Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-31
THIS AND THAT
by CHARLES E. TRACEHELL.

believe it not bad, at that, and apollo
| ui5e to any radish II offended.
The point is that more home owners
ought to make vegetable gardens. But
how can they do so without bigger
yardsP The trend today In and around
| cities Is toward smaller and smaller
yards, despite the plain fact. admitted
| hy every real estate man, that land Is
| the basis OF realty values. Thus many
of the newer homes, even as Tar out
as 6 miles from the White House, are
being placed on lots too small for the
| inclusion Of vegetable garden. unless
the owner is willing to give up the en-
tire back yard Ia 1t. This Is imprac-
, tical and unlovely to a degree. A dry
ing yard for clothes Is more necessary
and A vegetable plot next to the house
is not an esthetic addition to the gen.
ersl layout OF the small place. We re-
Gently saw nice house on a lot Ito
feet deep Now, what can a gardener
do with such dumpy piece OF landr
After the proper depth of front lawn
is allowed for and the house placed
behind 1t. the back yard is too short
for even the best sort OF flower garden
the sort In which perspective has
some place As far as a vegetable gar
den is concerned, 1t has no right Of
entry. The owner Of such place will
find 1t difffcult TO put cold frame
where 1t will not be an eyeSore from
the house AS for a compost pile. he
may be able to cram one In behind the
garage If the latter Is put near the
back OF the lot. The vegetable garden,
to be rightly placed. ought to be at
the rear Of a yard which Is large enough
Tor its inclusion. This means that
there must be plenty OF grass near the
house for the sake OF appearance, and
also for that great utilitarian purpose
the drying Of the family wash. Moth
ing will take the place of an unbroken
grass plot. not even flowers, and GER
tainly not vegetables. The best type
of home grounds will allow for all of
these sighting none.
The vegetable gardeW to the rear OF
the flower garden and separated from
it by hedge or fence, or both. Is the
sort that appeals to us who have no
space or place for such activity. Our
garden dreams picture large enough
lot TO have both flowers and vegetables.
the former occupying the foreground.
presenting a pretty picture from the
windows. the latter holding down the
space at the rear. We have seen pic
lures of vegetable gardens combining
rows of flowers for cutting and have
always thought the combination must
be good one. Every home should
have cut flowers In 1t, but often the
owner of small flower garden prefers
TO allow his blossoms to remain where
they grow. The problem would be
solved by putting in enough rows of
flowers In the vegetable garden to per-
nit steady cutting for vase use. Per-
haps a complete border OF ANIMALS and
perennials might be put around the
vegetable plot We who have no vege-
table gardens feel that we are missing
q great deal. Some of the vegetables.
such as asparagus. are pretty in
growth. Their feathery foliage COM
bines neatly with flowers But the
main thing one misses Is the chance to
experiment with this important phase
Of plant life. Flower growing is a
matter of Identification. an esthetic
proposition Even a. good lawn can be
put on no other basis except by strain
ing the language. The practical. how
ever occupies great place In daily
life. 1t In one thing To swell up In in
dienation at the mere mention of an
ash can and entirely another thing to
heave II up the basement steps twice a
week all Winter long The practical
solution of necessary problems Is dis
tinct from Identification basically. al
though happily beauty often follows
utility. The comfortable, disable piece
Of furniture has an equal chance OF
being beautiful. So it is with the home
grounds. Foundation planting and
flowers, including the roses. have their
proper place. but the vegetable garden
ought to have its place, If the estate
III We may call II such) Is 10 make
the best OF itself and is to give Its
owner the fun reward of home owner
shin