THE VEGETABLE GARDEN By- R, L. WATTS Class __5xBAiJ- Book. ^"^7 Gopyriglit]^" COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/vegetablegardenOOwatt The Squash Is Not as Highly Appreciated as It Should Be THE VEGETABLE GARDEN BY RALPH L. WATTS Dean and Director of the School of Agriculture and Experiment Station of The Pennsyl- vania State College. HANDBOOKS Number 32 NEW YORK OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY MCMXV Copyright. 1915, by OUTING PUBLISHINXt COMPANY AU riahts reserved. OCT 16 1915 e^aA4l6068 CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE Gardens for Everybody n CHAPTER II Where to Grow Vegetables 18 CHAPTER III Hotbeds, Cold-Frames, and Greenhouses .... 26 CHAPTER IV Starting Early Vegetable Plants 35 CHAPTER V Tillage Problems 46 CHAPTER VI Stable Manures and Cover-Crops 54 CHAPTER VII Commercial Fertilizers 63 CHAPTER VIII The Seed Supply 72 CHAPTER IX Marketing 81 CHAPTER X Intensive Gardening 88 CHAPTER XI The Home Garden 96 CHAPTER Xll Cultural Directions 102 ILLUSTRATIONS The Squash Is Not as Highly Appreciated as It Should Be Frontispiece FACING PAGE The Ground Inside the Frames Is Utilized During the Entire Summer i6 Hay or Straw May Be Used in Covering Cold Frames During Cold Weather 32 With a Small Hoe There Is No Difficulty in Cultivating the Ground Between the Rows in the Cold Frame . 48 Wheel Hoes Are Indispensable 64 Early Cabbage Is One of Our Most Profitable Vege- tables 113 Overhead Irrigation Is Becoming Universally Popular . 128 A Good Stand of Plants and Heavy Setting of Fruit Are Essential in Watermelon Culture 160 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN CHAPTER I GARDENS FOR EVERYBODY THE census report for 19 lo values the vegetables produced in the United States at $417,000,000, while all other horticultural crops of that year are valued at $273,000,000. Most land owners believe that fruit has made the better financial showing. Although this is an erroneous impression, it is the natural result of the fact that agricultural colleges, agricultural experiment stations, horti- cultural associations, and farm papers have given far more attention to fruit culture than to vegetable gardening. The fact is that if the census figures include the value of the enormous quantities of vegetables grown in home gardens in country and town, the amount would be greatly increased. 11 12 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN As the manuscript of this little volume goes to press, greater activity than ever may be ob- served along every line of vegetable gardening. The agricultural colleges are offering courses of instruction in home vegetable gardening, market gardening, farm gardening or truck farming, vegetable forcing, and in the systematic study of the varieties and classes of vegetables. Agricultural experiment stations are undertak- ing Investigations relative to the development of improved strains of well-known varieties; the control of troublesome Insects and diseases; the proper application of commercial fertilizers and stable manures; the various soil types for the production of vegetables; and other cultural problems which are demanding attention. The markets of the United States are unsur- passed In their demands for choice vegetables. Our cities are largely supplied by great, well- known trucking districts, but there will always be a place for the grower who desires to pro- duce vegetables on a small scale with a view to meeting local demands. So many home tables are poorly supplied with fresh vegetables, that it would be both profitable and public-spirited for the small land owner to plant a spacious area and sell the surplus to neighbors or to stores In exchange for groceries, A home gar- GARDENS FOR EVERYBODY 13 den of liberal proportions in town or country offers opportunities not to be disregarded. By skillful management It will reduce the cost of living, and provide not only an abundance of fresh vegetables during a large part of the year, but also a quantity to be stored and canned for use throughout the winter season. People of all classes In our towns and cities have become interested in gardening. Many persons undertake the work as a means of diminishing household expenses. Fresh vege- tables of high quality are not always obtainable, even though cash may be available for the prices demanded, and a garden in the back-yard helps to solve this household problem. There Is a vast difference in the quality of vegetables transported long distances, and kept In over-heated city stores for several hours, and those which are served direct from one's own garden. Vegetables grown by our own hands always seem more satisfying than those pur- chased In a store or market. Furthermore, we are able to recommend, from practical experi- mentation the health-giving qualities of a diet of fresh vegetables, and the Increase of vigor which may be acquired from gardening by those engaged In sedentary occupations. Work In the garden, even for fifteen minutes a day, with 14^ THE VEGETABLE GARDEN the hoe, trowel, or other tools, often yields tremendous results in the way of genuhie pleas- ure and improved health. It affords mental re- laxation and at times absolute forgetfulness of daily cares and annoyances. In recent years, gardening among the labor- ing classes of the large towns and cities has been recommended as a means not only of reducing the cost of living but of providing pleasant and profitable employment for the wage-earner and his family, when other duties do not demand their attention. These ideas are excellent and worthy of consideration wherever conditions are favorable for successful gardening. Mil- lions of families in towns, where there are min- ing and manufacturing