The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-27
USE IRRIGATION
TO RAISE FOOD
Americas Largest War Garden
Tucked Away in Mountain
Regions of Arizona.
DREAM OF A COUNTY AGENT
Employees Of Large Mining Company,
Formerly Dependent on Canned
Goods, Now Have Fertile Gar
dens of Their Own.

Would you expect to find Americas
largest war garden tucked away in the
mountains of Arizona, at an altitude
of 1850 feet? There it lies in fertile
expanse, dependent upon irrigation for
every drop which waters its soil.
This garden is the realized dream of
County Agent J. r. Sandige of ella
county, Ariz. As emergency agent, his
part in the program of work was to
stimulate foof production in ella
county. He saw hundreds of en-
| ployees of the Inspiration CONSOLIDATE
ed Copper company, in Miami, Ariz.,
dependent upon canned goods for food
because they could not raise fresh
vegetables in the arid soil of Miami.
he saw also a great tract of land which
needed only irrigation to make it suit
able for gardens. Here was chance
to increase the nations food supply.
Mr.. Sandige put the case to the copper
company. The result was 1850 one
eighth-acre gardens, which supplied
10000 worth -of vegetables last year
and are expected nearly to double that
figure in 1918.
The gardeners are miners, smelter
men and millmen. They are cos
mopolitan group of many American
lied nationalities. Most of them have
never gardened before where it was
necessary to irrigate. In spite Of this
the crops from March 1 to December
1, 1918, promise to pass the $4,000
mark in value. More than $4,000
worth were accounted for by July 10.
How They irrioate.
A gardener requires about 80 min
utes TO irrigate his garden, and he can
easily do it before breakfast or when
he returns from work in the evening.
Gardens need irrigation once week.
Water is pumped from deep wells and
carried to the gardens in large pipe
lines, from which it is distributed to
the individual plots by means of head |
gates and check gates.
Preference is given to necessary |
vegetables, such as potatoes, beans,
peas, sweet corn, cabbage and toma-
toes, while space not occupied by these
is given to melons, squashes, pump
kins, peppers, peanuts and other less
essential crops.
The double crop system Is used. so
that there is something on the ground
all the time. For example, melons are
planted among the beans, so that when
the beans are gathered the melons will
be on the ground.
A flock of hens for the miners back
vard is encouraged to help utilize the
waste from the gardens, such as tops
# beets. radishes and cabbage leaves.
Gardens for Whole FamiIies-
1t is not unusual to see whole
amily at work in tho garden, the little |
children almost hidden in the luxuri-
mt growth of vegetables. The county
gent or an assistant visits the gar |
lens frequently and shows the gar
eners how to plant, irrigate, cultivate
nd spray their vegetables. "a
The management Of the garden1 Il
4 the hands Of tho employees COM
1ittee Of the copper company, which
,sues bulletins Of directions for the {
sc Of the gardeners Ground. seed,
Eater and spraying materials are FUR (
ished free by the company. - u also I
rejection for the products Market I
e and canning and drying facilities
re likewise free to all. e
Through ths county agents eHsrts {
war gardeners' market vas built last I
ear. Il r m 0urpauD peo6uc1p oeo ! {