The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-03-04

OF the Last I'LL SecClOns mas prOuuceQ3
cro1 after crop, and had not the
freeze passed over this section last
mouth, this energetic citizen would
probably Be eating vegetables from
his little patch ZODIAC. When the
freeae occurred, patches of lettuce,
sufficiently appetizing to tempt the
appetite of many family who knew
where the crisp product could be
found, were yielding quite a revenue.
As soon as the lettuce had been ex-
hausted, it was the intention of this
gardener to use the same plot for
othea vegetables, and even after the
freeNs had ruined his little but we'll
paying patch. he did not lose heart.
One wagon load of fertilizer arrived
there last week and another this
week, and one of the prettiest little
gausens of diversified vegetation to
be found. win soon be springing up
there.
AL Of which emphasizes what the
average householder in the city Is
able to accomplish with very little
effort. It has been said that there Is
o gold mine in every unused back
yard Of every home. This Is practi-
caafy true If Irish potatoes are plant
ed 70 any great amount. 1t costs 90
cents for peck Of potatoes in PEN
sacola at some groceries nowadays.
How very many bushels could be
raised in little patches of ground with
little effort, no one could tell until
the effort were expended.
A family residing In New City kept
books on what a little back yard
would yield. This family had tried
chickens, because the yard, full of
green grasses and shaded by two
oaks which grew IN the street near
by, offered quite an inducements They
started with fourteen hens and one
rooster Three Of the hens died three
were stolen and the rooster. falling
from small tree where they roasted
IN the hot wea&hsR, caught his head
in Q lnEt3ce-wnrk fence and was
gtsangled. Two other hens disap-
peand and che ha1f dozen remaining
w@s kept penned up and watched
cACwegH Finally one hen developed
q Amek&ang" streak, and fffteen fertile
eggs were purchased 20 accommodate
her. About the tins this hen came
Cd, waEA eleven chicks, another hen
had amGRs0uga1& herself Of ha1cf1ing,
an6 She was accommodated. In due
eame- she came on with eleven chicks.
Al want swtnningiy until two other
hens were found dead enc morning,
some anfn1al having ravaged the tres
roos& during the night. That left
four hans, two with broods of chicks,
Then enc night. failing to house them
az I'D been done at first, a deluging
rain cnrna up, and out of 81 chicks, q
bmr9 one-ehfrd survived. Il was q
bltAar lesson in city poultry raising
and <he family decided it too expen-
givo and uncertain Of results to at.
tempt It again.
Thmgnts, however, turned to-a de-
veaCpGnenA of the large yard space
With chickens out of the way, 1
garden was planned. Collards, okra
snap beans, tomatoes, lettuce, squash
cucumbers and radishes were plant.
ed, with several hills Of watermelons
One night celebrating an event o.
note IN the Twilight league, wherein
several Of the players were held II
esteem. spread was given in Aug
ust. Nine of the watermelons slcet
at that time were from the back yarC
garden. For several weeks the veg
etabie man, who ordinarily was sur
OF from so to 80 cents, and some day
above Q dollar, about three times
week, continued to drive past. Thi
meant that the vegetables which hat
been bought at an average of S
weekly, were being home-furnishec
& To get down to the cost of thi
home-garden reveals surprising re
suit. The seeds cost so cents at on
of the drug stores. One load of goo
fertilizer, brought from the countr
BY the woodman, cost 70 cents.
negro ploughed up the field for s.
doing the work IN three hours. Tha
serves to show the size of the plot
Then members of the family, anxiou
to experiment, studied instruction
and planted the seed. Thus the tots
expenses did not 20 above So. I
add 10 the fact that the expense wa
trifing was the satisfaction that fc
weeks the garden yielded home
grown Products, even delicacies fl
the table, and some products wer
furnished to other relatives an
neighbors.
The above, q true story, Is the ex
perience Of a family who viii kno'
when they read this, viii recall tn
pleasure there was in the home
made garden, and the notable chang
from an unsuccessful chicken raise
ID the most successful of gardener
The experience of this family ma
Be the experience Of every family
the city who may boast of fe
yards of unused backyard space. TIL
fact that, after the spring garde
had disappeared and sweet potatot
were planted and cultivated wit