industries, might well devote a part of their yards to the growing of vegetables. By following the most Intensive plans, such as are explained in the various chapters of this little book, a surprisingly large quantity of vege- tables may be grown on a plot of ground of a few hundred square feet. The results of a well-managed laboring man's garden will show In smaller monthly grocery bills. The " vacant lot " gardening movement Is becoming popular throughout the country. In every town and in the suburbs of every city. GARDENS FOR EVERYBODY 15 there are many lots that might be made to pro- duce large supplies of choice vegetables. The lots would serve a much more useful purpose as gardens than as dumping grounds for ashes, tin cans, and other rubbish. A few flowers inter- spersed with the vegetables will make the plots objects of real beauty. The landscape features of many a village and suburb would be Improved by the use of neglected lots for vegetable gardening. Furthermore, such gardens invest a town with an appearance of thrift. If owners of vacant lots do not desire to cultivate them, they should rent them at prices sufficiently low to attract gardeners. Children take to gardening " like ducks to water." They like to dig, rake, shovel, and hoe. They like to sow seeds and watch the plants grow. Their little hearts crave such employment. Is It just to rear children with- out giving them opportunity to satisfy such in- born desires? People who must live In crowded districts can procure window boxes. Those who own or rent even a few square feet of old mother earth can give a part of the space to the children for the growing of vegetables and flowers. The children, too, should have a real Interest in the larger gardens of back-yards and vacant lots. 16 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Organizations in some of the larger cities have exerted a splendid influence in this direc- tion. They have helped children and adults to find suitable land, and they have given the neces- sary, instructions for the making of good gar- dens. Whatever may be the social or moral standing of the families interested, it Is a real uplift movement in every sense. Too much can not be said in favor of school- garden work in connection with public schools. It deserves all the encouragement that the di- recting boards are able to give. As an educa- tional proposition it Is well worth while; It teaches thrift and industry; It gives the children an opportunity to observe the results of their own labor; and it brings them close to nature. Thus it helps to develop the best type of man- hood and womanhood. Vegetable forcing is a branch of vegetable gardening. It relates to the growing of vege- tables under artificial conditions. Hotbeds, cold-frames, and greenhouses are used for forc- ing vegetables. The whole vegetable-forcing industry has made w^onderful progress in the United States during the past two decades. It Is the most certain type of vegetable gardening because It provides conditions that may be con- trolled. With a properly built and equipped £ -' -TD C ii.iS GARDENS FOB EVERYBODY 17 greenhouse, there should be practically no fail- ures. Frost and cold are kept away from the crop by a heating plant of ample capacity. Destruc- tive Insects and diseases In the soil are destroyed by cooking the soil with steam before the crop Is started. Insects infesting the parts of the plant above ground are controlled by spraying or fumigation. Water is supplied by a real rain machine so that there need be no fear of drought. Wherever good markets are available, vege- table forcing is an attractive business proposi- tion. Thousands of people should have hot- beds and cold-frames in which to start early plants and to grow vegetables for the home earlier in the spring and later in the fall than it is possible to grow them out-of-doors. CHAPTER II WHERE TO GROW VEGETABLES WHEN vegetables are to be produced on a large commercial scale the ut- most care should be exercised in the selection of a location. The great centers of population afford a market for unlimited quantities of vegetables and hundreds of towns and cities in every state of the union are seeking a constant supply of fresh products from the garden. The fact Is that practically every com- munity offers opportunities of some kind for the growing of vegetables for commercial purposes, although the demand may not be large. Sometimes one or two special crops can be disposed of to advantage, while the inducements for the production and marketing of a general assortment of vegetables may not be encourag- ing. Before growing a surplus of any vege- table for commercial purposes, local markets or shipping facilities should be carefully studied. The all important thing is to determine the best opportunities from a business standpoint before 18 VEGETABLES 19 extending operations beyond the limits of the garden actually needed to supply the home table. Next to markets, suitable soil is the most im- portant factor in the selection of a location for the growing of vegetables. Deep, sandy loams are ideal for gardening purposes. Such soils possess good drainage, are easy to cultivate, re- tain fertility fairly well, and are adapted to the various classes of vegetables. The value of sand in soils to be used for gardening can not be overestimated. The good drainage insured by sand, especially if there is a porous subsoil, re- sults in a higher soil temperature in the spring and, therefore, such soils are especially desir- able for the growing of early vegetables and those classes of crops — as the eggplant — that require a constantly warm soil. The sandy soils are easy to spade, plow, harrow, and cultivate. They are not subject to hard baking and may be