The St. Joseph observer., 1918-03-30
GET BUSY NOW
And Put In That War Garden for the
Sign Is Now in the Right
Place.

! war EaTuen tndt you nave all or the
past winter told your neiRhbors you
were going to put I'm. All st. Joseph
back lots should be "war gardens"
this year above any other year. Now
that the spring rains are coming IL the
time TO get that soil turned over and
let the rain soak IN for an inch Of
rainfall bestowed by nature is worth
about foot OF Missouri river water
applied through a hose. And II costs
nothing. Spade up that garden plot
now and get advantage OF the spring
rains.
You will need four-tined fork
not a pitch fork, but flat-tned gar
den fork. A spade is a good thing
to have, but you can get along with
out one. In buying fork get one
with a brace running up the handle
about six or eight inches. You can
get the fork at most any Of the gar
den seed houses or at any hardware
store.
Next you want hoe. Get one with
a blade about eight inches wide. See
that the blade is at the proper angle
Determine the angle by trying it on
the floor Of the store where you are
mailing your purchase. You can read
fly tell whether the blade will "bite"
the soil or will glide over the surface
without taking hold.
And a rake. Get a fourteen-inch
one. Here's caution. See that the
rake itself is properly fastened to the
handle. Some manufacturers are just
singing them together-making them
to sell, not to use. A rake that is not
well built is an abominatIon. About
the third time you use It, the handle
comes off. Then you're in trouble
the balance Of the summer unless you
not a light one The tines should be
strong and heavy.
Now you are equipped with the alb
solute necessities in garden machin-
cry. You can buy all sorts Of fancy
tools and tools which will make the
garden work easier, II you want to.
Later in the season, when the time
comes TO cultivate the plants. you can
buy a light hoe, II you want one. But
with a fork, hoe and rake you can
put that garden in all right.
Returning to the spading up OF the
garden. DO It now and save the
spring rains. Don't attempt to break
UP the clods right now, unless you
have plenty Of time and feel like you
want to work. After a while, when
actual seeding time arrives, you will
have 20 fork over the ground again
and at that time you must break
them up now, II will save time later.
And don't forget the onion sets.
Plant them out Saturday afternoon,
II you have not already done so.
Going TO plant tomatoes this year?
You should. Half-a-dozen vines will
be all YOU will need, unless you in
tend 10 can some for next winters
use. Canning tomatoes IS an easy
Job. If you have the room in your
garden, better prepare for about
eighteen tomato vines. There are a
dozen good kinds of tomatoes.
You can either buy the plants when
you get ready for them, or you can
plant the seed in a box, now, and keep
It in the house. Common sense will
tell you what kind OF box 70 get-Ret
any kind Of box you like. Put in
some black dirt and plant the seed
following the directions on the packet
Keep it in a warm place and keep the
soil moist. II must be where 1t can
get light, of course-sunshine, II pos
sible through window. on good
warm days, you can put this box out
side while the sun Is shining. But to-
mato plants are mighty tender and
will easily get too much cold.
Garden experts tell you TO plant all
sorts OF things in boxes and trans
plant them when the weather IL good.
II you want to experiment, go ahead.
You will, when alrs said and done find
that you've enjoyed yourself, and
learned something, but that the plants
you have transplanted are Just a little
BIT behind those which have come up
from seed planted outside at the right
time.
But get that fork, hoe and rake
before noon and when you go home
Saturday afternoon, fork up your gar
den and let the spring rains soak In.