The Washington times., 1917-03-10
GARDENERS CLUBS
HELD FIRST NEED
Carl Vrooman Offers Aid of De-
partment Experts to Home
AgricuIturists.
Continued from First PageD

CONTINUED from First Page.)
pie can eat what they can, and what
they can't, they can"
o. II. Benson, agriculturist in
charge of club work, advises that
Washingtonians begin at once upon
the preparation of their garden plots.
While IL is too early for any planting,
the land should be prepared at once,
he says, and allowed to lay for some
time, and thus put in the best pos
sible condition for planting.
81 am certainly surprised at the
interest the people of Washington are
taking in the movement this year,
said Mr.. Benson. Letters are piling
in on me faster than l can answer
them. asking all kinds of informa-
tion as to how to raise the best KIND
of garden truck.
81 want to thank The Times for
the interest it is taking in the work,
also. The more publicity we can get
the more interest the people will take
in the subject.
my advice is as follows: Take
piece of paper and plan the garden;
so many rows of each variety, and
which way they will run. The rows,
when possible, should run with
view to making cultivation convenient
by proper spacing, and with view to
retaining moistufe during dry periods.
On District of Columbia soil the rows
should not run perpendicular with the
hillside. Otherwise heavy rains will
drain the water of the land and will
wash out the fertilizer and make
bitches and gullies. The rows should
be parallel, or in a semi-circle around
the hill.
Time for FertillEinE.
''In fertilizing the garden the work
should begin at once by spreading
rotted horse manure, or rotten leaves
from a forest bed. This should be
turned under early to allow the soil
to dry out and warm up quickly and
to get quick action on the manures.
Most of the District OF Columbia
soil requires an application of lime.
This should be spread early in the
spring and raked into the soil in ad-
vance of planting. The soil should be
given a treatment of some commercial
fertilizer, such as blood or bone meal,
which are very good. A light appIi-
cation of sodium nitrates is good
later in the year. after the planting.
This will force the growth of the
vegetables and may be applied about
the middle of the summer"
c. P. Close. specialist in home gar
dening, advises that house boxes be
started at once. Early cabbagss and
tomatoes should be put in boxes at
once. said Mr.. Close. Cauliflower and
pepper plants should also be planted
at once and prepared to transplant
when the weather is propitious.
Hints on Seed Boxes.
A seed box, said Mr.. Close, should
be about four inches deep, twelve to
fourteen inches wide. and about two
feet long. One inch OF gravel or Gin
ders should be placed in the bottom,
then good garden soil. preferably
wood pile. This should be pressed
made about one-haIf of an inch deep.
They should be about two inches
apart. running crosswise OF the box.
After the seeds have been planted the
box should be set IN a warm place,
preferably in front of window
where 1t may get much sun light.
When the plants are about one
inch high they should be thinned out,
TO give them plenty or space. when
the weather becomes mild they
should be set out doors. still in the
box. This will tougher them so they
will grow better when placed in the
garden. Before they are taken from
the box they should be watered well,
so that a large ball Of earth will ad-
here to the roots when they are
transplanted.