cultivated soon after rainfall. There is always more or less tramping of the ground in harvesting garden crops, but this is not as injurious to sandy soils as to heavy soils. The root crops are smoother, better formed, and have fewer small fibrous lateral roots when they are grown in sandy soil. The advantage of some sand in the vegetable garden is so great .20 THE VEGETABLE GAEDEN that It Is often hauled short distances and mixed with the heavier garden soils. This is seldom practical on a large scale but there is no reason why a few loads of sand should not be added to the part of every home garden which is to be used for the growing of head lettuce and the root crops. The absence of sand or the impracticability of obtaining it for the garden, however, should not form any especial handicap to one who Is anxious to grow choice vegetables. The stiffest clay soils may be made to produce most excellent garden crops. They are more retentive of plant food than light soils, and that is an advan- tage which should not be overlooked. Their physical properties niay be greatly modified by the use oi stable manure or perhaps green manurial crops. An increased supply of or- ganic matter makes the soil more friable and porous and easier to cultivate. If stable manures are applied to heavy soils annually over a long term oi years the soils become materially modltied In structure and much darker in color. Heavy soils are especially suitable for cabbage, late cauliflower, late tomatoes, sweet corn, cu- cumbers, and squashes, and If such soils are well supplied with organic matter all of the vege- tables mav be i^rown successfully. VEGETABLES 21 Muck soils are especially well adapted to onions, celery, and head lettuce. Tremendous areas of these crops are now grown in the muck soils of the United States. Muck soil is an ex- ceedingly valuable addition to clay soils, as it makes them lighter and more porous. It is also excellent for the starting of early vegetable plants in the greenhouse or hotbed. Stony areas may quickly be improved for gardening purposes. It is a simple matter to pick up the larger stones and the smaller ones may be removed by the use of rakes, shovels, and forks. Whatever the soil texture — whether sandy, clayey, or stony — the drainage must be per- fect. It is sometimes necessary to use tile drains to dispose of the surplus soil moisture. Vegetable gardening is one of the most in- tensive branches of farming, and this is espe- cially true of market gardening, where the plants are grown close together and manures and fertilizers are often applied with the great- est liberality. With any intensive system of gardening, the expenses of production are neces- sarily high, and every possible effort should be made to avoid crop failures. In recent years a very high value has been placed on soil moisture as a factor in crop ^2 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN growth. Formerly, more emphasis was given to manures and fertilizers, but now we realize that, though every other soil condition is per- fect, if there is a shortage of soil moisture at any time during the period of growth, a full crop Is Impossible. So essential to success is a constant and liberal supply of soil moisture, that many gardeners are installing overhead sys- tems of irrigation. Therefore, in the selection of a location for garden work, it is well to con- sider the question of w^hether a bountiful sup- ply of water is easily available for irrigation. Successful crop production and satisfactory profits are much more likely to be certain with an Irrigation plant than without it. The character of the climate Is a tremendous factor in the growing of vegetables, and climatic advantages and disadvantages should be most carefully considered in deciding on the crops to be grown. High temperatures are essential to some crops and disastrous to others. High humidity is required by some vegetables and is harmful to others. Some crops must have a long season, while others, such as the radish, may be matured in less than a month. A host of gardeners are attempting to grow and to make garden crops pay under climatic conditions VEGETABLES 23 which are most unfavorable to the vegetables selected. While this is true, it should also be remembered that market conditions are often so favorable that one is justified in growing vege- tables where soil and climatic conditions are most unfavorable. For example, I know a gardener who gets fancy prices for eggplants grown in a cool mountain region which pro- vides very poor conditions for this vegetable. The ability to produce a garden crop may de- pend largely upon the aspect of the land. This is especially true in the growing of early crops. Gardens which slope to the south or southeast are the warmest, and this is a most decided ad- vantage in the production of early crops. Again, the value of windbreaks or protection from cold north and west winds should be con- sidered. Hills, woodlots, orchards, and build- ings sometimes afford the necessary protection. When these do not exist it is a simple matter to establish windbreaks. One of the most effective and attractive windbreaks of my knowledge is a double row of mixed evergreens, mainly Nor- way Spruce, interspersed with deciduous trees. The white and purple flowers of the lilac, ap- pearing in great profusion at intervals in the windbreak, with dark evergreen for a back- U THE VEGETABLE GARDEN ground, excite constant admiration. Wind- breaks should be more generally used by Ameri- can gardeners. Transportation facilities should be fully con- sidered in the selection of a location, or in de- ciding the extent to which vegetables should be grown on any farm. A good wagon road Is especially important to Insure