The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-03-28
10 CONVERT BACK YARD INTO A VEGETABLE GARDEN.

MOre persons WCn Hue ground at CneT OlSpOSal Will turn TO tnOugnLS
be- If every ne who has a few square feet would give it intelligent treat
ment it would be possible to raise a good part Of the family living and have
something to spare, either to sell o to- give to him who hath not.
The back yard may be a valuable asset. If you have enough time,
strength, and energy, you may wen cultivate a bit of waste land adjoining
your own, for the owner probably would rather have it titled than going
to weeds. .
A bit of advice to those whose enthusiasm may be greater than their
experience-do not undertake too much If you will work a small piece WE'LL
keep it fortified and watred, and put in a succession of crops you will get
the care. Intensiveness is better than extensiveness in gardening. Another
thing, remember that labor is hard to get and costly You can't depend
upon it if you are to make your garden pay. A man fol a day now and then
is all right. The rest of the work you should do yourself. As soon IS an
early crop is finished, another can be put in it's place.
! When you have decided upon the size of the plot that you will devote
to vegetables, make a diagram OF it and find out how much you want to
plant to each of the different vegetables. If your space is small, do not cum
Der the ground with cheap vegetables " with those which you care little
for, devote the most space to vegetables which are staples and which are
superior when freshly picked and which are costly to buy
Prepare the soil thoroughly. Perhaps you a get someone to plw it
for you. Otherwise it should be spaded deeply, the manure which is spread
over it being turned in. A fork will break it up well. Then it should be
narrowed if plowed, OF raked if spaded, until it is fine and free from stones
and hard humps. Use stakes and cords to Measure off beds and rows.
Meanwhile you may have started your hotbed. A single sash will suffice
heat, mixed again and piled to heat the second time, the bed placed over it
banked up with more manure on the outside and six inches of earth placed
on top Of the manure for planting the seeds.
The seeds should be sown in rows about five inches apart for tomato
and a little less for smaller plants The seeds should be put in very shallow
ana soaked down WIN tn0roogh u gentle watering period 1t nights N IN
cold, stormy weather a bit of carpeting or other covering should be thrown
over the hotbeds for protection.
Among the first things to be sown in the open ground are lettuce, rad
ish, beets, peas and spinach, all which will stand cold weather and even a lit
tie freezing. Cabbage, cauHaower, pepper, egg plant and tomato plants
should not be set out until all danger of frost is over and the ground is
well warmed.
One can hardly raise too many peas. Get them in early and have a sue
cesion of crops. Buy a good seed from a reliable house. The earliest peas
have not quite as good flavor as those that come later. But there re some
varieties that are quite sweet and one is 50 grateful to them for coming so
early. The later peas re richer and bear more abundanty The tall peas
make a little extra work in providing them with supports, but they bear so
generously that it is worth the trouble. It is we'll to have some Of them and
some Of the dwarf also. If judicously selected and properly tended you
may have some peas from the first of June until frost.
Sweet corn is another vegetable that it pays to raise plenty of in the
home garden. 1t is never so good IS when pulled a short time before cooking.
If you have a surplus there is always a ready sale for il. Like peas, corn
should be planted for a succession of crops, although, of course, n cannot
get it SO early.
Beans Of all sorts should have a large space in the vegetable garden,
The bush beans have largely replaced the climbing varieties and should be
more satisfactory. A few rows Of pole lima beans, however, might be put in,
land the scarlet runner might well be used where some ornamental vine is
required. @&%'s IT.
Beans are not only an excellent summer crop, but the present prices sug-
gst the advantage Of drying them for winter. '
Spinach may be sown every two weeks until May 25th. 50 that one may
have it young and tender throughout the summer. IN September another
sowing can be made for late autumn and early winter use. Lettuce and rad
ishes maybe similarly planted.
Along with your onions or tomatoes try a little Of the celery cabbage,
or, as it is sometimes called, the Chinese cabbage. The heads never become
as hard as cabbage, and every leaf is tender and good to eat.
Tomatoes are an excellent crop for the home garden. One can always
put up the surplus for winter use. Remembering the cost Of vegetables and
all foodstufs this winter, it is we'll to carry over as much as possible from
the summer garden to the winter larder.
II you have a extra piece Of rich sandy loan you might put In a few