The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-05-18
THE FAMILY GARDEN
Also for the Establishment
OF Town Garden Patches
naring the Soil for Results

Washington, ID. C.-If the mayors of
our cities would emulate the efforts
of Potato Pingree," some eighteen
years ago, when as Mayor OF Detroit
he Communicated the vacant lots and
stirred up the boys to cultivate them,
hunger strikes will not bother our
city officials very much next winter.
Conditions of today point to a con-
tinuance of very high prices In COM
mon food stuffs for year to come at
least, but this situation can be greatly
relieved by the cooperative effort OF
the city and town garden committees
which are now at work in all parts of
the Country. 1t will pay to put ev-
cry back yard that gets good sun
shine into service, for the raising Of
the staple vegetables Of the home.
TIL first thing that is necessary for
prospective garden is to mellow and
sweeten the soil. This Is accomplish
ed by two things, labor and time.
Start to work now with spade. II
you find the ground too hard to push
in and turn, borrow a pick and go oV-
er it with that, then turn it with the
spade and break the clods. Now ap-
ply lime to the freshly broken ground.
You need the most soluble form for
quick action. Go to the nearest build
ing material dealer or fertilizer store
and get a fifty pound bag Of hydrated
lime which is all Stacked and ready
for use. This amount will be enough
for a plot so by so feet, if the ground
was sandy and easy to dig. Use two
fifty pound bags for such a space of
2500 square feet, or in proportion to
that for a greater or less area, If it
was hard and you had to use pick to
break it. II again. the ground was
tough and sticky clay, as much as
three bags will be needed TO mellow
this amount of ground and turn 1t in
to GRUMPY garden soil. Spread the
lime evenly as you can all over your
plot and work it in thoroughly with
the rake.
Having spread the lime, wait for the
April rains to dissolve and wash 1t
into the soil. In week or ten days,
get load Of stable manure and have
it forked evenly over the same space.
If the soil was very sandy, you should
get two loads. But, if you feel you
cannot afford the manure, you can
still be sure of getting results with
out it. Remember that the main re-
quisites are labor and lime. Profess
sor Agee Of the New Jersey Agricul-
tural College says, that while most of
our soils need decaying vegetable
matter for better productivity, he
would place the need for lime first.
While succeeding rains are wash
ing the manure into the soil, and be-
fore you go over the ground again
with your spade and hoe working in
its Jumps and straw. Get catalogue
Of garden seeds and consult the town
library on gardening books. You will
then be able to MAKE up your mind on
what to plant and how te take care of
your growing crops.
When you have laid out your rows
and planted the seeds. purchase
twenty-five pounds of high grade fer
tilizer, consisting mainly Of acid phos-
phate and nitrate of soda. This
amount will be sufficient for all the
rows on a space of $500 square feet.
Sprinkle the fertilizer lightly on the
tops Of all the rows. 1t will enable
the young plants to make a vigorous
start