Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-07-10
War
Gardening
Hoso a Girl Took
Lessons IN the
Craft

How a Girl Took
e Lessons IN the
|1 Craft :
By ETHEL HOLMES
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Prices had been rising for q number
Of years. and a. soon as It was an
nomced that war was declared h-
tween the United States and Germany
prices shot up with lightning rapidity.
As soon a. spring came everybody who
possessed q back yard prepared TO es-
tablish q kitchen garden.
Stephen Gregory one morning. after
reading in his newspaper that potatoes
were selling at "a q bushel, said to his
daughter, Minna:
I'VE have here four acres Of virgin
soil that should be cultivated. II !
could hire help I would raise what veg
etables we need for the coming sum-
mer. But I can't hire help; there 10
none to be hired. Any man who Is able
to work can do better than work for
what could afford to pay him"
Couldn't you turn over the ground
to be worked by some one on sharesf
asked the young lady.
II could give 1t to some one outright,
suppose, but there Is 30 much idle
land that doubt II I could get any
one to work our ground and pay me
royalty. However, I'll advertise 1t and
see what can do"
II want to do something to help In
this season Of necessity" said Minna-
"What can DOR
you might make list Of those ar
I ~ticies Of food that we Americans should
go without In order that they may be
shipped abroad. You can't ship per
ishable goods. Ike fish. you know"
II see."
Minna made her list and showed It
to her father. He smiled. The first
article to be eaten at home was chick
ems. "Why, they're 10 cents pound"
was his criticism. The next was lob
sters, 30 cents a pound. Then came
ducks, mushrooms and such delicacies.
"That's a very good list as to what
can't be sent abroad" said the father,
"but 1t would require the income Of a
nabob to feed on It"
Mr.. Gregory advertised his land and
succeeded in leasing It for 10 per cent
Of the crop, which was the best he
could do. One morning Minna looked
out through her window to see man
I'm a woolen shirt, corduroy trousers
and faded straw hat plowing up the
ground in the rear Of the house. She
was not near enough to him to see
whether he was old or young. Indeed,
the matter did not interest her. he was
evidently q plowman, and a plowman
was too far removed from her to war
rant her paying attention to him.
Nevertheless there was something to
awaken an interest In her In the land
she had 30 long regarded as useful only
for a lawn tennis court being turned
into something productive. For awhile
she watched the man turning the sod
In burrows and wondered what he would
do next. She had no idea whatever as
to the methods Of raising fruits from
the earth and became curious as to
what they were. Presently, becoming
desirous of a nearer view Of this plow-
ing process, she put on broad brimmed
hat and went to the scene OF earth
turning. The plowman when she ap-
preached him was nearing the end OF
furrow aud before starting back on
another said:
Good morning, miss"
"Good morning" was the reply.
Minna's first object Of observation
was the plowman. He was a stalwart
young fellow Of twenty-one and de-
spite his farm apparel was good look
ing. His skin was tanned by the sun,
denoting that his occupation was out
Of doors. There were no burrows In
his face such as come from exposure
TO wind and weather. However, he
was too young for burrows. even
though a soil dller.
"Do you know anything about gar.
dening?' asked the man.
Nothing. shall be much interested
to see how you do It Do you scatter
the seeds in those crevices between the
sods you have curled overT'
,"Oh, no. The ground must be har-
rowed first"
"What's thatr'
"The sod must be torn apart and
mingled with the SOIL"
"Then what do you dot"
IF you would like to learn some
thing about gardening l think you
would do well to come out here and
watch me while l work. Telling one
how a thing is to be done is not equal
| to showing how it is DONE"
Minna realized the truth Of this and
said that If he didn't mind her watch
| ing him she would do so occasionally.
It was not y be expected that young
man would object to a pretty girl be-
ing a companion to him while he was
making his garden, and Minna was not
averse to taking lessons In gardening
from a good looking rustic. She watch
ed him plow for awhile, but since there
Is no variety in blowing she soon went
back to the house.
When the ground was In condition to
receive the seed Minna's interest was
awakened in earnest. The hrst seed
| be put In was for radishes and the next
for peas. She asked him II ne was
more anxious to get these vegetables
than the others. and he replied that
they required cooler weather and could
not be raised late In the season. She
wondered why he did not put In the
potatoes Immediately, since she had
heard that potatoes were very I'M
portant crop. To this he replied that
potatoes required dry ground, and tn
season had been wet He was waiting
for warmer, drier weather.
Minna became dcsirous Of making