VEGETABLE planting chart
1 ■ ’ ■REMARKS
CELERY Vfcjg. 4 FEET
6 INCHES
PLANT THK.K AND THIN OUT
plant parishes ^iih carrots
TRANSPLANT 2 OR 3 TIMES
PLANT CORN IN SQUARES TO
INSURE DETTEtL POLLINATION
OYSTER PLANT
csAuittig*:;,
'__ I FOOT
4 INCHES
plant thick and thin out
_^,_PARJNIPJ
18 INCHES
6 INCHES
PEPPERS
m
PLANT DEEP &ETTER IF LEFT IN
GROUND IN WINTER
IS TO 2A INCHES 15 TO 24 INCHES
POTATOES
2 FEET
I FOOT
CULTIVATE IN HILLS
TOMATOES
'5?
grp
3 FEET
3 FEET
jTURNIPS I FOOT
4 INCHES
PLANT THICK AND THIN OUT
CUT THIS OUT AND PASTE ON CABPBQATO FOR REFERENCE.
—National Garden Bureau.
WHEN AND HOW
TO PLANT CROPS
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Gives Advice to the Home
Gardeners.
DIVIPED INTO FOUR GROUPS
First Vegetables That Will Withstand
Frost; Second, Semi-Hardy Crops;
Third, Those Easily Killed;
Fourth, Heat-Loving Plants.
Common garden crops nre divided
by the United States Department of
Agriculture into four groups as re
gards the time of planting them in the
open ground.
The first group Includes tlie vege
tables that will withstand consider
able frost and which may he planted
two or three weeks before the danger
of frost is past in the spring. The
second group, or semi-hardy crops, may
he planted a few days before, or about
the time that the last killing frost is
likely to occur. Tlie third group, those
easily killed by frost, should not be
planted until all danger of frost is
over. The fourth group, the heat-lov
ing plants, should never be planted in
the open until both the soil and I he air
are thoroughly warm.
Among the crops of the first group—
U>1 may be planted before frosts are
past—are Irish potatoes, smooth peas,
onion sets, cabbage plants, kule, tur
nips, beets, lettuce, and mustard. They
may be planted early because they re
quire some time to come up. While
the young plants nre injured by frost,
by the time they sprout and come to
the surfuee, frost danger is likely to
be past.
Don’t Follow Moon Rule.
Some gardeners formerly believed In
planting Irish potatoes and certain
other garden crops according to the
signs of the moon. No one seems to
Know how the old moon theory origi
nated, but it seems to date back to
prehistoric times and probably was
based upon the method of keeping
time by moons rather than by months.
There Is no definite experimental data
to show that the moon lias any influ
ence one way or the other upon plant
growth, and experienced gardeners pre
fer to plant their potatoes at a time
v hen the weather and soil conditions
are right rather than according to the
phase of tlie moon. Experience lias
shown that the point of most impor
tance is to have the land in first-class
condition for planting, then proceed to
plant ns soon as weather conditions
permit.
Tlic dwarf or smooth varieties of
English pens may be planted about
the same time as Irish potatoes, or
Just as soon as the ground is dry
enough to work In the early spring.
Mere again soil preparation is impor
tant, and the ground should he made
fine and mellow before planting.
Opinions differ as to tlie depth to
which (he seed peas should be cov
ered. Some authorities claim they
should he covered ns much as 4 inches,
while otliorg maintain that - or
inches is sufficient. Much will de
pei^i. however, upon the character of
the soil in which the crop is planted,
if the soli is a light sandy loam and
Inclined to dry out quickly, the peas
should he covered 3 to ‘l inches. Hut
If the soil is rather heavy and inclined
to pack closelv. they should not lie
covered more than I to* inches. 1 he
varieties of peas having wrinkled seed
coats should not he planted until about
two weeks after the smooth \aiiet.es.
They are Just n little more susceptible
to injury from frost and will mature
about as early If planted wfien the
ground has slightly wBnnrd.
When to Tik: Cfiar.cts.
In the case of certain garden crop*, j
| the investment in seed is too great for
! faking a chance with the weather, but
j with beefs, lettuce, ami radishes a very
small quantity of seed is required, and
if they come through in good shape,
! the product will be ready for use much
; earlier than if the planting were de
| layed. About 2f< or 30 feet of row
' will give all tiie early beets required
by an ordinary family, liudishes may
be planted in tbe rows with early peas.
