u. S. S. G. THE FALL MANUAL OF THE UNITED STATES SCHOOL GARDEN ARMY ... WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION .. \ W ASHlNCoTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OfFlC£ 1918 UNITED STATES SCHOOL GARDEN ARMY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS FnANKLIN K. LU:R, P.HII.ANDER P. CLAXTON I SeerlJtary, Commissioner, Depa1'tment of (he 1""te7'Wr. BU'I'ea'u of Education. JOl'l;N H. FRANCIS, Director. REGIONAL DIRECTORS CI.ARENClli M. WEED, Fnaoanrcn A. M'J.~RRn.iJ, N QTtheastern States. Sautl"ern States. LESTER S. Ivrxs, Cmrr. A. STEDBlKS, Cent'l'al States. Western. 8tatea. JOHN L. RL~I)ALL, StnJ.theo'ate:rn Stacee. REGIONAL AREAS ·'Northeastern States: Maine, New Ifnmpehirc, Vermont, Massa- chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York; Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia. SouthMutern Statu: Virginia, West Virginia} North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi. Southern States: Tennessee, Kentucky, Misscru-i, Arkansas, Louisi- una, Kansas, Okleboma, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico. Central State8: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois) Michigan, Wisconsin, Min- ncsota, Iown, North Dekote, South Dakota, Nebr-aska. Western States.' Montana, Idaho, W~'oming, Ilteh, Nevada: Ari- zonu, Washington, Oregon, Cnlifomju. A Garden for Every Child. Every Child in a Garden. (2) ) FALL MANUAL OF THE UNITED STATES SCHOOL GARDEN ARMY A LET'fER FROM PRESIDENT WILSON 'T'UF, W mTE Hocaa, H'o-"ki'l1gto-n. es /i'(ibl"Uwy, 1918. My DI!:AR Mn. S};OIII'TAny: I sincerely hope that you may be success- ful through the Bureuu of Educutiou in ilrollsing the interest of teachers and children in the schools of the United States in the oul- tivation of home gardens. R"el'y boy and girl who really sees what the home garden may mean will. J am sin-e, enter into the purpose with high spirits. beCl\UOO I am sure they would all like to feel that tlwy nrc in fnct, fi.ghtin~ in Fl'IlJIl'l' by joining the home garden tU'IllY. They know that America has undertaken to send meat. and flour and wheat and other foods £0}' the support of the soldiers who are doing the figlHing, for tlte men uud women who are milking the munitions. and for the boys end gids of western Europe, nnd that we must also feed ourselves while we are carrving on this wnr. The movement to establish gardens: therefore, and to have the children work in them is just as real and pntrioric an effort as the building of ships or the firing of cannon. I hope that this spring every school will have It regiment in the Volunteer War Garden Army. Cordially and sincerely yOtU'S, )VOOOIlOW 'VJL80N. Hon. FI!ANKLfN K. L,UH1, SecJ'ef,aJ'y of tht Interior. 1 (al • A LETTER FROM SECRETARY LANE DEAn Boys; I am glad to receive your letter and to lmow thnt la~ year you bnd u garden plot and thnt Ibis year you intended to have another. There nrc boys and girls in Belgium and in Fr-ance who had garden plots, but those have been blown up by shells, end some of the boys 'have been killed, too. You can make gardens now, and tho boys and girls of France und Belgium will for nil time ba grutc- ful to you. But your gardens will not be blown up. The more we mise here the mote we will have to make strong the arm of our soldiers acrose the water. That is the reason that we are trying to organize the boys and gids into n school garden artny-c-thcy really will 00 soldiers, nltbcugh not. old enough to fight, We who stey at home have I:l. Vel)' snfe place compared with the boys in France, end OUT gratitude for this safety is shown by the work that we do, The idea just comes into my mind that perhaps you lcnow SOllie soldier who has gone ttl France, nnd you might name your grll'den plot afw,' him, DOII'Lyou think that this would be a good idea 1 Cordially )'OUI:'$1 To ]\flLTO'N .AND CARROLL TDrnER3.UN, f3608 Valentine Avenlu, New Y01"!c,N, Y. (') A LETTER FROM COMMISSIONER CLAXTON 7'0 BOY8 am..i/. Gb·lAJ i1l, the SCMJolll af t.luJ United Statea, G1'eeting: We nrc now engaged in the greatest wur ill the history of the world. Your freedom lind happiness depend 011 the result. If we win, the world will be tree. If we lose, nil the world will soon be in bondage to the nutocmtic German Government, and the freedom for- which our futhers fought will be gOIlt:l. OUI' young men are going to fight in France and Itnly and 011 the seas. Older boys and girls wit! work ill the fields. factories, mines, shops, stores, and elaewbere, to produce food, clothing, coal, and munitions of war. Most important of 11n i..food. Without it soldiers tim not fight, workmen can not pro- duce ships, guns, and shells; [mel rueu, woman, and children will die. The people 0'1 the United States must th is year "produce more food then they have ever- produced before. The President of tho United States is therefore asking Ill] boys and gids from 9 to 16 years of ugE'!in cities, towns, end villages to [oin the United Stutes School Garden Army und grow vegetables. berries. fruits. nnd poultry. There lll't~,7,OOOPOOsuch boys and girls. If 5,000,000 of these ,,01ul1- teer, it will be the largest lll'lny ever rnised in the United States nnd hn'gor tltun all other bO)TS end gids' clubs combined. By hard work und with wise direction they can produce food enough to feed all the hungry children of Belgium. Will you join the: United States School (tm-den Arnly1 Your teachers will tell )'OU about. the plan. A happy spr-ing, summer, and fall of joyons, useful outdoor work (OJ' you nll. Yours SiUcel'cly, P. P. CL...