Laurel outlook., 1944-03-15
Perennial Vegetables.
Definition OF Gardens
Discussed Before Club

club met last week with Mrs. Wal
ter Cusick. Mrs. Void said:
Perennial vegetables give good re-
turns for the time and effort eX-
pended on them. The only handicap
is the space they require in the
restricted garden plot, but one can
always find a corner for a few
clumps Of rhubarb, asparagus or
onions.
Rhubard soil should be well en-
riched with manure Roots should
be set only three of four inches
deep and two to three feet apart
in the row. Do not pull any stalks
the first year and very lightly the
second year. Always pull the stalks
out, never cut. Cultivate often
When leaves have died down in the
fall, mulch with straw and manure
but do not let the latter come in
direct contact with the plant crowns,
as they may rot. In the early
spring, dig this mulch into the
ground around the roots. Rhubarb
may be raised in the basement in
winter.
Fresh asparagus is one of the
vegetable d~elicacies many people
long to see on their tables early in
the summer. 1t can be grown from
seed, but quickest returns come
from setting out two-year-old roots.
Very few shoots should be harvested
before the third year. Cut stalks
off in the fall; put in compost heap,
but remove berries.
The artichoke is better suited to
a California climate than ours, but
it a be raised here. The crown
must be winter-mulched with ma
nure and straw, kept away from
the crown itself with an inverted
tasket or box. Shoots or suckers
are planted six feet apart in rows
eight feet apart. Buds are harvest
ed for the table before the flowers
open.
The onion family has several
hardy members, such as chives, the
multiplier onion, and the tree onion.
Chives are a dainty addition to
salads, soups, or just mixed with
butter for a spread on bread.
Mention should be made of the
horse radish, though it is now a
continent. There is no problem in
growing this hair raiser.
Walter E. Therving says a gar
den is the home of the little peo-
pie we call plants. If we expect
them to stay with us and give us
pleasure and service we must make
their home a happy and healthful
one.
What are the requirements of
such a home? Food, water and
shelter are primary necessities;
good ventilation and plumbing; po-
lice protection; public health SER
vice, and pleasant neighbors. We,
in common with the plants, show
those requirements. Plants can
take food only in liquid form, so a
constant supply of water is essen
tial in their garden home to make
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and
other nutrients available to them.
Also, as plants live off moisture
their leaves they must re-
place this by drawing in fresh
through their roots. s
Shelter can be provided by a /
blanket in the form Of a
mulch. The winters thawing and '
freezing is very injurious to plants, |
Just like having something thump {
and push and finally heave you out +
IF bed. .
Public enemies such as borers,
.phids and beetles must be driven
off by the peace officers, lead COM
nicotine, pyrithium. For
epidemics such as hoppers, potato
Bugs, blight we have public health
officers in form of DR.. Bordeaux,
arsenic, Paris green.
How to furnish pleasant neigh
)ors for them? Do you think a
1ansy enjoys a Russian thistle for
/ pal?
Lettuce, tomotoes and cucumbers
ire the three great American salad
'avorites. Lettuce al be tucked
n most anywhere, even in the flower
1t must be planted early
it can start to head before hot
weather. comes. Leaf lettuce seems
o have become more popular than
cad lettuce, possibly because it
ontains more vitamins in green
Romano lettuce stands
eat better. 1t is a tall plant and
he outer leaves should be tied to-
ether to blanch the heart a week
picking.
For the more unusual salad
reens, there are the corn salad or
used as a substitute for let
ice, chervil handled like parsley,
'rrel for its acidity, dandelions,
nd Chinese or celery cabbage. If
Oh are fortunate enough to have
ear, cool running water on YOUR
ace, you may enjoy the true water
'ess. Curly endive looks pretty on
lie vegetable stands and would add