However, it will be necessary to re
move tiie radishes before they begin
to crowd the peas. As a rule, radishes
will be ready for use In three or four
weeks after planting, or just about the
time that the peas have begun to make
a vigorous growth. Most gardeners
make the mistake of planting too many
radishes, or at least of planting too
many at one time and not being able
to use tbe product.
The old-fashioned method of growing
lettuce was to plant a bed along one
side or In one corner of tbe garden,
and when tiie plants were large
enough, to thin them, using the prod
uct ns needed and leaving the re
mainder to grow larger. This method
i of growing lettuce is not so desirable
I as tiie plan of planting It in rows,
I where it can be more easily cultivat
ed. Lettuce is very susceptible to beat,
and if is difficult to grow it after tbe
weather lias become hot. For this rea
son it is best grown as a spring and
a full crop. Two or three plantings
at intervals of 10 days or ~ weeks
in spring and a planting or two in
autumn should be sufficient for the
needs of tiie ordinary family.
Planting Second Group.
The second group, including carrots,
beets, parsnips, radishes, salsify,
wrinkled peas, spinach, swiss chard
and early sweet com, may be planted
shortly before the probable time for
the last spring frost. The planting of
these crops should be so timed that
tHey will escape frost and yet be
started just as early as possible. The
same planting methods should be fol- !
lowed as for the extremely early :
crops.
Tbe third group of garden crops,
or those that should not be planted
until alter danger of frost Is past,
includes cucumbers, niuskmelons, okra,
snap beans, cauliflower, and well har
dened tomato plants. The time of
setting totnato plants, however, will de
pend on local conditions. If they art
not crowding each other too much in
the plant bed, It may pay to delay set
ting them iu tiie open ground until
the air is thoroughly warmed. Little
is gained bv planting teuder plants
in tbe open ground too early.
The fourth group of plants, com
monly known as the heat-loving plants,
includes peppers, eggplant, Lima
beans, sweet potatoes, and summer
squash. These crops are easily in
jured by cold nights and periods of
rainy weather, and it is always best
to delay planting them until a safe
period has been reached. It should
be borne in mind that certain soils
warm up slowly in spring, and that
such plants as eggplant and peppers
are susceptible to injury from cold
soils.
i.
RICH FERTILIZER
The cleanings from the poultry
house tire valuable as a garden fer
tilizer, and these should be saved In
barrels or some other receptacle
where they can be kept reasonably dry
until they are spread upon the garden,
■t
VEGETABLES NEED ROOM
One serious mistake made b.v
many gardeners is planting too
great a variety of vegetables in
a small space, with consequent
crowding and poor growth, says
the United States Department of
Agriculture. It is much better
for the gardener whose space Is
limited to plant a comparatively
few kinds of vegetables, uot
more than 1U or Ik’ out of a pos
able 50 or 00.
it t\
Where Your Taxes Go
How Uncle Sam Spends Your Money
in Conducting Your Business
By EDWARD G. LOWRY
Author ''Washington Close-Ups.” ‘ Hanks and Financial Systems."ate. Contributor
Political and Economic Articles to Leading Periodicals and a Writer of Hrcognized
Authority on the National Government's Business Methods.
Copyright, Western Newspaper Union
X.
JUST KEPT GROWING
The origins of these antiquated, cum
bersome, costly, Inefficient pieces of the
national machinery that we call the
executive departments show how any
establishment if well watered with
government money will expand and
hold together, no matter how conflict*-.
Jug and incongruous its functions.
Hardly one of these great business es
tablishments—for that is what they
are—was planned. As they are today
they just happened.
Take the Department of Agriculture,
for example, one of the greatest and
most complex and widesprending of all
the departments. It is in closer touch
and more directly affects the greatest
number of people in the United States
than any other branch of the govern
ment with the possible exception of
the post office. It began in 1839 with
an appropriation of $1,000, taken from
the patent funds for the distribu
tion of free seeds and t lie collection
of agricultural statistics by the patent
office, then a bureau in the State de
partment. Now look at the darned
thing. It Is all over the place.
The title of the department indicates
its most important field of activities, but
its functions have been extended to In
clude the whole range of rural indus
try and some branches of administra
tion only very indirectly related to
agricultural interests. For about 00
years subsequent to the.Revolution the
general interests of agriculture were ■
left almost entirely to individual initia
tive. Federal activity was confined to
relatively narrow limits and wus mere
ly sporadic. Soon after the national
government wus organized some at
tempts were made to establish u board
of agriculture; but neither the first
proposal in 171*6 nor a second effort in
3817 was successful.
