Gardening (1940)

Betsy look at these beans we must plant some of them oh Bill we must plant corn too I wonder if the vegetables in our garden will grow as large as these in the Seed Catalog there's daddy hello everybody well what are you doing we're plenty a vegetable garden we want to grow beans tomatoes potatoes and pumpkins in the garden I like some pumpkin pie supper's ready we can discuss the garden at the table during the past few days Bill and Betsy have been making a plan for their Garden they have used books and bulletins on gardening from their school library father likes the plan but the soil must be dry before Betsy and Bill can start the garden Mr Allen tests the soil as he squeezes it the soil does not make a ball it crumbles the soil is dry Betsy and Bill can start preparing their Garden first Mr Allen shows Bill how to turn the soil with a spading Fork he has promised to lend them money for seed he has told Bill to keep a record of expenses and of the Harvest spading takes strong muscles the Earth is spited deep and the soil is turned over the soil is loosened thoroughly so that the tender Roots can grow through it easily Betsy and Bill are ready to buy seeds they are eager to start planting they can buy their seeds at the local store they want seeds that will grow well and it will produce large and good vegetables Betsy chooses carefully Bill checks Over the Garden plan onions too are on the list a handful of onion sets is all that they will need to have a good harvest one must plant good seeds and must also use the right kind of fertilizer Bill takes the advice of the storekeeper a fertilizer has elements in it which green plants use in making their food the fertilizer must be mixed with the soil in this Rich loose soil plant roots will now find plenty of nourishment the seeds are planted in straight and even rows Bill stretches a cord across the garden to guide him with a corner of the hole Bill makes a shallow Furrow across the south end of the garden ratty seeds will go in this first furrow each of these tiny seeds has food stored in it the baby plant will use this food in getting its start in life Bill plants the radish seeds very close together from each healthy seed will come one young radish plant Betsy covers the seeds lightly with soil they will now germinate and grow if they have enough moisture and warmth it's a few weeks later and time to set out the tomatoes and to plant the potatoes the potatoes themselves are cut and the pieces planted mother shows Bill how to cut the potatoes the eyes are buds from which roots and Stems will Sprout the potato has much stored food the new potato plant uses this food until its roots and leaves are developed Bill leaves one eye on each piece weeds also thrive in the rich soil of the garden they must be destroyed otherwise they will rob the vegetables of nourishment and needed sunlight there has been no rain for several so Bill Waters the garden with the hose the first crop of radishes is large enough for the table next week there will be another crop food made in the leaves with the help of sunlight has been stored in a swelling in the root Bill proudly gives his mother the first harvest from the garden it has meant much work but it's worth it 6 weeks have passed since the garden was started the the beans are beginning to grow into Vines they will twine about these poles and climb up high then the plants can get more sunlight the potato plants have a good start and are in bloom but potato beetles have appeared and are eating some of the leaves if the leaves are destroyed there will be no potatoes Bill sprays arsonate of lead on the potato plants when the beetles eat the poisoned leaves they die the weeds have lost the carrots have grown large and firm food made in the leaves has been stored in the fleshy Roots how good they will taste soon the tomatoes will be ripe the young tomato plants took root and grew large and strong to get bigger Tomatoes Bill prunes off the lower branches then more of the food made by the plant will go into the tomatoes but what are these tomato worms and big ones Bill decides that he not the caterpillars will win this time but the pumpkin Vines cause no trouble they are now in bloom and soon Little Pumpkins will form the Corn Tassel and silk stamms and pistols are parts of the flower as The Sun Shines on the green leaves they make food for the plant it is August now the crops need water rain rain it soaks into the soil the spreading roots of the garden plants will take in the water rain rain don't go away the gardener say the rain saves bill from watering the garden in 10 more days the corn the potatoes and the onions can be harvested this is a good time for bill to work on his account book Bill thinks his potatoes will pay after all he sprayed them in time and the Beatles did only a little damage with a potato Fork he digs enough to last the Allen Family a few days The Vines have begun to turn brown which means that the potatoes are about as big as they will get to be firm potatoes called tubers have formed at the end of the underground stems of the potatoes the fall crop of potatoes will be bigger and firmer in another month the pumpkins will be ripe enough to harvest the corn is ready for roasting these ears are really fruits of the Corn plant Bill and Betsy have decided to let some of the choice ears ripen on the stock for seed next year and to exhibit some at the State Fair these are Jackal lanterns at Betsy and I grew now you know why people feel like celebrating at Harvest Time all over the world people have feasting and good times when the crops have been gathered in our Feast is ready bill you take the corn out now watch out the ears are hot now you understand why the pilgrims had a Thanksgiving feast after the