The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-09

Bowers has fresh vegetables, and
says that every housewife would find.
if she grew her own garden. that 1t
is frequently possible to have as
many as six or seven vegetables on
the table at one time, which the ordi-
nary housewife is not able to afford
otherwise. Red raspberries, she
finds, yield good returns, and the
Concord grape is a splendid variety
to grow in Alabama, although Mrs,
Bowers cultivates the Delaware and
Niagara varieties, too.
She says:
'of course, it just takes vision of
what can be done first then little
work afterward.
II figure six or eight bushes of
sweet peppers would yield about
enough for an average family. They
ought to be planted about April or
May, and will bear as late as mine
are still doing
Mrs. Bowers does not waste any
thing that will be helpful to her
plants or her flowers. She saves all
the ashes where coal is burned, mix
ing this into the ground not only to
make the soil loose but to furnish the
plants necessary potash All the
leaves that fall from her shade trees
she keeps to put among the Irish
potato plants to keep down the
growth of weeds and to make them
YIELD in lazy bed all the year
round. Leaves she also puts under
the fig trees to protect their roots.
She uses various kinds of fertilizers.
declaring that plants like different
kinds of food.
She uses, in planting a tree. ashes
first; then subsoil goes around the
roots; next, stable fertilizer is EN-
ployed and then top soil. She leaves
the stable fertilizer on top of the
ground around the tree. This softens
the ground as 1t sinks in and be-
comes part of the earth. Sand is also
fine for making the soil loose.
Mrs. Bowers is very much of an
enthusiast on home owning and home
beautifying. Says she:
The Bible relates that each person
should be underehis own vine and
fig tree symbolizng happiness and
contentment With ones own bone
happiness is usually possible. I love
the ground and love to see things
grow.
Il am busy right now planting
narcissus that will blossom af
Christmas time. Anybody can easily
grow such holiday flowers for all
one needs are sand. water and the
oulbs. You plant the bulbs in bowls
Jardinieres or other containers and
Keep them in the house. You must
plant them right now, though. as IT
takes about two months for them to
develop and bloom. at this season OF
tne year. In January you can get
blooms in four weeks time, because
the bulbs hurry then"
mrs. Bowers literally raises bush
els upon bushels of flowers during
the year. of all varieties.
Even with so many, I never have
more more than | can use," she laughed,
ror there are so many things one
can do with flowers. When l give a
party. 1t is lovely to have bIoo,,s
from my own garden to decorate the
house. If friends are sick I Away
have flowers to send.
only today I sent down - +ho
Little Art Gallery a bouquet for its
art exhibition. I take flowers 10
church every Sunday from nv own
yard 1t seems that every day there
is something l must do. or can saw
SO loudly to others, with flowers
Raising so many always gives me-
a chance, too. to be helpful to ma,
friends and to young matrons. Last
year literally gave away bushels of
pants to friends and acquaintances
lending them all the advice on plant-
ing ana cultivation | could"
nirs. Bowers spoke of how manv
things could be planted this moment
anu saiu that the public library fur
risneo many books which will aid
Vhe amateur in garden work