\x'I'ON', U'fifited States CommtisiJi011i:j' of EdlUJation. (0) • FmST, CATCH YOUR RABBIT You remember the story of tho boy who was telling about the rabbit he was going to eat, and his father enid, 'c Son, first catch YOUl'rabbit," well, that's the way you must do with these school gardens. Before you can eat the crops you expect to grow, you must get the garden. For you boys and girls living in the country this will probably he an easy matter. YO\1l' fathers will be glad to gh'e you a piece of lund for your own use, 115 In.!'gc as you are able to handle', where yon can grow as runny kinds of crops as you wish. For you boys nnd girls living in the towns or cities it may be n little harder to get the land for your garden. But mnuy of you will huvc a backyard of your Own where many vegetables can be-grown: Dr your next-door neighbor will be glad to let you use his back ynrd. At any rule, don't 00 discouraged if you can't find a place for your garden the first thing. By looking around and sticking to "it you will find that there arc II great rnuny back JR1'ds and vacant lots neal' your own home which the owners will be proud to let you use after you have told them of the. wonderful work the School Garden Army is doing to help win the Wilt. n your garden is to be in u, back yard, pick out one. that is not shaded too much by trees or buildings. Growing things need euu- light und plenty of it, And lry to plck out land that. isn't all clay or gravel. You (,lunlt expect; to grow muon on soil like that, Ask cue of your friends who is n farmer 01' who has n gar-den of his own to help you pick out the right place for your garden. (6) HOW TO PLAN YOUR GARDEN Many of us think of gardening as work to be clone oulv timing IL Jew brier weeks in the spring. This is wrong. Your- garden will do its best for you :if plans for it ure made in the autumn and much of its preprn-aticn done then. Hare nre some things yOIl should think of in planning It gurdeu : 1. "'izP,-The a.ycrage boy 01"girl can eusily spade and care for a garden 10 uy 30 feet. A garden 9£ ibis size will goofar to supply vegetables fOl' a family of fall 1'. Your garden should be eunlcicntly JUl'ge to grQw enough vegetables to make it worth while, but not 1;0 Ia.rgc ns to malce its care too much of il tusk. 2. TVi/ltJb between 7'Owtl.-Rows must he further lipan if 11 horse or hand wheel cultivator is used than if you use hand tools, such as a bee or rake. 3. Path-\,.-----,."lince)'01l1' plants must receive personal attention you should plun JI)\lI' garden with ]laths so that you CUll reach all parts of it without tramping down the plants. 4. Ruta&uln,-This means using the same ground for the growth of one kind of CI'OP, followed by another of 11 different kind, as a Cl'OP (If corn followed by 1\ crop cr beaus. Each plant baa lmbita peculiar to itself. One pll\l\t mnv draw hl!lldly ou soil potash, another OUsoil nitrogen. Beside'>, certain plants grown time after time in the same soil tend to poison it. Your planting schemes should avoid growing the slime kind of plunts over nnd ovcu On the same ground . .;. /let'pi'ng yOllJl' 9(T,)yj,en (II, wOlof.:.-A planting calplHiul" will tell )'Oll hOWl by second~and third sowin::'''Sl ;yon (~lln hove fresh vegeti\bles ;It aU times during the g'l1l'dening stl.lIson. G. .vile all YQ'/.t1'lan4,-\"'cgetaules whic'h ripen quiokly mny be grown lUllong those which ripen slowly. Thus Iettl1ce. rll.difiha.<;, »pinach1 And like \·ehTf.'tllbles ma~' bo pltlllted in the soil between to- l\111tO pllmts, }>ot.atoes, COl'n, etc. 7. Plants to 9/'OIJ'.-The kiJlds of pla.nts to be grown will determine \'el'.v lUl'b"e1ythe nature of YOUI' plan. Radishes and lettuce tnllY be planted closel' togcthel' than ctlbbu~s or corn. 8. Adltitl{/ {I. lOll.eli of ue.auty.-Finll.l1YI if you wish to mokB your glll"dcn not onl,v productive but uttracth'el flowers ma,v be g-rowll IIuout the borders. (7) HOW TO PREPARE YOUR GARDEN IN THE NORTH The soil for your garden should be spaded or plowed if possible in the fall. If this can not be done, then you, should do it as early in the spring as possible. 1£ your garden is too small to be. plowed with a team, you should spade it dec-ply with a. spading fork. Deep plowing ILDd spading, followed by thorough harrowing and raking, pots the soil in. the best condition to mnke your plants grow. When the soil is spaded, each spadeful as it is turned over should be broke~ up by striking with the back of the spade, When your garden soil crumbles in your hands, it is just right. . Vegetables are beevy feeders and, therefore, they need a rich soil. Ma.ny experienced gardeners use what is known us compost on theh- gardens. A compost heap is made of n. mixture of meadow sod, leaves, straw, grass, lawn clippings, unused portions of food and vegetables, sweepings froUl nnoiled streets, lime or wood ashes. stable manure, and soil The plan usually followed iB to first spread out a. luyer of manure about four inches deep, then one of len vee {II' strnw {II' vegetable waste. Upon these sprinkle a emall quantity of lime- or wood esbes ; then follow with 11 Iayer of earth an inch or two thick. Repeat this until all your material hue been anmnged in byers and placed in piles. .AJteruu.telayers of lenves or steaw prevent the plaait food contained in the stable fertilizer end street sweepings from being washed out and lost. 'rum over your compost heap with u spading fork about twice a. ~SOJl. This mixes tho. mnterinls more thoroughly and makes them decay more. In a dry climate yon should pour water on the beap occasionally. As soon as part of your compost henp has rotted down enough to mix readily with the soil it should be spaded in wherever needed. The courser portions which lUG slow to decay may well be buried in tbe bottom of border beds for perermiul flowers or vegetables. The thorough working into the soil of I\ny stable 01' commercial fertilizer is important. Garden soils composed In.rgely of clay are very likely to be SOur, but you can fu: this by putting one pound of air-slacked, burned, or hydrated lime j two pounds of ground Ilme- stone; 01' three pounds of unleached wood ashes on every twenty-five square feet, of garden space. Coal ashes will help to loosen, up a clay soil. The proper preparation of the soil and thorough working of ell fertilizers into the soil are of utmost importance. The success of your garden will depend n~ry largely upon the thoroughness' with ,which YOUI'seed bed hns been prepllred. (8) KEEPING YOUR GARDEN AT WORK IN THE SOUTH Evei-y southern home should have a fall garden. That cold weather is coming is not a good reason to stop growing crops and to allow weeds to take. your gorden.