Shortly after the Revolution, follow
ing the example <>f Benjamin Frank
lin while in England, as agent of the
colony of Pennsylvania during the
years 1764 to 1775, American consuls
and naval officers began the practice
of sending home foreign seeds and cut
tings for new crops, and of aiding in
tlie introduction into the United States
of new breeds of domestic animals.
Even such small governmental partici
pation was, in the beginning, rather
extra-official.
In 1830 the commissioner of pat
ents, one H. L. Ellsworth, began the
distribution of considerable quantities
of seeds nod plants received from gov
ernment representatives in foreign
countries; and three years later
through liis influence nn appropriation
of $1,000 was made for the purpose of
procuring and distributing seeds of
new plants, carrying agricultural in
vestigations and collecting agricultural
statistics. This was the historic lie
ginning of the nnich-talked-about free
seed distribution.
By an act of congress in May. 1862,
since generally called the organic act,
the activities of the government affect
ing agriculture were placed under a
separate and distinct organization
known as the Department of Agricul
ture, In charge of a commissioner of
agriculture. It did not rank, how
ever, with the other executive depart
ments. and the commissioner was not
entitled to a seat In the President's
cabinet. Isaac Newton, chief of the
agricultural section In the patent office,
was appointed the first commissioner
of agriculture. Other officers provided
by the organic act included a statis
tician, a chemist, an entomologist and
a superintendent of the propagating
garden and experimental farm.
The chrysalis was now ready to be I
broken. In 1889 the Department of Ag- j
riculture was elevated to tbe rank of |
the other executive departments and
Its commissioner was made secretary
of agriculture with a seat In the Presi
dent's cabinet. This was In Grover
Cleveland's administration. In honor
of its new rank a few more functions
were taken on.
But that’s enough detail. It kept on
growing. Beginning with an appro
priation of $1,000 and two or three
clerks, the department had, in 1910,
employees to the number of 12,480, and
an appropriation of $12,995.036. Five
years later the appropriation had
grown to $19,865,832 and the em
ployees to 16,223. The employees In
May, 1920, numbered 18,098 and the
appropriation given by congress for
the fiscal year 1921 was $31,475,368.
The department has increased its
cost of living in 82 years from a mere
$1,000—that is, $83.33 u month—to
more than $31,000,000 a year—$2,622,
947.38 every month. That shows as
clearly and ns sharply as it can be ;
shown how the high cost of govern- |
merit living affects your own cost of j
living.
We, you and I, paid out of our sav
ings and earnings every red cent of
that Increase from $1,000 a year to more
than $31,000,000. It may have been
well spent. We probably got a run
for our money; hut nobody knows, ex
cept in a general way. We have a
right to know. It is simply fatheaded- ;
ness on our part not to find out.
HAPHAZARD EXTENSION
The Department of Agriculture is
one Instance of liow governmental es
tablishments grow and spread and ex
tend their activities, once they get
started. The bureau of fisheries, in
the Department of Commerce, is an
other. It had a modest beginning, and
not so very long ago. Urior to 1871
there was no branch of the federal
government especially charged with
the consideration of fishery affairs.
Several of the states had established
fish commissions and these state au
thorities, supported by private inter
ests, began to agitate for a national
bureau devoted to fishery interests.
So it came about that by 1871 con
gress was ready to yield and begin to
make appropriations. The first one
was for $5,000 and provided for a
commissioner of fish and fisheries to
prosecute Investigations and inquiries
"with tlie view of ascertaining wheth
er any and what diminution in tlie
number of food fishes of the coast
and in the Jakes of the United States
has taken place; and also whether
any and what protective, prohibitory
or precautionary measures should be
adopted lu the premiss; and shall re
port upon the same to congress."
The commissioner was to draw no
pay, for it was provided by congress
in the sume joint resolution that he
should be a civil officer of the govern
ment, of proved scientific and prac
tical acquaintance with the fishes of
the coast, who should serve without
additional compensation. The then as
sistant secretary of the Smithsonian in
stitution, by name Spencer Fullerton
lhiird, was chosen as the best man for
the job, and so he proved to be. lie
made the little acorn grow. He was
I Industrious and competent and knew
how to get along with congress. He
l was diligent and lie stood before kings.
| See vvliat happened.
Remember, he started out with
: $5,000 to discover whether there liad
! been any diminution of the supply of
food fishes along the coasts or in the
lakes. He was at the head of an In
dependent Investigation and reported
directly to congress. The tiling was
kept alive by annual appropriations
as nu independent institution until
190o, when it was Incorporated into
the uewly formed Department of Com
tnerce and Labor as the bureau of
fisheries.
