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Show ' M Onef tho things that Americans will M have to learn if they are to bo euccess-' euccess-' ful gardeners is to make tho most of J their soil. French and Belgian garden-aj garden-aj ere, who are highly successful, seldom have more than thrco acres, but all of HJ the family work in the garden father, j5 mother and children and they never let SLj any of the land he idle. EB As soon as one crop is finished an- H other Is put in. It is not necessary to 'JM "alt until a wholo row is finished to put 3H in something else, but as you pull out a JH head of lettuco put in a cabbage or a H& d of somo kind. Replace whatever Jag you take from the garden at once. Br It is not necessary to leave much space 8K between rows and something can alma al-ma ways bo planted between them. Between w slow growing vegetables plant those that & will mature rapidly and can soon be got !Sp ont of the way. Let the land woik for j' you all tho time, day and night To do h this yon will have to work tho land dili- -jT gently and keep it up to a high state of Jg fertility. Do not waste any kind of S fertilizer. Put it in the eoll where it will jBj nourish food to nourish you. Plant those $ vegetables which will be of the greatest Sg' food value. R One of the secrets of good gardening Ok is to dig deep, to cultivate the land w B& thoroughly that tho roots may find their B way easily in their search for moisture K " and food. If the earth is left in clods M vezetables 1 suffer. Deep cultivation, $ well broken up soil and an almost dust- & ne nppoarance on the surface for a j r aulch will insure good growth. If you hnvo not the time, strength or inclination to do all this you had better tp yourself disappointment. Amateur as well as other gardeners will find a chart that has been devised to promote efficiency well worth while. This chart is a wooden board 7x12 ,? inches with slots to indicate the rows in ' , which cards are inserted to represent the different vegetables. Tho chart repre- " Mints tho garden, with rows of any h length a foot npnrt. The chart calendar is at the top. The rows arc numbered for conveni ence. AdJ nstablc .cards in the J) rows.inaUcatO'lhotvegotafblea, Tho lengths of the cards have been determined by the time (according to tho calendar) that each vegetable (seed or plant) will occupy its particular row. Each vegetable is planted tho entire length of the row for its allotted time. For example, early corn can be planted after the radishes havo been removed and is also planted the entire length of tho row. The spacing for each month varies in proportion to the rapidity of vegetable growth in each particular number. Tho July spucc is wider than November or March. Lettuce and tomato cards lap, indicating that lettuce was put in April 1, and Beveral weeks before they were removed tomato plants were placed between be-tween the lettuce plants in the same row. Early corn is planted between pea rows several weeks before the pea" vines are removed, this giving tho corn that much earlier start. Squash is btarted between cabbage and string bean rows. As the season progresses the cabbage and string beans nro removed, as indicated by the tags, thereby allowing room for the squash to spread. The chart is very practical and hclpfuL Do not plant radishes as a separate crop. There is little nourishment in them and besides they will take up so little room and mature po quickly that they can be planted at tho same time that other vegetables arc planted. Coming Com-ing np so quickly they Trill help to loosen the soil. Few persons know about the Chinese or Japanese radish. It is known by both names, and grows to immenso bI7c and may be hung up in the cellar In the winter win-ter and cut off a slice nt a time as needed. It is sweet and entirely lacking in tho sharp -biting taste that so many of the radishes have. Another vegetable that may be grown for winter use is the Witloof chicory, sometimes called the French endive. It should bo planted now and will develop parsnip-like roots, which may be stored in the cellar in tho autumn and allowed to form blanched tops, which are used for salad, Celeriacortnrnip--rootedccIery-- Is-a vegetable of merit It has roots that will keep well for winter and may bo cooked and mado into delicious salad or used as a cooked vegetable. In planting cabbage the all-head varieties are recommended recom-mended as mating rapid and dense growth. Three greens that nro recommended because they will keep on growing for a long season are the dwarf kale, Swiss chard and New Zealand spinach. Take