The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-25
War
Gardening
HolD a Girl Took
Lessons In the
Craft
BY ETHEL HOLMES

or years, and as soon as 1t was an
nounced that war was declared be-
tween the United States and Germany
prices shot up with lightning rapidity
As soon as spring came everybody who
possessed back yard prepared to es-
tablish kitchen garden
Stephen Gregory one morning. after
reading in his newspaper that potatoes
were selling at 81 a bushel, said to his
daughter, Minna
1--WE have here four acres Of virgin
soil that should be cultivated. II /
could hire help would raise what veg
etables we need for the coming sum
mer. But 1 can't hire help; there is
none to be hired. Any man who is able
to work can do better than work for
what could afford to pay him.
Couldn't you turn over the ground
| to be worked by some one on shares"
asked the young lady.
II could give it to some one outright.
I suppose, but there is so much idle
land that l doubt If l could get any
one to work our ground and pay me
royalty. However, I'll advertise 1t and
see what l can do
II want to do something to help in
this season Of necessity" said Minna.
What can do?'
you might make list of those ar
ticles Of food that we Americans should
go without in order that they may be
shipped abroad You can't ship per-
ishable goods. like fish, you know"
II see."
Minna made her list and showed it
article to be eaten at home was chick
ems "Why, they're 40 cents pound"
was his criticism. The next was lob
sters, so cents pound. Then came
ducks mushrooms and such delicacies
"Thats very good list as to what
can't be sent abroad" said the father,
"but 1t would require the income Of
nabob to feed on it."
Mr.. Gregory advertised his land and
succeeded in leasing it for 10 per cent
of the crop which was the best he
could do One morning Minna looked
out through her window to see n man
in woolen shirt, corduroy trousers
and faded straw hat blowing up the
ground in the rear of the house. She
. was not near enough to him to see
whether he was old or young. Indeed.
the matter did not interest her. He was
evidently plOwman, and plowman
was too far removed from her to war
rant her paying attention to him.
; Nevertheless there was something to
awaken an interest in her in the land
she had so long regarded as useful only
for lawn tennis court being turned
into something productive. For awhile
: she watched the man turning the sod
In burrows and wondered what he would
do next She had no idea whatever as
to the methods of raising fruits from
the earth and became curious as tC
what they were. Presently, becoming
desirous of nearer view Of this plow
ing process, she put on broad brimmed
hat and went to the scene OF earth
4 turning The plowman when she ap
preached him was nearing the end 0i
furrow and before starting back OF
another said:
Good morning. miss"
Good morning." was the reply.
Minna's first object of observation
was the plowman. He was stalwar'
= young fellow of twenty-one and de
d spite his farm apparel was good look
a ing. His skin was tanned by the sun
!, denoting that his occupation was ou
Of doors. There were no burrows II
his face such as come from exposure
to wind and weather. However, h,
n was too young for burrows ever
d though a soil tiller.
n do you know anything about gar
> deningy' asked the man.
Nothing. l shall be much interested
to see how you do it. Do you seattle
the seeds in those crevices between tn
II sods you have curled overr'
/. "Oh, no. The ground must be han
ID rowed first"
IN "What's that?'
"The sod must be torn apart an
mingled with the SOIL"
"Then what do you dor
- "If you would like to learn som'
thing about gardening I think 20
would do well to come out here an
watch me while l work. Telling on
how thing is To be done is not equ'
to showing how it is DONE
Minna realized the truth of this an
said that if he didn't mind her watc
ing him she would do so OCCASIONAL
1t was not to be expected that your
man would object to a pretty girl b
ing a companion to him while he WI
= making his garden. and Minna was N
ayerse to taking lessons in gardenil
from a good looking rustic. She watc
ed him plow for awhile, but since the
is no variety in plowing she soon we
back to the house.
When the ground was in condition
receive the seed Minna's interest W
awakened in earnest The first Sc