The Raymer enterprise., 1917-05-10

s1rtI
H&[ll a system Of distribution which
- will supplant the wasteful and
inefficient methods now In vogue.
1t Ii unlikely that the United States will ever
be in the position of the beligerent countries in
Europe, especially Germany, where land Is scarce
as compared with the farm acreage on this con-
tlnent. The problem Of feeding the more than
100000 Of inhabitants Of the United States
rs well as supplying Great Britain and France
can be solved by means Of the enormous agricul-
tural resources at the disposal Of the American
nation. Prudence foresight and efficiency are
needed
National policy DEGREES that there should be
big increase In our acreage. and this being SO.
the nation as whole and not the farmer as a
class should and must assume the major part of
the FISK involved Each section Of the country
must become as nearly as practicable agricultural
~ Independent. This Is good policy In time Of
peace and Is vitality important policy now that
We have entered the war, with every prospect
that our transportation systems will eventually
be chiefly occupied with the transportation Of
soldiers and military supplies.
From Washington comes the call of the nation
al emergency food garden commission, which
would see million food gardens planted through
out the United States. This plan Is similar to
that which was followed In Germany when the
'o'u' Va Pii'otc uousSs, Inc pdfhs anu
grounds about hospitals alike were subjected to
the spade and hoe. The Germans are given to
the intensive development Of every inch Of soil
as for that matter other European nations.
The call to the garden, however, will undoubtedly
have some effect In providing food for those who
are thrifty and patient enough to look after their
own gardens.
Benjamin +. Albaugh. known nationally as an
enthusiast In the subject Of city lots gardening,
and author Of several books on the subject, says
that the "gardenette." or back yard farm, is one
Of the surest means Of combating the rapid rise
10 the price Of foodstufs. In his book, "The Gar
denette.' Mr.. Albaugh has pointed out the possi-
bilities of unoccuped building lots. and he is now
taking an active part In the general campaign
which has been inaugurated to educate the city
dweller up to the potential worth of few square
rods of ground
If one has an unoccupied area In the rear Of
bis home, even II It is only % by 80 feet in size,
then he has the means Of cutting down the cost
Of summer foodstufs almost two-thirds, says Mr..
Albaugh. The soil need not be particularly fertile
to yield satisfactory returns In garden crops II
treated right And the soaring equations on all
varieties OF vegetable foodstuffs make the effort
well worth WHILE
The backlot garden has been tried successfully
In the East and in many other sections Of the
country. At first the backyard gardening In the
larger centers Of population was undertaken by
people Of foreign birth. who from desire to
effect practical economies or from an inherited
penchant for the work, began industriousy spad-
ing up the small areas of unoccupied ground
around their homes
Two or three months later these thrifty inten-
sive agrieultursts were selling hundreds of
lunches of celery, radishes or lettuce about the
neighborhood and receiving the full market price
for their wares.
Housewives augmented the family income with
q strip of garden land Is or 20 feet in width and
40 or 30 feet n length. The amount Of yege-
tables that can be grown on such a lot, when In
telllgently cultivated and carefully tended Is as
tonishing
There Is a threefold incentive to city lot gar
dening The first is a handsome saving II the
Vegetables are consumed by the family. or a neat
froft II they are sold in the neighborhood. The
Second Is the Incompatible superiority In crisp
ness and favor Of gardengrown produce. The
variety purchased after several days Of transpor.
tation and exhibition In stock is often tough.
leathery and favorless.
Mr.. Albaugh is authority for the statement that
three square rods or a space of ground, say Is
by As feet can be made to produce large part
Of all the vegetables needed to supply the table
the season. He himself, has repeatedly produced
on such a plot but containing four square rods.
the following:
Thirty dozen green onions. one bushel dry
onions, ten messes green peas. Is dozen beets, ~
dozen radlshes. 200 heads fine celery, 25 choice
egg plant fruits 25 extra fine squashes, 80 messes
lettuce, 20 messes endive, ten messes kohlrabi.
eight dozen sugar corn, ten messes green beans,
rs heads finest caulifower, 25 heads cabbage, 20
messes spinach, ten messes chard. 20 messes as
paragus ten messes satisfy, ten dozen carrots. ten
dozen parsnips. 90 fine muskmelons. 200 pickling
cucumbers ten slicng cucumbers, five bushels to-
matoes. two bushels early potatoes eight quarts
lima beans. three bushels furnips three quarts
okra. and three dozen sweet mangoes
At low estimate these crops were worth well
over $50. Often they would cost much more to
bur. Yet the plot was cultivated In Mr.. Albaughs