By JDOi) the annual appropriation Imd
grown to $S03.920, and the bureau Imd
a permanent personnel of 325. At
that time the land owned n>d oeettptrd
by the bureau at Its fish cultural and I
biological stations liad an aggregate
area of over I'd,000 acres, with a value
of $240,000. The improvements anil
equipment at these stations repre
sented an Investment of more than
$1,000,000. Other property of tlie bu
reau at tiiat time included four sea
going steam and sail vessels, 20 steam
launches ami 150 small su'd, power and
rowboats, which with equipment had
a value of $,'-{00,000. Its six. fish-trans
portation cars were valued at $45,000.
Indeed, the totul investment of the
government in fishery-service property
ran to about $1,585,000. That was
back in 1009.
x Well, it hasn’t stopped growing;
bigger and busier than ever, as the ad
vertisements say. The appropriation by
congress lor the fiscal year 1010 was
$1,183,140, and for 1021, $1,207,110.
Besides what congress gave, the Pres
ident allotted In 1018 and 1010, out of
his private fund "for the national se
curity and defense," $100,000. With the
years of Its growth and increasing
funds the bureau had taken on marfy
new functions uud activities.
Until recently tlie bureau was ad
ministering to tlie best of its ability
the laws relating to the terrestrial and
arboreal fur bearers of Alaska, but
the duty was incongruous to its legiti
mate functions. Congress finally con
ceded that the pursuit of foxes does
not constitute a fishery. The cultiva
tion of minks cannot be successfully
conducted In a fish hatchery.
Apparently, as so many other estab
lishments under the executive branch
have, the fisheries service bad become
all cluttered up with duties and jobs
It is not fitted or equipped to handle.
All of which is a long, long way
from an investigation of the possible
diminution of food fish along the
< oast.
1 don't pretend to say of the fisheries
bureau that It bus performed inefll- !
ciently either its proper work or the
udded activities that have been im- |
posed upon It. For all I know it
may be and Is a great national bless
Ing, and managed with maximum skill, |
intelligence and real economy. 1 Itope j
it Is.
1 cite it here only as an example of j
a branch of governmental activity that
lias grown up haphazard from a small i
beginning to be a great, costly, far
spreading enterprise that by its own
confession is overlaid with duties,
functions and activities unrelated to ;
Its legitimate and essential business— j
the cure, propagation and study of all !
I manner of food fish.
QUITE EASY MATTER TO REPAIR
AND CLEAN RUGS BY HOME IDEAS
Yarns of Different Colors Help to Repair Oriental Rugs.
(Prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
The deft, swift-moving lingers of
the oriental rug mender cun fill In
holes and re-enforce worn places so
skillfully thnt they can scarcely be
detected. Such repair work Is expen
sive, however, and almost any person
who has the time can do It at home
with little or no outlay for materials.
Housekeepers have repaired oriental
rugs of intricate design as well as ma
ehine-nmde Brussels and Wilton.
How to Mend Rugs at Home.
Several methods of home mending
of rugs and carpets have been tested
in the United States Department of
Agriculture, which gives the follow
ing suggestions:
Select wools for mending to match
those of the rug in color and texture,
If possible. These may be raveled
from scraps of carpet, or bought from
carpet dealers, or If necessary, heavy
knitting yarns may he dyed to match.
Carpet yarns are stiftVr and more
durable than ordinary wools and
should be used if obtainable. A
stout needle with a large eye will, of
course, be needed, and curved scis
sors are particularly convenient for
clipping the threads when mending a
rug or carpet with velvety pile.
Darn Ingrain carpet with the over
and-umler stitch used in mending
stockings, and work in the design on
this background.
In pile rugs, such as Brussels, Wil
tcn and some kinds of oriental weaves,
replace the linen, jute, or cotton hack
ing first and then work in the pile
with colored yarns. .lust how to make
the pile stitch depends nn the texture
of the rug, hut a good method can
quickly be developed by experiment
ing. It is generally made by knotting
the yarn around the warp in such a
way that it holds firmly and the ends
stick up to form the velvety surface
of the rug. These ends Can tie clipped
off after each stitch Is taken, or they
can all he sheared at once after the
entire hole is tilled.
Ragged edges make otherwise good
rugs look shabby and are not difficult
to -repair. Sometimes they can be
bound or blanket stitchea or overcast
with stitches run into the rug at least
a half inch or, what is much better
looking, an excellent selvage similar
to that on oriental rugs can be made.
I..ay one, two or three cords along the
edge and with black or neutral-colored
wool darn them to the rug with over
and-under stitches set close together.
