Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-17
a MODEL SMALL GARDEN.

! Inc department. u 90
y found in one OF our eastern cues d
backyard garden which 1t REGARDS as
a model. This back yard IS OF Klno
Typical in cities which built houses on
narrow frontages with common sac
4 walls, the houses being open TO the air
only in front and back.
This particular house occupies tne
tot, frontage Of lot twenty-five feet
wide. Behind the house Is YARD ex-
y tending back seventy feet to an alley.
In the rear Of the yard is small tool
shed, 5x1O feet in dimensions. The
alley Is cut off from the yard by a
tight board fence and the sides or the
yard. from the house to the alley, are
also bounded by fences OF the same
sort.
The owner Of this property has laid
the back yard of as permanent gar
den. The side fences he has made to
act "A trellises for grape vines, having
fourteen of these vines planted at ten
foot intervals. Down each side OF the
ward. parallel to the side fences and
Io,lr feet away from each run, walks,
two and a half feet wide, from the
house to the alley, one Of the walks
and turning around the shed to meet
Y the other walk at the extreme rear OF
the yard.
J In the space between the walks a
apace twelve feet wide, is the vege-
table garden proper. The owner. how
ever. does not give up his back yard
entirely to the garden. Immediately
behind the house between the two
\ walks is concrete pavement hve feet
wide and running back from 1t grass
plot fifteen feet long and twelve Feet
vide (the distance between the
walks.
This gardener has bordered the two
walks on both sides With strawberry
plants, having over 200 such plants.
Gsufncient to give him an abundance OF
EstrHwbefries n season.
Between the strawberries and the
srapevines on the fence he has set out
sixteen currant bushes at ten foot In
fervals. Between the currant bushes
he fnds room for various sets OF beans.
exg plant and the like, which make an
attractive background for the walks.
In the rear Of the yard opposite the
shed he has made his permanent as
paragus bed in a space 3x7 feet.
The rest OF the garden is given over
4 10 close growing, low and quick matur-
\ inr vegetables, such as radishes, beets,
Ieftuce. carrots, parsnips. peas. onions
and beans. He fnds room for thirty
k-owg OF these, each row nearly twelve
bet long.
sSsSi Although in a northern climate. this
ardener succeeds In making his
found produce two crops each year.
yhen the early peas are gathered he
jsnts more early peas and kale In
Heir rows. The late peas have no
Juccessor crops. but there were only
Two rows Of late peas, against six rows
bf the other variety. The onion sets.
twhen pulled, are succeeded by tomato
hines, trained a dozen plants about
kingle stem. Among the tomatoes
sYepinach, which which can be gathered
Runtil snow flies and after that, is
planted.
Two crops Of beans. early and late.
IRE grown in four rows. with winter
bnions growing among the late bean
sblants. Two crops Of carrots are pro-
duced on two rows, while four rows
of beets later give way to cabbage. Let
luce and parsnips and radishes sown
bn close rows In the rear Of the garden
produce second crops and also provide
space for some late beans.
This garden produces nearly all Its
hwner's food needs during large por
kiou Of the year The department OF
gricuiture advises home gardeners to
study this model and adapt It's meth
bds to their own spaces.