off the outer leaves of all of these and they will continue to grow and make new growths. Japanese pumpkins are productive, rich and sweet, and recommended above all others. Summer squash is a good vegetable if you havo the room for these things. Tomatoes should bo selected not for their great sire but for the production produc-tion of round, smooth, moderate sized ones. Bonnio Best and Stone are reliable reli-able varieties for this purpose. Plant plenty of beans, wax and green, bush and climbing, for summer use and winter storing. They are one of the best of crops. Sweet corn is one of tho most desirable desir-able of garden crops. Plant as soon as it is warm enough, and two weeks later plant again. THE POTATO. iCTHE potato Is successfully grown j in practically every country in tho temperate zone. Latitude and altitude are synonymous ns far as they relate to potato conditions when other requirements are tho same. 'Drainage is the most important requisite in a potato soil. It must either be present naturally or supplied artificially. For the uniform, perfect development of all paits of tho potato plant there must be a constant supply of air and oxygen, moisture and fertility," say Eugene H. Grubb and W. S. Guilford in "The Potato" "Doublcday Pngo &Co.). "A very frequent question asked by amateurs and others is, 'What is the best potato?' The answer is that there is no universally 'best' potato, but that certain varieties have proved best for certain conditions. There are hnndreds-of -va - ; T !Lct mc suggest that every oue who creates or cultivates a gaidcn t helps, and helps gieatly, to Bolve J f the problem of the feeding of the f I nations. Let every man and every J I woman assume the duty of care- f I ful, provident use and expenditure t as a public duty, as a dictate of f patriotism which no one can now t eocpeet ever to be excused or for- f f given for ignoring. f t WOODROW WILSON. I rictics of potatoes, a largo number of them good under certain conditions. This must bo determined by experiment and test In the locality in question. "Tho objects sought in cultivating the potato are: First, kecking the soil in the seed bed loose and retaining moisture for the crop, and, second, keeping down tho giowlh of weeds, which, if allowed to grow, not ouly rob the potato plant of moisture tout also of availablo fertility. When potatoes require moisture they indicate in-dicate it by the dark green, almost black, color of the leaves. When watered too heavily they gpt too light green, almost yellow. Tho characteristic healthy medium me-dium green of a potato plant in good condition con-dition and doiug well must bo seen to be appreciated, but these things are easily loamcd." Kdith Loring Fullcrton in her .book, "IIow to Make a Vegetable Garden," also Bays to tho potato grower: "It is pretty well agreed nmong, American horticulturists hor-ticulturists that the best crop h? obtained from planting section of the potato which have three eyes. There ahould bo plenty of humus in either lijcht'or clay soils, aud moisture is a prime requisite, though too much will cause both blight and rot. Potatoes must bo dug and dried in tho shade." PRESERVE FRUITS IN" addition to raising more fruits and vegetables than ever before, the call is laid upon women to carry over as much as possible of what -theyraiao for -winter use. There are several ways in which this can bo done. Those who live in city apartments cannot store up many vegetables, vege-tables, but those who live in the country or suburbs and have cellars can put away potatoes, turnips, carrots, cabbage and sweet potatoes. Every one can can fruit and vegetables. vege-tables. Those who have had no experience, experi-ence, however, should carefully follow the directions of those who have. Somo schools arc now offering courses in canning, can-ning, and a very good thing It is, too. Tin cans and glass jars are going to (be more expensive than ever this year and more use should bo made of the wholesome and inexpensive process of drying, especially es-pecially where there is n large family to bo fed. Beans are excellent for that pnrpose, both the limas and tho small white 'beans, such as are used for baiting. They are equally valuable cooked In other ways and arc especially good for soup. Peas, too, may be dried for winter use. In the East one seldom sees dried sweet coin, but in the Middlo West it is extensively ex-tensively used, many persons preferring it to canned corn. Dried fruits are highly recommended. Peaches, plums, apples and pcurs, may be dried with advantage. CHICKENS JN tie rush to plant vegetables, a