SB 321 .L9 Copy 1 PRICE 5 CENTS How to Make A Small Vegetable Garden Simple and Successful Methods May be used up to June 1st in the Vicinity of New York By RALPH LYON There is a threatened shortage in the food crops of the country. Small vegetable gardens, if properly planted and cared for, will greatly relieve this condition. Al- though the planting season is well advanced, a success- ful garden may be started now. NEW YORK The Bancroft Company^ Publishers '5 n 1%^'f Several years ago the writer planted his first vege- table garden. He greatly felt the need of some simple directions, which were supplied neither by garden books nor seed catalogues. The methods zvhich he is now using zcith great success are set forth in this pamphlet. ©C!.A462323 MAY -9 1917 Copyright, igry-.b.v Ralph Lyon. HOW TO MAKE A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN. You do not need to own a farm in order to raise vegetables ; a sunny back yard or front yard will do, or better yet, a corner in an adjoining vacant lot ; in fact you can use any plot of ground provided it has sun during a good part of the day and is well drained. Sod or weeds will not matter if planting is done by the Trench Method. Doing the work yourself you will not only pro- duce, in delicious fresh vegetables, from five to ten times the value of seed and fertilizer but will enjoy healthful exercise and the knowledge that you are helping the country in time of need. TOOLS, FERTILIZER AND SEEDS RE- QUIRED. 1 spade. 1 iron rake. Yi load of rotted stable manure (Purchased for about $2.00 from livery stable or florist. Sheep manure or prepared fertilizer may be substituted if mixed with proper proportion of earth.) Yz pint Golden Bantam Corn. Yz pint Burpee's Stringless Green Pod Bush Beans. 1 packet LUCUUUS Swisschard. (These seeds, or simi- 1 packet St. Vallery Carrots. 'lLlttr\^.%x.r.. 1 packet Beets. any seed store.) 1 packet Bush Crookneck Squash. 1 packet Early White Bush Squash. 2 dozen Cos or Boston Market Lettuce Plants. 1 dozen Tomato Plants. (These plants may be 4 Fo-cr Plants purchased for about $1.00 ^ ^&& i laillb. at any seed store.) TRENCH METHOD OF PLANTING. Remove weeds or sod. Cut the latter into squares, for this purpose using the spade as an axe and piling the sod in an unused corner where it can rot for use next year as fertilizer. For Corn, Carrots, Egg Plant and Tomatoes, dig a trench 25 feet long by 10 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Fill in with about 5 inches of manure, break 3 down the sides of the trench and mix this earth with the manure. Tread down by walking in the trench and fill it to the proper level for planting. (See illus- tration.) For Beans, Beets, Lettuce, Swisschard and Squash, dig a trench 25 feet long by 10 inches wide by 8 inches deep. Fill in with about 4 inches of manure, and proceed as before. Trenches should be dug from 2 to 2^ feet apart. Vegetable gardens are usually started in March but by using the Trench Method, a successful garden may be planted up to June 1st. CORN: (Golden Bantam.) This may be planted from May 1 to July 1. Plant a 25 foot double row as early as possible and 12^ feet every two or three weeks thereafter. Fill trench to within 3 inches of top (see illustration), drop seed every 2 inches on each side of trench, cover to level of surrounding ground and firm down with end of rake or a board. When plants are 2 or 3 inches high, thin out to stand about 8 inches apart. Remove suckers which grow at the base of the stalk. Culti- vate about once a week by loosening the earth with the rake. Pick when kernels are fully developed when they are usually a light yellow color. This Corn, however, is excellent even when overripe. BEANS : (Burpee's Stringless Green Pod Bush.) These may be planted from May 7 to July 15. Plant a 25 foot double row as early as possible and 12^ feet every two or three weeks thereafter. Fill trench (prepared as described) to within 2 inches of top, drop seed every 2 inches on each side of trench, cover to level of surrounding ground and firm. Thin out plants to stand 6 inches apart. Cultivate with rake about once a week, but not after a rain or when the plants are covered with dew. SWISSCHARD : (Lucullus.) This is to be used instead of Spinach and may be planted from April 1 to July 1. Plant a 25 foot double row as early as possible. Fill the trench (pre- PLANTING CORN BY TRENCH METHOD. I. c/'^it/M*^ ^ Z . c/'i^^c/ e/y> u/xHi yyvo/ruiAJ. 