speedy and satis- factory delivery. For a large business enter- prise, a motor truck may be found of advantage. It has been clearly demonstrated that the cost of hauling vegetables, especially long distances, is less by motor power than by horse power. In other words, gasoline furnishes cheaper motive power than oats. With a smooth, hard, level road, vegetables may be transported twenty- five miles or more by auto trucks, although the shorter hauls are, of course, much less expens- ive. The cost and availability of stable manures are also important factors. With the increased use of automobiles and delivery trucks in the cities, the supply of manure will become less and less. This is a strong argument for the farmer who keeps live stock to engage in gardening, perhaps as a side line to his regular business. Experiments at The Pennsylvania State Col- lege show that the productive power of a lime- VEGETABLES 25 stone soil may be economically maintained, per- haps for an indefinite period, by the judicious use of lime and fertilizers applied in a four- year rotation of wheat, clover, corn, and oats. In other words, it would be possible for one to produce these crops, feed them to live stock, and use all of the manure for the growing of vege- tables. CHAPTER III HOTBEDS, COLD-FRAMES, AND GREEN- MOUSES SUCCESS In vegetable gardening depends very largely on the earliness of the prod- uets. Prices usually decline rapidly after the first home grown vegetables are placed on the market, and a difference of only a few days in reaching the market with any product may make an appreciable difference in the profits of the season. Many vegetables, such as cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, must be started under glass in order to reach an early market, and this necessitates the construction of hotbeds, cold-frames, or greenhouses. Hot- beds are generally employed by all classes of vegetable growers unless greenhouses are avail- able to take their place. Hotbeds are also em- ployed for the forcing of vegetables to maturity. Pettuce, radisiies. and beets are the most com- mon crops forced in them, although many other HOTBEDS, COLB-FRAMES n vegetables are sometimes grown to maturity in hotbeds. Since the hotbed is generally started late In the winter while there Is severe weather, It is im- portant to select a protected spot for it. A farm building north of the frame may give the necessary shelter. If this does not exist, and the location is swept by hard winds, a solid board fence may be constructed and this will also be found convenient for the drying of straw mats. A southern or southeastern exposure Is always best for hotbeds, cold-frames, and green- houses. The depth of the hotbed and the amount of manure which should be used depend on several factors. In very severe climates and for mid- winter service, the depth must be greater than for mild climates and spring use. In some sec- tions It Is customary to have at least thirty Inches of manure in the pits, while In others half that quantity will suffice. Ordinarily, twenty- four inches of manure are ample for the start- ing of early spring plants, so that the pit need not be more than two feet deep. The digging of the pit should be attended to in the fall before there Is hard freezing weather. Leaves, straw, or coarse manure should be placed in the bottom of the pit to prevent freezing. 28 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN The frame for the hotbed may be made of wood, brick, or concrete. The latter material is most desirable, although wooden frames are in more general use. The frames should be made to accommodate the size of sash to be em- ployed. Standard sash are six feet long, there- fore the outside width of the frame at the top should be six feet. Most sash are three feet w^ide and the frames, therefore, may be 9, 12, 15 feet, or more, in length, according to the number of plants to be started. Any kind of sound lumber may be used for the frame. Cypress is the most durable, al- though considerably more expensive than hem- lock. Lumber that is an inch thick will serve the purpose, although two-inch planks make a stronger and more desirable frame. Ordi- narily, the boards or planks are nailed to 2 x 4 posts placed at intervals of several feet. Some gardeners prefer to use any kind of old boards for the sides of the frame below ground and a movable frame for the top. Whatever the type or form of construction, the frame should be six inches higher on the north than on the south side. While frames are sometimes made without crossbars, they are a great advantage for the support of the sash and they also give strength HOTBEDS. COLD-FRAMES 29 and rigidity to the frame; 2x3 inch pieces are ample in size. They are placed 3 feet apart when 3x6 foot sash are used, and if desired half inch strips may be nailed in the middle on top of them. This will prevent binding when the sash are handled. Fresh horse manure has been found to be the best heating material for hotbeds. To give the best results, it should contain about two parts of solid excrement to one part of bedding, such as straw or leaves. The manure for the pit should be prepared under cover. A warm stable is suitable in a severe climate. The manure is tramped fairly compactly in piles four or five feet wide and four feet deep. If the manure is very dry, some warm water may be necessary to insure rapid and satisfactory heating. The object of plac- ing the manure In the piles Is to start fermenta- tion before it is placed in the pits. Failure Is often due to this neglect. Fermentation will be well under way in a few days, after which the manure should be restacked by placing the outer parts of the original pile In the Interior of the new pile. About