· Autumn is really another growing season and your garden would produce at least a fourth more vegetables by keeping the land nt work during this season of the year. Garden soil kept under culti vation in the fall ill in better condition for spring use. It should be cleared of all dead vines end other trash as soon as summer' Cl'OpSare gathered. Fall cultivation will help to destroy insects as they live in winter in trash heaps or under the surface of the soil. CultivllLillg the soil breaks up chis surface and throws these insects out of their winter homes. Your late garden work should consist of three things: 1. Taking care of your crops on hand. 2. Plunting other CYOpS in their place. 3. Getting ready for yont' next year-s work. You should try to put a fall crop in the "pace of every gathered crop, Keep your lund working. You should also pick out YOUI' fuU crops with (In eye to your next year's pluntdngs. It is well to have It. definite plan for your fall work, just as it .is important to plan defi- nitely for your spring and summer work July is about the first month in the South when you should begin to plan for your fall garden. Mnke up J'OUl' mind, after careful study, what crops will. best suit your needs or the needs of YOllr neighborhood and then plant only those crops. Aim to supply your own table just as long as it is pos- eible to mise plants during the colder season. There will probably como u time Inter when it will be too cold to gI:Ow anything in the garden. Until tbut time comes make your garden work every minute of the duy and night. 74-190~-J.8-2 (9) TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR GARDEN Much of the waste in gardening is due to lock ot care after the garden has been successfully started. It is easy encuga to plant II garden bur it takes patience and continued care to grow a full crop. You ought noL to waste anything, now that there is $0 much demand fer load products. Every plant you have in your garden that is neglected and allowed to die is just so much loss to your country. You should cultivate the soil short ly nfter each ruiu in order to break the dried crust and make u layer of dust on top to keep the ground moist underneath. Never work your soil when it is too wet. It should be dry enough to crumble in your hands before a garden plow 01' band hoe is 'used. Practice regulnr and thorough stirring of the soil throughout the season. Gardouera sometimes neglect this during dry times. Evert if n luycr- of dust is already present your garden will be helped by regular cultivnfion. Cultivation, besides making It layer- of dust on top, will : 1. Loosen nnd break up the ground into smaller pieces. 2. Increase the nmount of food that the plants live on, and make it easier for them to get it. 3. Make it easier for the air to got to each piece of soil. 4. Mix the fertilizer better with the soil. 5. Destroy 'weeds and insects. While your vegetables U1'6 small, cultivate close to the plants and as deeply as the plants are in the soil, As YOUI' vegetables gt'ow larger, do not cultivate so deeply but fart.her from t11Q I'OW. You should cultivate at regular intervals until the plnnta have grown 80 large ItS to make it difficult to use n cultivator. In u small garden a bund hoe or weeder may then be used if more stirring aeeme neces- snry. The wheel hoe is set up on wheels and bas several different. kinds of shovels. These ml1Y be changed for different kinds of wade The wheel hoe is used to cultivate between the rows. It is also u!3ed to get the garden ready to plant. It is one of the roost useful garden tools. ..A. spade is used to dig up the soil. If you use a garden line in your garden you can keep your rows straight, thus giving your gur- den a better appearance. (10) HUMUS-THE FOOD PRODUCER Humus is n. Iittle word of two syllnbles-c-bu-mus-c-thnt sounds It bit extraordinary. So did the word automobile 30 yen t-s ago. Yet humus is of vnsrly greater importance to America thnn nre auto- mobiles. . It is up to the teachers of Americu to mnke the wont humus as common as the word aurouiobile, and its meaning as well known by the mUDon the street. Humus is the grcilt basis of food production. The best Wl.l.Vto Hooverlse is to increase {he humus in the soil. An ounce of humus will produce 11 pound of bread. Humus is simply the decayed 01' decaying parte of plants or nni- mals in the soil. Even if derived directly from animals it came first fl'OIll the- growth of plants. The black led mold Oil top of fhe. Roil in the woods is almost pure humus in 1111 carl.V'stage of decay. The black soil or swamps is also nearly pure humus ill !L late stage of decav. The great trouble with most of aUI' poor Boils is that for them every day is II buruualess (1<1Y.The. first dnty of meuy soldiers ill the United Stutes School Garden Army is to fur-nish IHiIUllS to sncb soils, Old leaves, straw. grass, unimul or plan! refuse of tiny kind-e-even ga['bil~e when iL can't be usedto feed pigs or pOUHI-y-IUlly he worked directly into the soil or made into n. compost heup. which you have already learned about. to decay llild be dug in lnter. An 'appalli.ng waste of humus is .tnlcing- place. all the time, We throw it away, We burn it We let. tho: rivers curry it (lif, We neglect to PI'OOHce it ItS we should. Let's get down to che real lmsis in this great. business of food prodm:tion. Let's teach the children of Americn that 1-0 save llllIDliS I\ud put it to work is the first duty of the p!ltriol. If food will win the w!LI,-humus will produce t,he food. (11) MANURES All garden crops require u rich soil, well supplied with humus. Humus is decayed vegetable or mrimn 1 matter. Bnmyard or stable manure is the best gueden fertilizer because, it furnishes this humus, In some places it is impossible to get mu nurea for the garden, and )'011 will have to usc commercial tertiliaera and materiula from the compost heaps, which have been described. When rnnnures nre selected for YOUJ'garden, you should take cnre that there