Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-27
By JOHN BARTRAM

'INiE nome garden must not be a burden
- or bore. 1t will require some time to
operate but nothing is got without some
sacrlhce of energy or effort Certainly not
crops But on the scale that these articles
have set of backyard gardens on truck
patches in the suburban home to reduce the
cost of living, the value will be lost if the
amateur gardener loads himself up with
too much work and is exhausted 80 from
his efforts that his regular occupation suf-
fers.
There need he no such difficulty or ex-
haustion II the garden is planned out so
there will not be too much room to he cared
for and If the plan is followed systemati-
caly. Furthermore, it is quite possible and
agreeable to consider the garden the sub
Stltute for outdoor exercise which most
sensible people prescribe for themselves dur
ing the spring, summer and fall months,
Gardening is one of the most fascinating
of outdoor sports. There can he no doubt
| of that. And instead of registering merely
| a golf, baseball or tennis score it registers
| so many pecks of tomatoes or beans
Personally | spend eight to ten hours a
| day toiling in the big city, yet have time
and without being a serf to my soi-to keep
things successfully moving. Other mem
| bers of the family can give lift in the
| gardening and will enjoy the work and the
! results. None of my work is hired out
| except the plowing and narrowing. and |
! have about 40 by 100 feet under cultivation.
| And this does not include flowers, fruit trees
and various berry bushes and grapevines,
ONLY A FEW HOURS a WEEK
An hour or two three or four evenings a
| week will be enough time for Keeping a
| garden 90 by so feet in good shape If it is
| nIo In advance The Satnrs
| day half holiday, which is now nearly uni
versal can be utilized for large jobs
Personally. I do a lot of gardening on
| Sunday mornings after church. | see no
| spiritual harm or religious error in this,
| some have different views and they need
| not devote any of their sundays to garden
work if scruples inhibit,
The cool of the evening is fine time for
| cultivation. stirring the soil, wedding, etc,
| which form the routine work. Planting can
| he done on half holidays or Sunday morn
| ing. if there is not concientious objection
! one can have either an early dinner prior
| TO setting about the garden work or one
| can work up a good appetite ana ENJOY the
rewards of labor with a somewhat late dim
ner if Friend Wife is not grabbed on pune
| tuality at meals. Most wives are such en-
/ thusiastic gardeners that they do not obJect
to deferring the dinner hour
| Sometimes it is advisable to get up about
4 in the morning to do a job OF Specia
urgency. This is not such hardship as II
Sounds. There is nothing more pleasurahle
than working outdoors on a fresh, fragrant
early morning 1t is a tonic for the entire
day that follows.
! Half a dozen hours per week will he suf-
| fcient time to put in small backyard gar
| den in the city.
| To get over the ground once week
| every row of it, with the wheel culttVatoi
| or the hand hoe, is sufficient. This should
be done when the heavy wet Is out OF the
ground after a rain. This tilth or stirring
of the soil keeps the weeds down, releases
plant food and conserves moisture.
MOBILIzING HOME GARDENER
In this hour of limited food production
| and national crisis movement is afoot tC
create a million home gardens The presi'
! dent of the National Emergency Food Gar
dan commission says its work aims to assist
| In making food more plentiful in villages
| towns and cities. There are a great many
! ossociations and clubs throughout the coun
| try interested in school gardens, home gar
! dens backyard gardens, vacant lot gar
| dops flower gardens, etc. He says:
| 1--WE believe that this year all these asso
| Citations and great many other person:
should plant food gardens to greater ex
| tent than ever before, and flowers should
| in many cases make way for vegetables.
1.-THE Americanization of our country Il
| proceeding at a swift rate and with thor
| oughness A war spirit is developing
| Wickedness In power in Europe is at ou
| doors and within our homes, both as
| noison uf the soul and as a robbery of lif,