two days later the entire mass should be hot and then the pit should be filled. If It Is desired to begin sowing seed the tenth of February, preparation of the manure should 30 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN be started about a week In advance. When filling the pit, it is best to add layers of five or six inches of manure, tramping each layer in order to prevent too much settling of the entire mass. It is especially Important to pack the manure in the corners and along the sides of the frames. Hot manure is also banked to the tops of the frames on the outside. After the manure in the frame has settled for a day or two, soil is placed on top of it, the amount de- pending on the use of the hotbed. An Inch or two of soil will be an advantage In absorbing the steam and gases of the manure. If seed is to be sown directly in the soil, without using flats, three or four inches of soil should be used. If the hotbed is to be employed for forc- ing purposes, as, for instance, the growing of radishes and lettuce, five or six inches of soil will be necessary for the best results. Instead of using manure-heated frames, many gardeners use either steam or hot water by run- ning a coil or two of inch to one and one-half inch pipe around the Inside of the frame and immediately under the crossbars. It is some- times possible to make connections with the boiler of the furnace which heats the residence of the grower. With steam or hot-water heat- ing, the frames may be used all winter, al- HOTBEDS, COLD-FRAMES 31 though greenhouses are preferable when either method of heating Is possible. Most hotbed sash are made of cypress. Cedar Is also excellent. These woods are very durable and with proper care will last for 25 years or longer. While the heavier sash are stronger and somewhat more durable, sash made of one and three-eighths Inch stuff are highly satisfactory and much easier to handle. A bracing rod across the middle Is Important, and the mortised joints of the frames should be leaded to insure durablhty. It pays to paint the sash every other year and to keep them un- der cover when not In use. Cold-frames are of great value In starting early vegetable plants. The usual plan Is to sow seed In the hotbed and transplant the small seedlings to the cold-frame. The cold-frame used by vegetable gardeners differs from the hotbed in being placed on top of the ground; excavation Is not necessary and no manure is used inside of the frame but It is valuable when banked around the outside. Like the hotbed, it should have a slope of about six Inches to the south or southeast. A protected location is ex- ceedingly important. The frames may be of any desired length; it is not uncommon to see them several hun- 32 THE VEGETABLE GABDEN dred feet long. When two or more frames are used, there should be ample space between them, so that snow may be disposed of and the sash handled easily. Unless economy of space is absolutely essential, there should be lO or 12 feet between the frames. The frames are simple in construction. In large commercial establishments, after the ground is graded, stakes are usually driven at convenient intervals, and to these the sides and ends of the frames are nailed. Ten-inch boards or plank will do for the lower side and twelve-inch for the upper. Sometimes a greater depth of frame is obtained at the upper side by using t^'o boards, each about eight inches wide; then, with a ten-inch board on the lower side, a six-inch slope will be obtained and the soil of the cold-frame will be perfectly level. The cold-frame may be used for a great variety of purposes and the soil should be made as good as possible. A large supply of water will be needed and it should be easily accessible. The best plan is to have the water piped be- tween the frames with spigots conveniently ar- ranged for the attachment of hose. Hundreds of commercial growers have found it profitable to operate greenhouses. The greenhouse is more satisfactory than the hot- HOTBEDS. COLD-FRAMES 33 bed for the growing of early plants, and it is also preferable for forcing purposes. There is no reason why thousands of garden makers should not have small greenhouses. They in- sure summer-time the year around on a part of the place and may be made a source of great pleasure as well as profit. The best construction is none too good. Cypress should be employed for all wood parts. Iron should be used as much as possible for supports and purlins. Concrete and iron posts may enter into the wall construction. Glass of high quality is the best and cheapest in the long run. Sash bars should never be closer together than sixteen inches. Hot water is the best form of heating for small houses because it requires the least attention. While raised benches are convenient, espe- cially in starting early plants, they are not es- sential. Many of the best and largest houses do not contain benches or even wood or con- crete sides to solid beds. In these large houses there are practically no obstructions to tillage operations. Large doors are often provided and horses and horse implements are used in preparing the land for the various crops. This is farming under glass on the most intensive scale. Greenhouses on either large or small S^ THE VEGETABLE GABDEN places help to provide work for employees the year around. Many sections of the North ofter splendid inducements for vegetable forc- ing. CHAPTER IV STARTING EARLY VEGETABLE PLANTS IT Is presumed that a hotbed has been made in accordance, perhaps, with the instruc- tions given in Chapter III, or that a green- house is available for starting the seedlings. A cold-frame is also desirable for the hardier plants, such as lettuce and cabbage. Many plant growers prefer to sow in