3 . iSUUi of ^tnait Iri»^(/n cdntn^ . i/, cejM /tnc^c^ u^it^ j^na/mM . 5". <:^Xot)icid/y} oCni/yj ^^^ 6 . t^^iiue/to-M/i/t/^fdamt^i^ 7. S^AoC^ yvruryt . 'XZ pared as described) to the top with loose earth. Make two drills or furrows 8 inches apart and 1 inch deep. In these plant seed about every Yz inch, cover with earth and firm. Thin out plants to stand 4 inches apart and cultivate about once a week. Cut large outside leaves only, and plants will bear the whole season. CARROTS: (St. Vallery.) These may be planted from April 1 to June 1. Plant a 12^ foot double row (prepared as described) as early as possible and make additional plantings every few weeks, if space permits. Fill the trench to the top with loose earth. Make two drills or fur- rows 8 inches apart and 1 inch deep. In these plant seed about every ^ inch, cover with earth and firm. Thin out plants to stand 4 inches apart and cultivate about once a week. BEETS : These may be planted from April to June 1. Plant a 123^ foot double row (prepared as described) as early as possible and make additional plantings every few weeks if space permits. Fill the trench to the top with loose earth. Make two drills 01 furrows 8 inches apart and 1 inch deep. In these plant seed about every J/2 inch, cover with earth and firm. Thin out plants to stand 4 inches apart and cultivate about once a week. SQUASH: (Bush Crookneck and Early White Bush.) These varieties may be planted from May 15 to June 15. Plant 3 hills of each variety and a few hills every two or three weeks thereafter, if space per- mits. Fill trench (prepared as described) to top with loose earth, drop 8 to 12 seeds in groups every 3 feet, cover with y^ inch of loose dirt and firm lightly with the hand. Thin out to 3 best plants to a hill. Culti- vate every week as long as possible without injury to the plants. Squash bugs are best removed by hand picking. A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN STARTED LATE IN THE SEASON. Planted by Trench Method Plot 25 x 30 feet. /Z <:fayruxZd- (^e&/yx£i y^-e^OT*^ ?>reu^ /S .'/> 3 Jii/ek &'./ntf£^tt£cA'<^&ua.-iti~ s/'U&ii^ i-if/sAZf SatuiAi? fi.ia/>iil(/ >fi^ /S ZSf*^. e,t4 /i/a^ntu/Ju/u , 2S^. ^ i^ncyi^dtAU!^ ^^-ovr-JZe/ ^tatf I S' IZ/3X/: CaAA-itu/ 7>t.j^j / s Z'/ "^iXa^^ll^i^viXa /xt/'cru^ ti^^A^lS" >>'/:^ »rirt r OF CONGRESS Wrap the stalks with browi ^ 021 4Qg ^jo „ cut-worm and set plants in center ot treiii^i. ., ^ • inches apart. Protect from sun for a day or two. Cultivate frequently. Plants will do best with sup- ports. EGG PLANT: These may be set out from May 7 to June 1. Fill trench (prepared as described) to top with loose earth. .Set plants in center of trench 3 feet apart. Cultivate frequently. GENERAL DIRECTIONS: In very dry weather watering is necessary. Thii is best done by using a hose or letting a stream of water run down the trenches. Water thoroughly and seldom. Frequent cultivation is more necessary than water or fertilizer. Moisten the earth if dry when setting out plants. OTHER USEFUL TOOLS: A Garden Fork, Hoe, Long handled Cultivator and Trowel may be found useful. For a larger garden you will be repaid by the purchase of a small Wheel- Cultivator. These are made with excellent seeding attachments. A wheelbarrow is necessary if much fertilizer or sod has to be moved. OTHER VARIETIES OF VEGETABLES: Peas are an excellent early vegetable but for good results should be planted the latter part of March or early in April, although they can be planted up to May 15. Two good varieties are Daniel O'Rourke for earliest planting and Gradus for later. Cultural direc- tions given for Beans apply to these, except that the plants should stand 3 inches apart. Peas are more or less of a luxury as most varieties require brush or netting for support. Cabbage and Celery Plants and Onion Sets will do well in any loose soil. There are numerous other varieties of the vegetables heretofore enumerated but this list will produce excellent and sure results. The seed shortage this year makes it imperative that no seeds are wasted.