is nothing in them that will hurt the soil. Sawdust and slmvings in manure tend to make the soil sour. If the manure used comes Irom stables, nll shavings and sawdust should be 1'e01o\-OOif possible. The manure from sheep, pigeons, and chickens contains a great deal of food tbnt the p1nn~ USe. These manures arc more valuable thnu the ordinary barnyard manures, put must not be spread 100 thickly over your garden. It is generally customary to work course IDlUllH'C into garden soil in the full so that it will have time to decay, In the spring, well- Totted manure can be worked into the soil with n digging fork The amount of manure necessary for your garden will depend upon the condition of the soil. Poor worn-out soils will necessm-lly need more. thnu rich) mellow soils. From 20 to 30 tons of manum nn acre is ~ncrally very satisfactory. This meDUS about a pound of manure to every square foot of garden space. Humus may be added to the garden soil by planting what is known as a leguminous CI'Op. Cowpens, soy beans, and vetch ure excellent, CJ'OpS for this purpose. Such Cl'OPS take nitrogen ant of the nil' nnd store it in their roots. .After these crops nrc plowed into the soil the nitrogen is 'suid to be "fixed II and young growing plants can. use it as they need it. 'I'hls plan of putting humus into the soil is followed only between cropping times and cun not be successfully used to any greut extent while your garden is in action. When green, crops are thus plowed or spaded into the soil we call it. green manuring, (12) ROTATING YOUR GARDEN CROPS When you grow cermin CI'OPS on the same garden soil in such 11 way that they follow each other- in regular order, it is called OROI> ROTATION. A rotation in which you plant corn in your gnrdeu the 1ir'st year, followed by potatoes the second year, and some crop of the clover family the' third year, would be. known us a. three-year rotation. Many gardeners make the mistake of plautlng the some garden crop year niter year in the same garden space nud hence do not rotate their crops. ADVANTAGES OJ' IlO'r.\TIO,N. Experienced gardeners bave found the following some of the Ad- vantages secured by rotating garden crops: 1. By planting potatoes in a new place in the garden you will get rid of the potato scab. 2. By planting cabbage in a new place club root is gotten rid of and there are not so many insect pests. 3, Oitrel'CJlt plauta will be nble to get their food from different soil depths. The potato, onion, and beet get their food from the first 0 inches of the soil 'When these crops fire followed by sweet corn, because of the longer roots of the corn plant, its food is gotten from a greater depth. 4, A greater variety of vegetables ma.y be grown and your labor spread out over the year, 5. If you were to grow only one-crop, the ground would be bare part of the yenr~ but with n variety of crops you can hnve something: growing for a longer part of the time. G, Woods that 1'1'0'"0quite troublesome to some garden CJ'OpS, like onions, may be gotten rid or by plunt.ing sweet corn in the same space and cultivutiug the soil more thoroughly. 7. In general, it is II good practice to find II new place occasionally for your whole garden if you bare the room. If you do this, mnny plunt; diseases, us well us insecta. will disappear. (13) " HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOTBED If your garden does not hnvc 11 hotbed f~r raising 0n:1y plnll,ts TOU should build one during October when time can be g1Ven to It. Making a hotbed is Dot JifficuJt and gives you a fine opportu~ty to show how much of a carpenter you axe. Every garden supervised by the scbcol authcrdtiea should have e hotbed and the building of this should be one of t/:l.eearliest garden duties. If your bed is properly mnde In the fall it will be in excellent condition for the nut spring work. In making your hotbed, a. pit is dug from 2 to 3 feet deep and from 5 to 6 feet wide. Glass sashes are used to cover the pit. These sashes are generally 6 feet long and 3 feet wide, but other sizes may be used if necessary. Milke the pit long enough to fit the size Qf the sash chosen. PIneo a. 2-inch plank, 12 to 15 inches wide, on edge, on the north side of the bed. Then on the south side of the pit place u plank about half tho width of tho one used on tlte uorfli side. The sash, resting on these boards, will then slope toward the south and you will get better results from the sunlight. The ends of the bed are closed with boards cut to fit snugly and soil is banked up nll around the framework to keep out the cold. TIle pit should be dl1g nod the framework arranged in the fall. '!be sashes may be hinged at the top and held up by strong sticks when the pit is opened, or they may be hinged on the side nod thrown back when ~he pit is opened. Sometimes the sashes are made to slide in and out on strips of wood set into the sides of the hotbed. The opening of the sREbes is necessary to ventilate the bed properly and to allow you to work in the pit. About)O or 12 weeks before the time of out-door planting the pit should be filled with well heated etuble manure. This manure i~ coy. ercd with G or 8 inches of rich soil, finely powdered. Keep the soil moist while it is being heated by t ha fermenting manure. Keep a soil thermometer in the pit and carefully rend the temperntura from dny to day. Wh~n the temperatUl"G falls 10 90 or 85 degrees o , it is safe to sow your seeds. If the bed has been properly made it will gl ve out enough heat to grow 'plants during n period of five Or six weeks. If y01I curt not buy glass sashes, you can stretch strong willie can- vue Uel'OSS the pit. (14) HOW TO MAKE YOUR COLD FRAME A coldframe is made like a hotbed, except thl~tno munnre is used. Enough heat is secured from the sun. A coldfmme is USed to harden plants that have been grown in n hotbed, Or to continue the growing of eertu in plants during the winter months. If you should take plants like the tomato directly from the hotbed and plant them in the 0P(>1l field, fb~y would probably (lit;>. They can not stnud the quick. great change from warm to 001(1condi- tions. If, however. such plants uro first hardened by being tenus- planted to II ccldfrnrae, they 91'e able to St-lU1U a good deal of cold without injury. Coldfnunes should be made III the fall so that they will be ready for- spring work. It is sometimes well to have two or three cold. frames in your garden, especially in. the north, It!'