shallow boxes, often called flats, instead of directly in the soil of the greenhouse or hotbed. They are very convenient and give fully as good re- sults as, and sometimes better than, bed sow- ings. Flats need not be more than two inches deep, although less attention to watering will be required if they are three or four inches deep. To offset this advantage there are the disad- vantages of a larger supply of soil to fill the boxes and increased weight, which is especially objectionable when the boxes are taken to the field. Boxes 16x20 or 22 inches in size may be easily handled, when filled, by boys of fifteen 35 .u; Tin: VKCKTAULE GAUDFX vc.ns. |Mo\idcd the boxes arc not more than t\\\^ lUvlu's deep. Mats are often ni.uie from store i^ooJs boxes nnd this m.u be il\e el\eapest way to obtain (hem. Hoxes in whieli soap and canned i^oods ha\e been shipped are conNcnient lor this pur- pose, riicy may be ripped into two-inch sec- tions M\d extra bottoms supphed trom larger boxes. \Vl\ate\er plan is adopted, it is im- portant that (he tiats be made to tit the frames or r/. w\- ,!u>use benches with the least amount ot "u\'^c space. If stored under cover when not in use, flats should last four or tive years or even longer. Kye straw n\ats arc exceedingly important for the protection of plants, both In the hotbed auvl cold-frame. 1 hey may be made at home, but a better and neater machine-made, rye-straw mat is now available on the market. It will be necessary to have a gv>od rubber hose of sufR- cient length to reach all the sash, a nozzle with recrangiilar face which is made especially for the watering plants, an ordinary watering can holding two gallons, transplanting boards, dib- bers, and straight-edges. The transplanting K^ards are of suincient sire to an er the largest Rats. They are best made by nailing two K>ards, each eight or ten EARLY PLANTS 37 Inches wide, on two half-inch cleats. The cleats must he at the ends of the boards with sufficient space between the former to cover the largest Hats. A three-quarter inch auger is used to bore holes in the board in check rows. For cabbage plants there should be a board with the holes one and one-half inches apart each way, while for tomatoes the holes should be two inches apart. The wooden dibbers for punching the holes are generally made with shoulders so that the depth of the holes may be regulated to suit the size of the seedlings to be planted. Paper pots which may be purchased or made at home are often a great advantage in growing very strong plants. Some growers prefer them to the heavier and more expensive earthen pots, which must be collected in the field, returned to the potting house, and stored there for use another year. The soil to be used for starting vegetables should be selected from a field which does not contain germs of any of the diseases like club- root of cabbage, blight of tomatoes, or other hindrances to crop-growing. The only certain means of avoiding these troubles is to take soil from land which has not, for many years at least, grown any of the crops which are to be 38 THE VEGETABLE GABDEN started in the soil selected. The soil should be as free as possible from stones, sticks, and other debris which would interfere with seed sowing and transplanting. It should be light in texture, if possible, and abounding in decay- ing vegetable matter. Because of the impossibility of obtaining en- tirely satisfactory soil on most farms for the starting of plants, it is customary to prepare composts. Two or three parts of any good soil, one part of rotten manure, and one part of sand make a splendid medium for the growing of young plants. If desired, the soil and manure may be composted out-of-doors for a period of four months or longer and the sand added just before sowing or planting. Whatever plan is used the grower should bear in mind that the soil should take water freely and not bake hard after watering. Sand and manure will obviate these difficulties and they may be used in such proportions as are necessary. Two quarts of slaked lime added to each bushel of hea\w clay soil, besides sand and manure, will make it more porous and fri- able. The soil should be placed under cover in the fall, where it will not be frozen when wanted for use during the winter or early spring. Hard freezing may be prevented by EARLY PLANTS 39 mulching the soil with several inches of coarse manure. If the soil is very coarse, it will be an advan- tage to screen it before filling the flats. The soil will also w^ork better if it contains the proper amount of moisture. This may be easily regulated by sprinkling with the hose or watering pot, w^hile a man turns the pile over with a shovel. When the flats are being filled, it is important to firm the soil w^ell along the sides and in the corners of the boxes. A very rapid and con- venient w^ay of filling plant boxes is to place a half dozen of them around the pile of soil and shovel a surplus of soil into each box. A straight-edge is used to level the soil, and after the latter is pressed with the hands the same Implement is employed to level the surface. The box is now ready for sowing. If the soil is heavy, a special advantage will be gained by sowing in rows instead of broad- cast. If the broadcast method is used and the soil is subject to baking, the seedlings in strug- gling to reach the light will lift up cakes of soil as large as the hand, and the result will be many crooked and crippled plants. When the seed- lings are sown In rows, the young plants assist each other In their struggle and nearly always 40 THE VEGETABLE GAFDEN come up perfectly straight and erect. This is a great adv^antage in the process of pulling and transplanting seedlings. In planting such vegetables as