Choose cords of such size that when
covered with the wool a durable, flat
strip about the thickness of the rug
is formed and use hard-twisted wool
or regular carpet wool If it can be
obtained. If the edge is very ragged
re-enforce it first with braid on the
underside so as to give a firm mate
rial into which to weave.
Rag and lightweight cotton rugs
can fie washed In the tub or the wash
ing machine In lukewarm soapsuds
like any other heavy colored material,
but they must be rinsed thoroughly to
prevent them from looking grimy.
Spreading the wet rug on the grass
and turning the hose on it or dashing
pails of water over it Is sometimes
the easiest and best way of rinsing.
Clean a Small Section at a Time.
Woolen rugs may also he cleaned
at home successfully if there are good
facilities for drying. Spread the rug
on a table or other flat surface of
convenient height and scrub with a
heavy lather of mild soap, using a
soft brush or a sponge. As soon as
a section is scrubbed dean rinse It
with water, change as soon as it be
conies discolored. Tills is a very thor
ough method of cleaning, but must he
used with caution on rugs that are
likely to shrink or change color, or
which have a thick pile. If moisture
remains at the bottom of the pile for
any length of time the threads may
lie rotted. In the case of valuable
rugs, it is safer to send them to a
professional cleaner who lias special
apparatus for washing and drying
them.
HOW TO CLEAN FANCY SILKS
Wash in Lukewarm Water With Good
Scap and Instead of Rubbing
Scrub With Brush.
The best way to clean pongee, tus
sah ami novelty silks is to wash them
in lukewarm water with good soap.
Instead of rubbing between the j
hands or on a board, material of this i
sort should be scrubbed witl a brush
and it will need rinsing in at least
three waters.
The greatest danger in handling ma
teria! of this kind is In using water
which is too hot, for very hot water j
causes lieu! wrinkles which will not j
disappear even under the iron.
Oil Stains.—Stpins made by machine i
oil or any of the ordinary oils can be
removed with carbon tetrachloride.
Oil 1’a in is.—A mixture of carbon
tetrachloride and chloroform In cipial
parts will remove oil paint marks.
Nickel.—-Stains and marks on nickel
ran be removed by rubbing them with
a paste made of whiting and am- !
i.toi da.
MILDEW ON LEATHER GOODS
While Not Seriously Injuring Serv
iceability of Articles It May
Msr Appearance.
Any leather article is almost certain
to mildew if kept In a warm, damp,
dark place, such as a closet, cellar, or
stable. This mildew probably will not
seriously reduce the serviceability of
the leather, unless allowed to remain
on it too long. It may, however, uhange
the color appreciably, tints injuring
i lie uppenrance.
The simplest way to prevent mildew
ng, says the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture, is to keep the
leather in a well-ventilated, dry, well
lighted place, preferably one exposed
to the sunlight. Mildew cannot make
much headway lu the sunshine. When
mildew develops, it should he washed
off with soap and warm water, or
simply wiped off with a moist cloth,
drying the leather well afterwards.
These simple measures are better than
ike uae of prepur-_:i'.,LS tc prevent the
growth of mildew. I
GOOD POINTS OF CUPBOARDS
Save Steps by Storing Utensils and
Food Supplies Near Part of
Room to Be Used.
Have you plenty of well-planned
cupboard and shelf space for storing
utensils and food supplies? Save steps
by grouping similar things and plac
ing them near the part of the room
where they will be used. For in
stance, suggests the Uidted States De
partment of Agriculture, keep mixing
howls and spoons and such dry mate
rials ns sugar and flour near each oth
er if possible. Narrow shelves often
economize space better than wide ones
und are easier to clean and keep in
order. Low cupboards are on the
whole preferred to those reaching to
the celling, and are not so likely to
become “catch-alls."
>411 Aound
House
Servo hot cooked turnips cubed in
lemon butter sauce.
« * •
Cook all custards over hot water.
Never let the water boll.
• • •
Hitigs of ripe olives are decorative
and tasty In chicken soup.
• * •
A slice or two of lemon cooked with
prunes improves their flavor.
• • •
Stuffed leg of pork is good served
with cooked cabbage and carrots.
• • *
fine cup of unsifted flour makes al
most a cup and a half of sifted flour.
• • •
An old chiffonier can be painted
white and be useful In the kitchen.
* • *
Meringues should be cooked in a
very slow oven and watched carefully.
* • •
Cream which Is to be whipped should
be very cold and at least 36 hours old.
• * *
Different sized oblong granite pans
i.—c i..ce to i.. .— .... .... 9v.
‘left-overs.”