! they will save YOUI' plants during Ihe cold spells of spr-ing. In the middle of the duy. wlu-n the uir is warm. the glusa 01"canvu .... above the frame may be raised. This gives the plants u better venti- lation and at the snme tirue hllrd~ns them. As night comes on the plants should be cOVCI'e(l. Latct- on, the frnmce ml\Y be kept OpCJl for u large patt 01 the elll,\". but only when the daj- is WMm. Before the plauts ill'\} taken lip und plnnred ill your garden the ensltes should be kept oIT the frame for several duys. Vegetable Metis may be. pluuted much sooner in coldfcames than outside. Thus tomatoes. cabbages, caullftower, onions, etc" mlly be given un clu'ly st.art. Lellf "egetable::>, SllCh as leU,llce, lire LteUCI' if gruwll entirely in :1 coldflolllltC. The.r l1.1l1y be protected from frost-, from too much heat, llnd from birds. In Jlinuy of the Northem States you Cf\.llll.ot ~'Tow plants in I). hoi· bed or coldfrnme dlll'ing winter 1l1llcss more pl'otectiOil is ginm. Thil'l is s01l1etim~s done by placing stl'l(.Wor hay over the 1{ln~s, Hn)' mats :l1'e very useful for this purpose. (15) HOW TO KEEP JACK FROST AWAY With some thought and care your garden may be kept producing after the first light frosts of the fall, and the same attention will save plants from the late spring frosts. There are several ways of protecting your plants from frost that will make the garden season longer. During the time when frost may be expected you should read in the papers what the weather man says and see whether he thinks there will be a frost. After a while you may be able yourself to tell when to expect a frost. Thousands of dollars have been saved by growers, especially in the western parts of the United States, through the use of what are called smudge pots. This is done by putting cans that will hold a gallon or more of oil in different parts of your garden. Place about one can to each 25 square feet of garden space. Fill the cans with a light crude oil, which should cost about 5 cents a gallon. Keep the cans covered. When the thermometer reaches the danger point and a frost is expected throw a tablespoonful of gasoline on the oil in the can and light with a torch. The oil will burn in these cans from 3 to 5 hours. Put a thermometer in the coldest place in your gar- den. Watch the temperature to see whether or not it rises or falls. If the temperature continues to fall, keep the cans going by refilling until the danger point is passed. Cheesecloth, muslin, sacking, or newspapers thrown over garden plants, such as tomatoes and fall-bearing strawberries, will keep them from being killed by frost. Where your plants are very small use muslin that has been placed over light wood frames. Large frames may also be made to cover several plants at a time. In spring small potato plants just coming through the ground may be protected by covering them with soil, which should be taken off as soon as the danger of frost is over. Tin cans and fruit boxes placed over small plants at night will protect them from frost. If frosted plants are sprinkled freely with water before the sun rises they may often be saved from absolute loss. I t is claimed that if the garden is irrigated while the temperature is at a danger point garden plants may be protected by the water used. By using some plan of protecting your plants from frost for a few nights the growing season may be made several weeks longer. In many places there will be one or two frosts that might kill all your plants, followed by a long period of warm weather. If your garden can be protected during these few nights much more produce will be secured from the garden during the season. (16) • HOW TO lULL THE INSECTS Insects that. feed on plants get their food in two ways; some bite out pieces of the leaf stem, or iTuit; others stick a pointed beak into the plant and suck up the sup. Some insects mny be killed by put- ting arsenate. of load or other poison on the plant, Other insects l\J'C Dot hurt in this wuy but must be killed by some poison which gets directly all their bodies. . Cabbage worms, Jlce beerlea, potato beetles, celery caterpillars, and tomato worms are good examples of insecta that bite plants. Aphids or p1ant lice, lOiLfhoppers, squash bugs, sea Ie insects, and various plunt bugs are good examples of insects that suck up the sap. As It rule, the biting insects arc rather easier to kill than the sucking'in- sects, because it is only necessary to dust or spray the plant at almost lilly time before- the insects nttflak it. In the case of the sucking in- sects it is necessary to put the poison all the plants at the time when " the insects are present und to repeat it until all nrc killed, The best wny to kill biting insects is to use arsenate of Lend. This may be purchased from all seedsmen and florists, as well us at most hardware and paint stores, in either of two forms: A paste which is especially intended for apruying, or 11 dry powder which may be used either for spraying or dusting. The wa.y to use arsenate of lend is told in the next chapter. One groat advantage of arsenate of lead is that either as n liquid spray or a dry powder it may be put on the plants in almost any strength without danger of hurting them. RememlJer that (U'8C1tate of reM is a deadly poiaorl.. It must 'M'ver be left ~Dh,ereyOU11g cMld1'en may get it. Writo out D. list of the tusecta "on have seen that bite plants. (11) , HOW TO USE ARSENATE OF LEAD / • As you have learned in the last chapter, arsenate of lead is the best poison to kill insects that bite plants. It may be put on the plants in these ways: 1. Put the dry powder on the leaves and steins with a powder bellows, powder gun. or duster. The best time to do this is early in the morning before the dew has evaporated. Put the powder on thick enough to show a white coating on the plant. This 18 the easiest and simplest way to kill most insects that bite plants. 