Milford chronicle., 1934-02-02
HOME EDUCATION
RAILROADNG-AND LETTUCE
Mary Finette Barber


lights of bridges, tunnels, car barns
side-tracks, dining cars. Pullmans
cabOOses and the fascinating turn
tables. The possibilities for new
adaptations in playing train" had
been gradually diminishing. until, II
seemed to him, they were now ex-
hausted. The railroad was beginning
to pail. Some of the rolling stock
had decreased in value from wear
and tear, and he sat on the floor
playing with it half-heartedly.
Ills mother, looking over the news
paper. said quietly, "Oh. Bobby, II
says here that the recent food in
Imperial Valley, California. may af-
feet our supply of iceberg lettuce.
What do you think of that?"
Bobby loved dearly to be talked TO
as Il grown-up. but the more he
thought OF this. the less he could
make OF il.
. You know where California is.'
Mother suggested helpfully.
Way out west
Yes. Well, out there is n lovely
place called Imperial Valley. 1t
wasn't always so beautiful, for until
recently there was no water TO make
things grow. Then some engineers
got together and brought the water
of a river close TO the valley, and
dug bitches for irrigation. Now it
is like great vegetable garden,
miles long. Why. there are whole
fields of lettuce alone"
How big flelds?"
"Oh. bigger than the golf links,
bigger than Grandpa's farm. And
out there sometimes it rains every
day for weeks. so they talk about
the rainy season, just as we say the
winter season or the summer season.
II is the rainy season there. now. and
the paper speaks of a recent flood.
II Iained so hard that much extra
water ran intO the river and swelled
it so that ii OyerfiOwed its hanks and
flooded the valley"
Did il drown people,"
mo, only the lettuce. All the let
tuce was covered with water, and
may be ruined. so there won't be as
much lettuce as usual in the stores
fOr us to buy. That's what it means
by saying the flood may affect our
own supply of lettuce"
interested in bitches and foods.
Bobby was Indifferent to lettuce So
Mother went on: THAT was iceberg
lettuce we had in our salad this
noon. Now if that came from Cali
fornia, how do you think they
brought il all the way hcre?"
In the train" said Bobby, his tone
plainly indicating he would have felt
justified in adding. silly"
But it takes four days and nights
for a train to come from California,
and you know lettuce doesn't keep
Do you remember that head ! forgot
to put in the icebOX. and how brown
and wilted it was when | found IL in i
the bag? But our lettuce at lunch !
today was crisp and good. The rail
road must have brought II in the |
special ears made tn keep things
fresh"
Bobby had come to the arm of the
chair now What kind of cars?"
he demanded. sharply.
And so he learned the mysteries !
Of refrigeration, and of warchOusing,
md trucking and hauling, and whole
iale marketing, and retailing thrOug.. !
Mr.. BlOg's grocery store with deliv-
cry right to the kitchen door. Ile
earned something of climate, and
now il IL that lie could have green
ettuce To eat when the garden was
covered with snow. And he learned
hat if the iceberg lettuce crop fails.
,ther kinds-and what other kinds
are Obtainable. lie was fascinated
o think how many people. from the
ime the seed was sown until the
moment he ate his salad. had been
/ work to bring that lettuce TO him.
ii all the jobs involved, he chose
hat of railroad engineer as his fu-
ure vocation!
Next day the grOcer's boy brought
sprouts, and with three of
heso TO represent lettuceS, Bobby
e-enacted the whole process OF
and exchange. And
hen the evening paper was thrown
n the front porch. he dashed TO
ring ii in, begging TO have anothe..
tory read" TO him.