Norwich bulletin., 1917-05-04
VELVET MILL EMPLoYES
 TO HAVE GARDENS
J. B. Martin Company to ProVid~
 Eight Acres of Land.

The treasurer of the home garden committee on Thursday received q check for $25 from the local grange as contribution towards the home garden work in this city. The cash contributions now amount to S24o. It is hoped to increase this sum to $500.
 The J. B. Martin company of Taft vile have set the pace in the local movement for they have arranged for noon day gathering of the help to- morrow when over half hundred lots will be assigned by common lot num- bers to be drawn by each gardener.
 The company has requested that the chamber of commerce secure as speak CTS for the meeting County Agent F. C- Warner and Home Garden Supervisor Alfred s. Shelden.
 There are about eight acres of land on the mill property that is to be de- voted to gardening this summer and that portion which is not occupied by the plots will be devoted to growing potatoes, the yield in the fall to be disposed of to the mill employees at cost prices.
 One of the largest and best tracts vet provided for local gardens is that donated bp Miss Sarah l.. Huntington of 344 Washington street. It includes nearly ten plots, 50x100 feet. The lot lies between Harland corner on Wash ington street and Yantic river. This relieves the situation insofar as the demand for plots in that part of the city is concerned and maternally as sists the committee to supply gar den plots to those who request them.
 Two additional teams have been se- cured for the rest Of the week for ploughing.
 The b'airmount street plot pledged by John Porteous was piowed Thurs day morning and fertilized and plotted into three gardens to be worked by c. Fred Pingpanl1. 53 f'airmount street, lot 13: Tony Christina 30 Thames street, lot IA Harry K. Hill. 54 Fair mount street. lot IS.
 The fitting and planting of small gardens is the topic of a bulletin pre- pared by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment station for the state or Connecticut committee on food supply. The bulletin gives the following sug- gestiOns:
 Sunlight: If land is densely shaded by trees. high walls or fences. garden ing cannot be successful. At least five hours a day of exposure to direct sun light is needed. Lettuce. spinach, and even carrots and beets will grow with less sun, "at a pinch" but not to much advantage.
 Water: Crops are oftener cut short because of lack of water than for lack of fertilizer. Be ready for dry spell especially on loose sandy soil. Water abundantly, when needed stir the soll to a depth of an inch as soon as the surface is dry enough, and then wait until the soil is quite dry before water ing again. Give your land time to breathe between drinks.
 A good rule for beginners is fn1 use a sprinkler, moving it along so that the soil drinks the water and none stays on the surface (that is, puddles). Go over the bed repeatedly until pud- ding happens almost as soon as more water is added-and then stop.
 Soil: The soil must be spaded, turned over and crumbled, with a spade or fat-tined spading fork, to depth of six or seven inches, and cleared of all stones and other refuse at the same time. If manure can be got, it should be spread over the land before spading. Do not be afraid of putting on too much manure. Neglected soils greatly need the vegetable matter of manure to give them the bacterial life on which fertility depends.
 After spading, rake the surface to make it fairly smooth and break large Jumps. Don't finely pulverize the sur face till planting time, and don't let the surface cake or crust after rain, but break the crust with the rake.
 Manure: Get manure if you can fine routed manure without long straw in 1t.
 Fertilizers: Build the spring bonfire near but not on the garden spot un- less necessary. Put every waste thing from the house or premises into 1t that will burn, and spread all the ashes on ,he Spdueo garden. Ine dSheS O1 Oedu leaves have little but lime in them, but use them too. But look out for fire! Rake in the ashes at once.
 Commercial Fertilizers: Use a 4-10 formula (4 per cent. of ammonia and 10 per cent. of phosphoric ascid), or 4-S, and spread evenly over the surface at the rate of not less than 20 nor more than 40 pounds to each plot FOX 70. (Any dealer in fertilizer will un derstand what these figures mean.)
 This should be well worked into the soil by repeated raking, and then, af- face soil smooth and fine and clear of all rubbish, you are ready to plant.
 Even if abundant manure and fer tilizers cannot be got, careful preparA- ton of the soil good tiilage of the growing crops anc skilful watering