2. Spray the plants with lead arsenate powder in water by means of a small pump or hand sprayer in this strength: Three level teaspoonfuls lead arsenate powder to one quart water, or One ounce or about 10 level teaspoonsful lead arsenate powdei to one gallon of water, or One pound lead arsenate powder to 25 gallons of water. 8. If the paste form of lead arsenate is used instead of the powder, use twice as much lead arsenate in each case. I. If you find it difficult to make the lead arsenate stick to the leaves, as you may when putting it on cabbage and asparagus, add resin fish oil soap at the rate of 1 ounce or :i piece about "2 inches square to each gallon of water. Dissolve the soap in hot water before mixing with the lead arsenate water. (18) " ANOTHER ENEMY, THE APHIDS OR PLANT LICE Tho uphids or plant lice lire probably the most generally trouble- some garden insects. The.y attack nearly all crops and often cause the withering 01' death of the plants. These aphids are sucking insects. Each has a sharp beak that it sticks into leaf, stem, or fruit, Then it sucks out the sap. AI· though these pests are SO small, they increase in number very rapidly. Each gives birth to many young ones and these young aphids grow up in It week. So one aphid upon a plunt m,ay soon cause it to be covered with the little green, brown, or black flies. The large num- lcr of aucldng beaks soon kills tho led or plant, Flowers cs well as vegetables are commonly attacked by these little creatures. A black kind is often found in large numbers on nnstur- tlums. A brown kind attacks chrysanthemums. Several sorts of green aphids may be found on other flowers. Because these pests get their food by sucking the- sap -iustcnd of biting out pieces of the leaf they can not be killed by putting poisons like arsenate of lend or Paris green on the surface of the plant. As you learned in another chapter when you spray or dust. such nreenical poisons on potato leaves the bits of poison arc eaten by the potato beetles and tho beetles die. But the aphids or !lily other suck- ing insects simply push their beaks between the bits of poison to reach the sap within the lenf and nre not hurt by such poisons. The best thing to use to kill aphids ia the nicotine poison in to- bacco described in tho last chapter. In 'using nicotine washes 01' sprays against these little pests you must not "be content with spraying but once. You should spray YOIU'plants two or three times, because if only a. few aphids are left they will soon multiply into a great number, . . . You should use a sprayer that makes u fine mist which will re~ch all parts of the plants that arc being aLtilcked. In tile case of ville crops, like melons and cucumbers, you should also spray the under eurfuces of all leaves, Do you remember what you learned about the lise of kerosene waah or emulsion to kill these sucking insects t (19) .. WHEN TO GATHER YOUR VEGETABLES If you take good care of your garden all through the season, fol- lowing the directions given in this manual, you may expect to gather a good crop. This table tells you when to gather several kinds of vegetables that you will grow. Crop. Time to gather. Remarks. Beets When young ". Beet greens, when tender, make a delicious dish Brussels sprouts After frost Cold improves this vegetable. Cabbage (early) When three-fourths headed May ho loft until frost. Carrots When young Should always be gathered young when used for soups. Chard When outside leaves are about Cut lightly at first. Midribs of leaves can 1 foot high. he used like asparagus. Kohlrabi Before skin hardens The bulb should be about two-thirds as large as a baseball. Lettuce While leaves are tender Small, young lettuce leaves make best Lima beans While still green Tods should be spongy at the tip. Melons When they crack around the Let your melons ripen on stem if possible. Potatoes When vines are dry Harvest a few at a time except at end of MMOQ. Radishes When young Radishes get tough and spongy with age. String beans When they snap readily... Tips should be soft and easily bent or Shell beans When pods are well filled.. Do not let them dry on vines. Sweet corn When It has just come to milk Should be used as soon as picked. with blackened silks. (20) YOUR ENEMY THE CABBAGE WORMS The cabbage worms are the worst enemies of cabbages and oauli- flower. They are greenish caterpillars that may easily be found in the garden ut almost any time. They eat the leaves of the growing plants, giving them a ragged appearance. As the cabbages head up they eat the inner leaves und often ruin the heads. Like other insects, this cabbage worm has a. life story which is worth telling: Some Bne morning u common white butterfly lilly come to your garden. She stops to lay an egg on the cabbage led and then fIies away. A week Inter the egg botches into Q; tiny green worm or cater- pillar. . The little caterpillar nibbles nt the gt'een surface of the leaf and begins to grow. It nibbles away £01' II week or so. Then it has eaten so much that it has become too large fo!" the skin with which it was born. So it sheds this skin or molts end crawls out with u new akin which had been formed beneath the old one. After the first molt the caterpillar feeds nguln upon the leaf, and keeps this up for several days before it is ready to molt the second time. Tbeu it sheds its skin £IS before. The caterpillar keeps on feeding nod shedding its skin for about (I, month. Then it is full grown so far as this part of its life is con- cerned. It now crawls to the underside of a cabbage leaf 01' a stone, or board, and fastens itself by a mnt; of silken threads. Here it sheds its skin for tile last time and becomes whnt is called II quiet chrysalis. A.fter nncthcr week tile quiet. chrysalis changes to a white butter- :Oy like the 011e that laid tho egg. new 1'0 PB011£Ol' YOUR CABBA(lES. The injuries of cabbage