Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-05-02
PRIMER TELLS HOW
TO PLANT GARDENS
New York Committee EncOur-
ages TilIlng Of VACANT Land.
COPIES OF BOOK SENT FREE

sect the Seed In the Ground Early" IL
Excellent Advics-Makes Suggestions
For Planting and Gives Dates on
Which CsrSain Vegetables Should Be
+ Planted to Get Best Rssults-
The food supply committee Of Mayor
Mitchell of New York, of which George
w. Perkins is the chairman, Is behind
the garden farming movement with an
appeal to cultivate every available foot
Of vacant land In the city. The COM
mittee started the distribution Of 1O0.-
600. copies of a garden primer pre-
pared under the direction of Mr.. Per-
kins
The primer points out that the only
tools needed In small garden are
spade or spading fork, a hoe, a rake
and piece Of cord. The following d.
rections are given:
First OF all. clear the ground Of all rub
bish, sticks, stones. etc.
Choose the sunniest spot in the yard for
the garden.
DIG up the soil to q depth Of SIX to ten
inches using q spade or spading fork.
Break up all the Jumps. II YOU live In a
section where your neighbors have gar
dens you could club together to hire q
teamster for day to do the blowing.
After your garden has been dug up 1t
must be fortified before any planting Is
done. Use street sweepings II you can get
them. The fertilizer should be dug into
tho ground, at least to the depth Of the
top soil The ground should then be thor
oughly raked.
Lay out the garden, keeping the rows
straight with a line. After the rows have
been marked on the next step n the Open
ing Of the furrow. This Is done with the
hoe. The seeds must be sown after the
furrow Is opened and Immediately Gov
cred with soil. carefully pressed down.
In buying seed It Is best to order from
some well established seed house.
Begin to break up the hard surface OF
the soil between the plants soon after they
appear, using a small stick or hoe. and
keep 1t loose. By constantly stirring the
top soil after the plants appear the neces-
sity Of watering can be largely avoided
except IT. very dry weather. Water your
garden very early In the morning or after
shutdown II IL better not to water when
the sun IL shining hot
II insects or diseases appear II II ad-
visable to inquire Of your seed store AZ to
the proper remedy to use.
The primer gives a chart for q gar
den 80 by 20 feet and makes the fol-
lowing suggestions for planting and
approximate dates: Parsnips, May Is.
rows twelve inches apart; Swiss chard,
parsley. April 15, rows twenty-four
inches apart; spinach, April Is, follow
ed by late corn on July 1, rows fifteen
inches apart; onion sets, April Is, rows
twelve inches apart; radishes, cabbage,
planted alternately. April is, rows
twelve inches apart; early lettuce.
April Is, rows twelve inches apart;
beets. April Is, followed by tomato
plants June /, rows fifteen inches
apart: carrots. April 10. rows twelve
inches apart; turnips, April Is, follow
ed by late lettuce July 10, rows fifteen
inches apart: peas, April Is, followed
by late carrots July /, rows fifteen
inches apart; beans, May /, followed
by late beets July Is, rows thirty inch
es apart; pepper plants, eggplants,
June /, rows thirty inches apart; Gu
cumbers. June l, rows thirty inches
apart; early corn, May 10, followed by
late spinach Aug. /, rows thirty inches
apart, and corn. May 20. rows thirty
inches apart.
The primer gives detailed direction
for the planting and care of each veg
etable. Copies Of the book may be
had free by application to Mayer
Mitchers food supply committee, II
Broadway, New York.
The food supply committee of the
Westchester county commission Of
general safety, with headquarters at
White Plains, n. T., has begun to is
sue bulletins on gardening. The first
urges: Get the seed in the ground.
Every warm day that passes In talk
and organization makes the harvest a
day or several days later. If you have
a garden plant 1t. II you are ready to
do your bit. but do not know where
to begin. write or telephone for infor-
nation to White Plains 1903"