few of the volunteers might remember that diickens nro worth, considering in the food programme. Chickens and gaidens do not agree veryWell unless you have space enough to confine your chickens with stout wire netting. But if you have no garden or if yon are able to keep thera separate you may make a valuable contribution to the food supply either with chickens for thp table or with eggs. The price of both has shown that the need of poultry raisers is aa great as that of gardeners. The high cost of grain has deterred many person? from this branch of business, busi-ness, but the wise poultryman will raise a large part of tho food for his chickens conii sunflowers, oats, alfalfa and green vegetables. Ifhe. has jih orchard ho will turn his chickens in and let them pick up insects. Fie will carefully save every scrap from his own table aud turn it into chicken food. The bones he will crack and bulky foods may be put through the grinder. VEGETABLE CLUBS. AT tho April meeting of the Ridgc-wood Ridgc-wood (X. J.) Garden Club the membership was increased by fifteen, fif-teen, bringing the total up to eighty-six eighty-six members. The following wcro elected: W J. S. Adams, It. L. Ash-worth, Ash-worth, C. E. Belding, C. H Buchanan, W. C. Ely, C. V. Green, J. N. Kirk, O. C. Mills, E. T. Xcben, P. H. Pinder, R. E. Kobson, W. S. Robinson, J. S. Stokes, Colonel V. R Stolbrand and C. W. Stowell. President 0. L. Ler.sner spoke of the quick rcsponso of the people of TUdge-wood TUdge-wood to tho appeal of tho nation and State for tho production of foodstuffs, and from the present outlook there will be no laggards in Ridgcwood in garden work this year. The citizens are going to the garden problom in tho customary enthusiastic manner and great results are expected as the outcome of their labor. There will be at least one hundred and twenty -five entries in the "Children's Garden Competition," and in addition to tho individual efforts of tho children there will be several community gardens run by the Tarlous schools. Tho Garden Club is pledged to vifrft and inspect the garden of every child who enters tho competition and at Its fall show there will be an exhibition iby the winners from tho four district?, into which tho town will be divided, and special prizes will be given. W. G-. Daub, chairman of "the Show Committee, reported that special attention atten-tion would bo paid to awarding prizes at the spring and fall shows for vegetables vege-tables having tho greatest fcod value. C. Wadsworth, the dahlia expert of the club, offered five prizes for dahlias at the fail show. A-votewjf thanks as'clven-to Tames R. T. McCarroll for kindly furnishing the IH members with seed potatoes, and E. T. H Sowter offered a prize for the best pro- H duction of potatoes. fJ A fund, made up by voluntary con- IH tributions, was collected for the pur- IH chase of seeds, to be given through the IH Social Service Association to those of H the town who desire to plant a garden H but have not the financial means to pur- H The Garden Club will asbist financially the ripmo Town Welfare Association In its arrangements for a community farm, IH and will also at harvest time, if ncces- IH snry, give physicnl aid by delegating va- H nous members to help in reaping tho H W. W. Storms read a paper on 6traw- 1 berr!63 and gave the secrets of his sue- jH cess with that delicious fruit E. N. Il Barnes followed with a paper on "Small IH Bush Fruits." IH There was exhibited at the meeting a lf practical plant protector for cabbage and H cauliflower, which the members of tho H club will try out H GARDEN EQUIPMENT. M THE equipment of the amateur gar- H doner may be of the simplest sort jH The woman gardener should beware IH of the heavy spade. In the first place, JH if the soil is nt all heavy it will tako np H too largo and heavy a clod for the H ordinary woman to handle. In the next H place it will not break np rapidly. In- H stead of tho spade use a heavy tined IH spading fork. It is easier to handlo jJ and will break up tho earth well. jf A hoc is good, but it Is tedious and tiresome work to usq it for any but the H smallest plots. A hand cultivator is easy to run and will do tho work of H ten hoes in a given time. It is recom- H mended that instead of trying- to push it through by main strength better results will be obtain od by giving it a succession of impulses. IH Weederfl are extremely useful Inr-tiia H gnrden, being the next thing to human IH fingers hi working up tho soil around IH plants. Pruning shears; should bo.-in- IH -cladcd&in ho-gurdcner'aQuipment H X X. H. Features, H |
