American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-09-25

Der and variety of plants and produce
grown takes its place in the first rank
without a struggle. Mrs. Wrensted
has devoted much of her time and
knowledge of gardening to this tract
and fine yields have been the reward
OF the labOrs expended. A way
of growing potatoes has been put into
practice in this garden and has proven
good. Instead of planting them in the
ground they are placed on top of the
soil and then covered with old rotted
straw to a depth of not more than two
and a half inches. Of course, the
ground is prepared by blowing and
discing. The old straw holds all the
moisture in the ground near the sur
face and the potatoes grow readily.
When it comes time to pick some for
the family table it is only necessary
to push the straw away and fill the
sack or other receptacle, push the
straw back around the vine, and let
more potatoes grow. The vine is never
injured when potatoes are grown by
this method. The potatoes in this
garden were not irrigated at any time
this summer, yet moisture was en-
countered throughout the summer un-
uEI lIt Olu DlldMs 0aDDa5Ns tanAI
flower, mangle and table beets, toma-
toes, beans of various kinds, sweet
corn with plenty of roasting ears, field
corn standing more than seven feet
high. Progressive e~verbearing straw
berries, raspberries, g-ooseberries.
three kinds of currants-in fact, every
thing grown anywhere in any dry farm
garden gives fine yields here. The six
rows of strawberries originated from
10 plants. Mrs. Wrensted preserves
or dries all the surplus products OF
the garden and has a fine array OF
Jars and cans. An additional quarter
acre tract of potatoes is going to give
a far better yield than looked for when
they were planted.
Grows Forest Trees.
In this garden are found some
plants that are very seldom seen in a
garden in either dry farm or irrigated
sections-east or west, north or south
For six a Mr.. Wrensted was su.
pervisor of four different national for
ests, and his love of growing trees ha:
not forsaken him eve though he i;
now a farmer. He has set out a o
Of 200 yellow pine trees, grown from
seed, and they are at this time two
feet high. Other trees of the sam
variety have been set out in large til
pals ready for transplanting withou
leaving the native soil; still others ar
set ont among the quaker aspel
groves. All these little trees are fou
years old. A clump of yellow pin.
trees nearer the cabin are more thai
five feet high, having been set on
when the homestead was filed on.
While yellow pine trees are a cur
iosity as a garden plant, a Californi
redwood tree grown in a garden i
Idaho at an elevation of 5000 feet mus
be classed among things unique. Blu
there is one of them growing in tn
garden of the Wrensted ranch, and
is two feet high. The seed of thi
tree was planted eight years ago i
the PocateIlo nursery, of which MI
. Wrensted was superintendent for tw
years. A number of the redwood tree
were planted from the ounce of see
at hand, but the one mentioned herei
is the only survivor and it is prObabl
! the only one growing in the entir
! northwest. In the winter it is Pre-
tected from the inclemency of tn
weather by burlap, and at all times
is carefully watched that no injur
may befall it.