cabbage, let- tuce» and tomatoes, about one dozen seeds should be sown to each Inch of furrow. No harm will result if as many as fifteen seeds should be dropped occasionally In an inch of furrow. The furrows are easily and quickly made by the use of a straight-edge made from any thin piece of lumber, such as a plastering lath, which should be about one-half Inch less In length than the width of the box to be sown. The straight-edge Is pressed Into the soil to the desired depth, which should be about one- fourth of an Inch for cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, cauliflower, peppers, and eggplant. The most rapid way to sow Is with an en- velope. Take an ordinary envelope and seal it. With a sharp knife or a pair of scissors cut It in two In the middle. In sowing, simply scoop up a quantity of seed with the envelope and with a rapid movement of the hand back and forth along the row distribute the seeds as evenly as possible in the furrow. The latter may then be closed by drawing the thumb and Index finger along the sides of the row; or if preferred the furrows mav be closed bv the use of two small, EARLY PLANTS 41 flat sticks, such as pot labels, pressed against the rows. Immediately after covering the seeds, the ground should be made firm by the use of a block of wood and then thoroughly watered. The flats are then placed on an inch or two of soil in the hotbed, which has been filled with manure four or five days before, or on the greenhouse bench. Unless the weather is bright and sunny and very warm, no more water may be needed until the plants are up. The question of watering, however, is a matter of judgment, and experience is required to avoid mistakes. The ground should be kept fairly moist until germination is complete and then the appearance of the soil will be the best index as to whether water is needed or not. If the plants make a fairly rapid growth and possess a dark green color, the watering has been satis- factory. If, on the other hand, the plants are spindling and light green in color, the probabili- ties are that too much water has been applied. It Is important to see that the watering is uni- form, and especial care should be taken to keep the soil moist in the corners and along the sides of the flats. Some fresh air should be admitted to the frames every day unless the weather Is too 4^> THE VEGETABLE GAEDEN severe. Excessive moisture In the soil as well as in the air of the frames or greenhouse, to- gether with high temperature, invariably re- sults in poor plants. If the hotbed is started during severe weather, care must be exercised that cold draughts do not strike the plants. This can be accomplished by opening the sash on the side opposite the direction from which the wind is blowing. In cold weather, protection of the plants is necessary In addition to the covering afforded by the sash. As previously indicated, rye-straw mats are most satisfactory for this purpose. They should be placed on the sash about four o'clock in the afternoon, or earlier If the weather is very cold, and removed In the morn- ing as soon as the sun appears. The time of covering or removing the mats from the sash will depend, however, entirely on weather con- ditions. . Effort should be made to maintain a night temperature of not less than 40 degrees for the hardier vegetables and 50 to 60 degrees for the more tender ones. A day temperature of 60 In cloudy weather Is suitable for cabbage, while the tomato prefers a temperature 10 de- grees higher. In sunny weather, the tempera- ture will run much higher but with no detriment EARLY PLANTS 43 to the plants, provided the frames or green- houses are properly ventilated. In about three weeks the rough leaves of the seedlings will be well formed and transplanting should be started. If the plants have been given the proper attention, they will be about two inches high and strong and sturdy. Soil for the flats should be prepared as previously directed in this chapter. Before filling the flats with soil, about an inch of rotten manure is first placed in the bottom of them. This will help to nourish the plants, and will make it possible to remove them at the time of transplanting with the maximum quantity of soil and manure adhering to the roots. It is exceedingly important that the boxes be so full over the entire surface that the trans- planting board will press firmly against the soil at every point. Unless this condition exists the soil will crumble into the holes when the dibber is removed. The transplanting board is held in place by one hand while the other quickly punches the holes. It is then removed and a plant is dropped into each hole; the plants should always lean back or away from the dropper. The work of dropping is most economically 44, THE VEGETABLE GARDEN done by children and a man can fasten or se- cure the plants for at least four or live drop- pers. The thumbs and lingers may be used for filling the holes or, if preferred, dibbers, which are half an inch in diameter and pointed at the tips, may be employed. It is essential that the soil particles come in direct contact with the rootlets of the plants and considerable pressure is necessary to accomplish this. Water if neces- sary after transplanting and place the flats in the cold-frames. If cabbage seed, for example, has been sown on the tenth of February, the plants will be ready for the cold-frame by the lirst week of March. If there is hard freezing weather when the plants are shifted to the frames, some pro- tection must be given, such as a burlap sack placed over the plants when carrying them from the transplanting room to the frames. The snow should be shoveled out and the frames covered with sash two weeks in advance of transplanting. The