetables which may
be grown from nowNon such as melons,
| tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and beans.
These are managed in the same way
and the space will be increased from
time to time as needed.
| AS previously stated, Mr. Wherry
/ has quite flock of poultry in con-
nection This also receives the same
careful attention, and takes about an
| hour each day, and this includes daily
| -. Of
! the roosts. Chickens and ducks are
being Matched both by hens and by in
| cubator and ducks will be Matched up
| to and including June. Castor beans
are planted in the yards to furnish
shade and in addition gourds are
| planted on the sides to run up and
| over a lattice work making shade over
/ the top of the yard
| A view of this miniature farm is con
| vincing proof of the possibilities of
! gardening on vacant lots, and IN
heavy soil at that, but equally convino-
| ing should also be the necessity of
having a certain amount of time at
! ones disposal before anything of the
kind is undertaken. 1t takes time, a
certain amount of skill and some in
| centive such as a love of growing
things to make a successful garden.
we are conIrOnleu. Win Woi ia Wioe
shortage of food supplies and each
one should do his part TO increase the
amount of food, or to prevent waste
of that which is now available. But
| while encouraging the cultivation OF
idle acres and vacant lots, we cannot
make too impressive the necessity OF
proper methods, and above all the de-
Il termination to go on with any plans
begun, even though there may be dis
ccuragements and hard work.
There are many boys in the city
who could do a great deal with va