worms may be prevented in tMse ways: 1. Dusting the yonng cabbages with road dust, nshos, or something similar i\-hioh prevent the lnying of the eggs. 2. ClltClung and killing the butterflies thut lay the eggs. 3. Dusting or spraying the young plllnts-Z,eforg th81J begir., to head, rnnt87'after--with arsenate ot lead. 4. Dusting or spraYing the plants with hellebore, after they begin to head. 5. Pouring on hot wnter-at a temperature of 130" to H.O° Fahren- heit. (21) HOW TO USE KEROSENE WASH OR EMULSION Yon remember that. there are two kinds of insects tluu muy attack your garden, tl1056 that bite the leaves uud stems nud those that suck the sup from the. pluuts. You have learned ubout tho biting insects nnd how to protect YOUI'plants from them. Now you are to learn how .lo prevent. damage by tho sucking insects . . The best things 10 use t o kill aphids or plant lice nnd other insects thaI,. suck the sap Irom the green leu ves und stems of crop plants 111'0 kerosene wash 01' emulsionuud tba nicotine extracts of tobacco. Kerosene. like other oils. kills any insect's Ihu t it touches. The oil goes tlu-ough tile brenthinp tubes to all parts of the body, causing death. But kerosene alone also kills the green purrs of leaves and ~tem$, su iL can not be. used alone on crops thnl arc being attacked by insecta. "'hell k(H'OB~UO and hot soapsuds nre mixed together they make 1\ wash 0" whut is culled un emulsion which JOu can put on the green f.illl'bces of plnnts without hurting them. This mixture is still strong enough to kill the insects, To make u.fiUPl,l.r of !.:el'o!?t'lle emulsion )fOil willneedn puit, It ernul! ~Pl'lly pump, and II plucc to hell! water. The emulsion is easily made by fOllowing these directions: Hent 0UfL-hll.1! gattcn oJ( wuter to \)(rIling. SHoo lULL! II ba.r ot 114lApinto pteeea and NUl' It In the, \\'{\II.'" unrtt dI8$Ol\·al. Tllke II from l1Ie lire lUlu llour tllC!'O hot $OIlNI\l(h:lInto U [lull Into whlrh rOll have put n gnllon of kerosene. Ttll;!ll j)~tllp the Illh::tul'e bllck lln(l forth Into the [lull until tile keroeene I~ Lborough1y T1lJXCd v.'lth the ooftj18urll', (tll·mln.!:" an emulsIon. WlHlIl lhe eJUlI.lsiol.l is Illnde it Cltn nt. once be dHutell with Willer, lrl.!xi.ng easily whilo still Wllrm. One part of the emulsion should be 1mxed with len parts of WlIt!.'!'. T 'yhe? the emulsion cOlJl~ if becomes a jnJlylike mll:';s, Him ~of( SOllp. ~ will kcap fOl' mOil! hs if aIMed ill n cool pillce. Some of It ma.y he ~ed ill. all.V time, tlilntillg wjlll ]0 parts of wMer 10 1 pllrl of mnul- 81°1' ,If it is first Ini:¥ccl with u. Httle !'Ot. 'WaLeI'it dilutes mo~e eas!ly. 1 ~ 1l?1I amount. of kerosene cmul::>JOll mu)' be nlllde b.y uIsl;OJnng "W~t~bl.et~ch of soup in hall It pint of hot wlltel'llnd them shalcitl~ Juu'c1 ,', 1 tl {)llll of lUlrosenc unt.il tliol'o"ghly lluted' '.' mixed Thic is then to be ..... With 10 part.s of water. (22) STORING YOUR VEGETABLES The storing of vegetables that are not used as soon as gathered is v °ry important, as it is a fine way to lay up food for future use. At is a way to Hoovcrize many vegetables that you can't eat at once, •^specially at this time, during the war, we must save and use every product possible, and we must not have any waste. Potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, turnips, and many other of your garden products may be kept for winter use by storing. You will £ e t the best results from storage if care is taken regarding the proper temperature and ventilation needed, the amount of moisture necessary, and the quality of the vegetables when first put in storage. Some vegetables may be stored on your mother's pantry shelves while others should be put in the cellar, and still others kept in outdoor pits. Sometimes several neighbors join together and build a pit or storage cellar for their vegetables. This is known as com- munity storage. When several gardeners do this the cost to each is small, and the vegetables can be handled more easily. If you store your vegetables in the cellar, you must take care to see that there is enough ventilation and that the proper temperature may be easily kept. The cellar should have a good dirt floor, or, if it has a concrete floor, the floor should be covered with 3 inches of sand. This floor should be kept moist. Beets, celery, cabbage, pars- nips, turnips, and potatoes may be stored in the cellar. The best way to store vegetables outdoors is to use a pit. To build this, dig a hole in the ground 6 inches deep and as wide and long as necessary to hold the vegetables to be stored when piled up. Before putting the vegetables in the pit it should be lined with hay or straw. Cover the piled vegetables with several inches of hay or straw, and then cover the mound with 4 or 5 inches of soil. As cold weather comes on, add 10 or 12 inches of soil to the covering of the pit. (23) . �/ , SELLING YOUR VEGETABLES After your own home table has been supplied with all the vege- tables that it needs yOLI should sell YOl11'extra products as fast as they are ready for the market, Your home needs should be supplied first before you attempt to sell to your neighbors. If you raise enough vegetables to supply the needs of your own family you are doing It patriotic war duty, because, in so doing, you are making it possible for other vegetables to go to our soldier boys that would hn ve been needed IIthorne. You should not only supply your family needs uud pay for the cost of your garden, but you should make a neat profit on the vegetables you raise. Don't you think it would also be a fine iden to invest your vegetable profits in War Savings Stamps! Most selling from our village 01: city gardens is done b~' peddling among our neighbors. This encourages thrift and business system all your part. It is It braining that you boys and girls ongbt. not to neglect, To sell your vegetables readily there are 0 few rules that •• should be followed . l-:-Guthe.l· all vegetables when they are ripe and ready for the market. Do not pick half-ripe fruita; choose only those that are ready £01' a. quick sale. 2. Grnc1e your vogetablee according to size and quality. Do not have a mixturs of large and small sizes and good uud poor vegetables. 