The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-01
Push the Garden Idea
ny E. H. LETTER


 ! War gardens for 19l7-lS, Victory gar dens for 1919. and just plain. everyday vegetable gardens for 1920. Everybody should have garden. The farmer who grows big acreages of general field crops. the smaller grower with only few acres. the@city man with a few feet of back yard and the suburbanite with that space not devoted to his prize feathered peace dis turbers all need to have a garden this year. IL is not worth while hardly to call the attention of prospective garden CTS to the fact that he labor is both healthful and invigorating, that the green vegetables will give the man new lease on life, or that the prevailing price of fresh grocery store vegetables makes the gar den valuable inves ment Attention has been called 10 these good points many, many times.
 A late, wet spring has somewhat damp ened the ardor of many prospective gar deners. But it Is not too late to make q good start. Most any spo of land may he used to advantage if the soil is given the proper preparation. This means that it should be well pulverized and if pos sble put into excellent physical condition by the incorporation of some humus- forming material. This will help bo h the sandy soils and the stiff red clays. If the soil is properly fined and put into good condition so that the little plants may find their way through to the sun light and that the roots may be able to work their way around in the soil in their search for food and moisture. an excel ' lent beginning has been made. Success is assured when the land has been made as fertile as possible by the ad- dition of heavy applications of some good commercial fertilizer containing all three of the necessary clements of plant food phosphoric acid. nitrogen and potash. Ali | that is necessary thereafter is to culti- J vate frequently to conserve tho moisture and to keep down the weeds and grass l Bugs, worms and other insects may give some trouble but they can be easily i handled on small area, Nor should it
 be forgotten that most gardens need some | lime It should not be applied just at
 the same time as the fertilizers or the manure, as it will be likely to liberate some nitrogen. Irish potatoes will scab l ir soil where too much lime has been applied. Use only small amount, say. l from one-half to one bushe to the square | rod of ground. If lime is not avaibae i use the wood ashes, but get whichever
 one of these made use of into the ground ! before applying the fertilizers.
 l Gardens need all the light that they can get. Locate them in that part of
 the lot where the most direct sunlight is available Then if you care to preserve
 the peace of the neighborhood, fence i't l the plot. Neighborhood chickens dogs
 and cats can do lot of damage and l cause a lot of hard feelings; so as the federal department of agriculture ad- vises, insure your garden with good fence.
 l As to the kinds of vegetables to grow, use the old-time tried varieties, seeds of
 which can be purchased from any reliable seedsman. Some of the newer vegetables | can be planted for the purpose of experi~ ment if you are of an inquiring disposi-
 tion, but for real food for the family. the tried varieties are best.
 The important point to remember In gardening is that the soil should be fer tile. It can hardly contain too much plant food if this is properly balanced as
 in the case of a we'll mixed high grade
 standard fertilizer. and the soil is in
 the proper condition to hold maximum
 of moisture
 The garden idea should be pushed lgood garden is not out of place on any
 farm, no matter how high cotton, tobac-
 so, peanuts, or any other crop is selling.
 lnthe small town, village or city tho ned is doubly great Now Is the time to get busy If you have not already done so Get the soil as fertile as possible and
 then plant some sed It is very eff
 fectlve way of cutting living costs