The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-09-09
Home Gardening
AT State Home.

More than 5000 worth of food
produced is some record for one
farm, yet, it is the hope of the man
agement to do even better.
A total of 80 cows with 70 milking,
more than 30 acres Of garden vege-
tables, the canning of $4,000 gallons
Of tomatoes and many extra quarts
OF string beans are among the activities
on this same farm.
While we read and hear snatches
about the State Home for Boys at
Jamesburg, very little has been writ
ten on the agricultural side Of this
o rganization Recently it was the
county agents privilege with G. III.
Robertson Of Freehold, to accept an
invitation from the superintendent Of
the state home. Ernest N. Roselle, TO
take dinner with him and family
and also inspect the agricultural side
OF the farm. To say the county
agent was enlightened by the visit
would be putting it mildly, as he
had no conception Of the wonderful
organization and the accomplish
ments of this LARGE we'll organized
proposition. The activities and the
program are 50 extensive that IN
two hours time We had hardly scratched
the surface. The welcome given by the
superintedent and his family made
one feel entirely at home and not hes
liant to AK any questions that might
come to ones mind. After dinner d
tour was made to number OF cottage
gardens where large variety Of veg
etables are being grown under the di
rection OF the cottage father and
mother. We might say before discuss
ing the great varieties in the gardens
that the seed was a gift from Mr.. Rob
ers on OF Freehold and very excellent
Judgment was used in the selection.
Most gardens consist of approx
mately quarter Of an acre which
is in charge of the cottage father and
mother who supervise the activities
OF the boys in the complete preparation
and G are of the garden from the plow-
ing and fertilization to the harvesting Of
the crop. While the cottages accom-
modate from 40 to so boys often more
vegetables are prodUoed In a single
garden than can be utilized in the cof-
tage. the surplus being taken to the
main kitchen The garden activities
are something new, organized uAder the
direction and supervisors Of the SUI
pefintendentNl .Roselle. The oldest cot
tage garden, SAYS Mr. RoselIe, is only
two, years old and if the oldest should
be a model it certainly is an excel
lent one for the manger OF this gar
den has all the attributes of a suc--
cessful gardener. Scotch by descent,
he is proving this by using the wire
fences which separate his garden
from the outside on which to grow
pumpkins which hang from both
sides.
Our aim, say Mr.. Roselle, is to
plan further in making efficient gar
ldens. We desire to add products
such as Strawberries. biackberries, and
raspberries. In addition our plan is to
build small poultry house alongside
of each separate garden to accom-
modate 90 birds These houses will not
aonly be builtby the boys but the poultry
will be purchased by money loaned to
them and paid back from the profits
received from the birds, any SIRIUS de-
rived being kept in the treasury to be
returned to the boys later As one
talks with Mr. Roselle and sees the
| luxuriant growth of vegetables even as
late in the season'as now.he cannot help
but appreciate the position taken rel
alive to the garden work not being us
ed as a punishment for the boys. This
was an understanding some months
ago that the boys were to use the
gardens as part Of their exercise and
activities with the result that at pres
; emit by daylight many of the boys
! are at work tryingto match their adj
joining garden. No work appears
to be too hard for them.
Besides the cottage green's there are
| so acres devoted to garden crops to
feed the 800 people in the little COM
munity.