Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-16
OUR HOUSEHOLD
CONDUCTED BY LIZZIE O. THOMAS
GARDENING

The week that has just left us
has been more like November than
January. The lowering clouds, the
threat Of snow that hung over us all
flooded the low ground and made the
creek a place to dread, have all con-
tributed to the general discomfort
of man and beast and made the far
seeing ones thankful that better
safe than sorry" had been their
motto while putting hay in the barn
and wood in the house. But the
clouds have gone, the sun shines,
swallows are twittering and the hens
are singing. All these signs of the
coming of spring will fade " know
Janus must look forward and back
ward. We must remember that icy
winds will yet sweep down the
slopes and freeze the things that old
Sol has tempted out of winter quar-
ters. But that does not keep me
from getting seed catalogs and in
wiling The Farmer to a gala day
selecting seeds for the coming year.
We have big garden and if I had
some one with nothing to do but,
work it there would be a package of
seed as big as a barrel. That is
where the gardener in town has the
advantage. Men make a good living
for themselves and their mules by
going from garden to garden. But in
the country there are times when
the crops demand every hour of the
day from all the workers.
But the government plan, sent out
in 1915, is about the best I have
seen for the small garden or back
yard. This was planned by the de-
partment Of agriculture's specialist.
You can use the vegetables that Won
know will grow in your climate. and
can experiment with at least one
other. I've known people to spend
their lives planting cabbage, pota-
toes, turnips, lettuce, tomatoes and
onions. These are all good, but
have more of a variety. Teach the
FAMILY the deliciousness of cauli-
flower, eggplant peets and spinach.
to say nothing of early corn, bell
peppers and celery. The Japanese
have thirty millions of farmers av-
erag1ng two acres each. They plant
and replant at the same spot and
make wonderful things where we
would let weeds grow. Go through
most of the garden and you will
ma the row that had lettuce or
radishes idle after that vegetable
mad run its course. Beets. cabbages
tomatoes might be transplanted
thefe' lew of us keep the plants to
gamer seed for the next year If
you Keep the rows clean and set out
oeets where the lettuce was and late
Or
IONS grew, you are rotating.
The. place that grew the beets can
later grow kale, and the peas can
give place to cabbage or collards.
DO not make a mistake and nfant
al your peas at the same time, nor
all OF your beets, the later beets
make better pickles and late beans
I'LL many empty jars. They are
the ones to cook with bacon and put
up Tor the unexpected guest.
According to the government adj
vice the row for elephants can later
be used for spinach and the space
devoted to cucumbers will be ready
for fall turnips.
1t is astonishing how much can
be done with the small garden if
ones heart is in the work. And il
there are chickens, a COW, and we'll
filled jars, one is fortified against.
the high cost of living. There is
always a market for the surplus
there is actual Christianity in selling
to a ne1ghbor for a reasonable price.
Many are not in a position to plant,
or to keep COW and have too much
self-respect to continually accept
vegetables or sour milk or a pat Of
butter unless the price will be taken
for it.
Get down your catalogues, or send
to your favorite scotsman for one
and get seed in time. Do not forget
the Golden Bantam sweet corn, nor
the Hickory King. Plant them the
same day and the Hickory King will
be ready just as the other is fin
1shed. Just as soon as you dare you
should SOW a mixture of mustard,
turnips and dwarf Essex rape; two
ounces of each broadcast in a rich
corner will give you the early salad
that your system demands. I mix
the mustard and the tender leaves
Of rape and the most critical palate
cannot rebel. The blended flavor is
better than either alone. By the
time you've thinned the bed you have
some nice, young turnips to mix
with that salad.
Once I had frame exactly like
door frame, only out of light 1um-
Der. It had cheese cloth tackled over
it and exactly fitted my lettuce bed,
later it was put over early beans.
Three by six was the size, and it
could be lifted easily. You have
to possess one to really know what
a treasure it is.
Mhnrn MnenIlifneS Breed