3. Make your display of fruit attractive. 6ustomers will buy quicker and pa.y more if the goods offered for sale look neut and clean. I!,. Do not put the best vegetables on top while poorer ones are hid- den beneath. It would be better to separate the kinds and sell them separately. 5. Be honest. Do not claim for your goods what they will not show. Try to keep YOUl'customers by honest dealing. G. Wbutever boxes or bf'lskets are used f01' selling or disphlvlng your vegetables, make them nttraati\'e. . Build IIp u reputation tOl' !f0U'l'Se.1f fer honesty nnd fuil' dealing. (24) '. .. TYPES OF MARKETING Community types: (a) Children's community market in an attractive central locution. (li) Children's space in the municipal market. (0) Children's mar-ket Itt the school. Individual types: (a) Children's markets at home. This plan provides for sale to those who call at the home, as well as tbnt sold to neighbors. (7;) By use of parcel post. Cooperative types: (I"T) Provision :for sale of. produce through the U. S. S. G. A. officers at central locution In city, u.t school, or in the municipal market. Prepuratlon : (a) All produce should be in the best possible marketable state. (0) Produce should be graded according to size. Ce) All prcduce should be clean, fresh, and crisp. (d) Produce should be graded according to quality. Display of vcgetnbles: (a) Mnke the market display attractive. (0) Use uniform and iuespenslve containers. (c) See that all produce is free from defects. (d) Arrange the display according to types. Some examples of various types: (a) Root type-Carrots nnd turnips. (b) Head type-s-Cabbage and head lettuce. (0) Stem t:vpe-Cel~ry and potntoes (underground). (d) Leaf type-Lenf lettuce and spinach. (20) A SONG FOR THE SCHOOL GARDEN ARMY Composed by Master JOE LXB DAVIS, Junior High School, Lexington, Ky. Johnnie, get your hoe, get your hoe, get your hoe; Mary, dig your row, dig your row. dig your row; Down to- business, girls and boys. Learn to know the fanner's joys. Uncle Sam's in Deed, poll the weed, plant the seed, While die sunbeams lurk l________ __ e Outtlvutton IlD(l ;'l\l"e _ 5 Prover tlunutng ~~_~_ 5 B. Oholce or '·e~tiLl.lles__~ _ Ii'er nome use ~__________ 5 '5 ". Fol' UJ(lI'ketI11g_ __ \) FQJ' cunlllllg • __~___ . _ 5 "lIom rrom Jle.;l"_~ __ ~~_______ O. b'r\...... _ _ 15 SprllyLllg for in~·tll • ..•. 5 ~liru~·JIlI; tov (U:il11>j~_____________________ Other reruedln l 11ll:'lHmreS D. tcvmences ot Cullt!nuolls cultLvatiun .____________ _ . _~__ _ _ 5 5 5 ,. CtIlllplln!n!\ (':rv!lllin/.: _ _ ~ n Sll~'t~l;liltlll cl·"pplng • ~ __• __ • ~_ 5 E. onre uf tools _ J'\ V[line nf produce ~ ~ _ '0 lJ'*tlllt hun,'e________________ _ ~ul(l In ute 1I1l11'keL_._____________________________________ __ _ .." {) " t!>;(!{l tOI' cnnnlng fi G. Ac<:urllf~~' ot /{OI'(]1'1I rl!ef)rdll • __~ _ 10 Tota.l ~ ~ ~______ :1.00 (80) STORIES OF BEANS AND OTHER THINGS The garden operations 0'£ the pupils make an excellent basis for language stories. Such stories embody real first-hand knowledge. In telling them the pupils feel the interest of a personal experience. Doe advantage in developing such stories is that they enn readily be ndupted to the diflerent grades. The length of the story depends chiefly upon the number o£ details mentioned. In the lower grades where the stories are made up of few sentences, ouly the principal facts are mentioned. In the upper grades details of development and structure are readily included. The following model stories IH'6 suggestive of the work that may be expected of pupils in the third grade: Yesterday I planted halt MY BEAN SEEDS. It flInt or bean eeera In my nome garden. I put .. down It line to keep the row stratght. 1 made n ruerow along the 1I0e wIth a uce. r dropped uenu seers III tnc ljottom of the furrow. one seed evers two Inches. I coverer the eeeca two tacuee ceen, I hope tbey will come up soon, MY BEAN PLANTS. Early last wcelt I planted some benn seeds In my home gnrden. This morning I snw them coming np. The stem ts curved over at first. It pulls \lP .tbe two thJek seed Ieaves. Tl1en the stem becomes strnlgJlt curt the large reeves begin to grow. 1 hope they will grow rnpldly. Such stories may be oral or written or both. They help to make the language lessons real. (81) . USING THE SEED CATALOGUES The seed catalogues are excellent textbooks on school gardening. They are always up to date. They buve attractive pictures. They give prices of seeds in packets or in bulle. They describe the best varieties. Many of them give directions -fo,!'planting. These seed catalogues appcul strongly to pupils. Boys aud girls know that they an) the real thing. They see their value und soon Jearu how to usc them. Here is u little plan £01' getl"ing and using these catalogues: 1. Tell the {lupllJ:l to look in the r1(1Y6rtlslng eolnmns ot tile mngaztuea for the UU1UC$lind eea-eeeee ot eeee houses that ol'l'er tnetr cutuloguas nee to tuose who apply. 2. Muke II lllnckbOlll'rl ust or nil the ftl'lllS reported. ner u Ust ot nt le'lst six or eight aueh ttrms. 3. Dlvhle these t1IT1lgnmoug the llUVlls $0 t1mt onl~' It few wlll eeud to ench tlrm. 4. aeve II lesson (;U tbl? form o~ tile eppncatlon. allowing each pupil to umke the request In hts own wny, provided it 15 in clenr ll,1H1Rlmple Elngllsb, wna proner courtesy. Let the teeeou end when tne request Is written on a pt.»;lt enrd or as n letter reurly roe llJulllng. 11'11\(1 stamps BOUleWfI;\' nrul see that the requeete are ruatlerl. 5. When the catalogues come, cnve e!lt'h pU!lil kee)l his o'1\\'1IIn bls del>l(. U",' these In connection with e\'el'~" crcu which Is ptauted. Let puplja lOOk IIp lists of yo.delles lind compare prlces IlIld l!cBCrlpUOlis. Mauy pupils will be ollIe to bring recent seed cnt,1logltes frQm h<;JIle. Let tlJelle I)a hrotlghlill allch CIH~es rnthe ...tl1ulI to /leIlil for !lew ones. A the teacher cun mak" the~o seed eatalogucs one of the Ilvcst featul'es of a live Jjehool. (52) o