Ye Editor was out in the country districts one day this week and stopped for a few minutes at the home of a good citizen. It was about the hour for farm work to stop, just before sundown, and the farmer and all the boys came up from the field. He was asked about the prospects for crops and among other things he said that he as not giving much attention to tobacco this year, but was trying to make something to eat. And ne could see evidence all about the home of this effort. The garden back of the house was one of the finest we have seen, and there was plenty in the garden. Not one row of beans but several rows across the garden, and the vines were large and black and thrifty looking showing that there will be plenty of beans in that home for a few days. And there were three rows, not three hills, three rows of tomato vines across the garden, just getting ready to bloom. The cabbage and other garden truck showed that no plains had been spared to make that garden all it should be. And when one recalls that it is claimed that a good garden is half or a third of a living in the summer time one can really see that living in that home will be cheap this summer.
Later in the day we passed by other gardens along the highway and could not help making comparisons with the garden we have just told about. It was very evident that many people pay but little attention to making a good garden. And then we recall the fact, for it is a fact, that most good farmers who are prosperous are good gardeners. We mention these facts for the simple reason that it is not yet too late to make a garden. All the late stuff is yet to plant, and there is plenty of time to do this work. Pardon us for mentioning our own garden. The boys have planted corn of three varieties and it is coming on nicely. They have the extra early Adams that will come on first, then a few rows of early Adams that will come in a little later, then there are a few rows of sugar corn that comes on still later. Then there are a few rows that have just been planted to come in after the first planting is gone. About the middle of this month a few rows more of sugar corn will be planted and then about the first of July a few more rows will be planted for the late crop. It may not be so with all homes but roasting ears are always in style in ye editor’s home. They are good stewed for breakfast and good boiled on the cop and good in almost any way folks who do the cooking care to prepare them.
Prof. Ben Sled used to say that the time a fellow had to put in making a living was just that much time given to the devil. As to just what he means you may have doubts, and certainly we have, but it remains a fact that we all have to put in right much of our time making a living, and the man who can work out better and improved methods for making this living that we all must have until we are able to grow wings, the man who can make improvements along these lines is the real friend of humanity. And a good garden certainly helps.
From the editorial page of The Mount Airy News, June 9, 1921, J.E. Johnson and son, publisher
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