general directions given for the care of plants In the hotbed will also serve for the cold- frame. It is necessary, however, as the plants increase in size, to ventilate with greater free- dom. By the lirst of April the plants should be 4 or 5 inches high, or nearly large enough for EARLY PLANTS 45 the field. Unless the weather conditions are very unfavorable, practically no protection will be needed by the plants during the daytime. The hardening process should then be started for cabbage and lettuce, so that the plants will stand hard freezing in the field. More fresh air is admitted every day until the sash are left off entirely during the day and finally no protection is given at night. Water is also used sparingly during the harden- ing period. Properly hardened plants possess a bluish-green color, and plants of this char- acter will stand a temperature of twelve degrees below freezing, unless there is very high wind in connection with the low temperature, which may break the tissues of the stems and cause the plants to fall over. CHAPTER V TILLAGK PROBLEMS SUCCESS In vegetable gardening is largely dependent on the eharacter of the tillage whieh the soil receives. The proper kind of tillage is even more important than the free use oi fertilizers. Some growers would increase their protits if they applied less fertilizer and were more faithful in tillage oper- ations. By this statement we do not mean to minimize the value oi fertilizers, but we do wish to convey the idea that a host of garden makers place too much dependence on the plant foods applied and not enough on tillage. We must bear in mind that tillage modities the phys- ical properties of the soil: regulates soil mois- ture; changes soil temperatures: aerates the soil; provides more favorable conditions for the work of friendly bacteria: destroys weeds: pre- vents surface erosion: and covers and mixes with the soil humus-making materials, such as stable manures and green crops. TILLAGE PROBLEMS 47 The effects of tillage are so different under various conditions that every gardener should give the whole subject the most careful consider- ation. The tillage of land which is intended for the culture of vegetables usually begins by plowing. In small home gardens the spade is often em- ployed instead of the plow, but its use is much more laborious and very little better than the plow. If coarse stable manures are to be ap- plied they should be spread on the ground be- fore it is plowed. Manures which have been materially changed in texture by decay may often be applied to the best advantage after the land has been plowed. When the most in- tensive systems of gardening are adopted, and the spade is used for the first tillage operation, it is not unusual to work the manure into the soil as spading proceeds. This method, how- ever, is much more common in England than in the United States. Here the general custom is to broadcast the manure on the surface of the ground before plowing or spading, or perhaps all or a part of the manure is raked or harrowed into the soil after it is plowed or spaded. Fall plowing Is often an advantage In vege- table gardening. The rough, unbroken surface holds the snow and water during the winter and 48 THE VEGETABLE GAEDEN early spring and If harrowed the first day in the spring when it is sufficiently dry the spring sup- ply of moisture will be greater than in spring- plowed land. The physical condition of heavy soils is usually improved by fall plowing, which makes them more porous and friable and easier to work. Vegetable matter plowed down in the fall is well decayed by spring and is of greater value to the crop that follows. Fall plowing often makes It possible to plant earlier in the spring and thus relieve the pressure of spring work. Fall plowing also exposes insect enemies to freezing weather which helps to reduce their ravages. In the North, where the land is frozen to a considerable depth throughout the the winter, fall plowing is much more desirable than in the South, where the land Is subject to leaching throughout the winter. All spring plowing should be done at the earliest possible date. It Is important, how- ever, to wait until the land is dry enough to make physical Injury Impossible. The soil should be plowed as deeply as possible without bringing to the surface hard, unproductive sub- soil. While deep soil is important, especially from the standpoint of soil moisture, it Is preferable to have a depth oi seven or eight Inches of TILLAGE PROBLEMS 49 highly enriched soil to ten inches or a foot of soil of only medium fertility. If a greater depth of soil is needed, a very small quantity of subsoil may be plowed up each year without detriment until the required depth is obtained. When this is undertaken, stable manures should be used more freely. Ordinarily, the harrow should be used as soon as possible after plowing in order to retain soil moisture and to pulverize the soil. The kind of harrow that should be used Immediately after plowing will depend upon the character of the land. The light sandy soils may be reduced readily by the use of any kind of a harrow. The heavier clay soils require disk or cutaway harrows for the best results and sometimes, espe- cially if the land is quite compact, spring-tooth harrows are necessary to secure the proper depth of fine soil. If stony areas must be used for vegetables, the spring-tooth harrow will be found essential In their preparation for plant- ing. The acme harrow Is a good pulverizer and also It has splendid leveling action. Spike-tooth harrows are not used as much as formerly, but have been superseded by special makes like the Meeker smoothing harrow. This Implement contains 58 small disks mounted on four rollers. It Is used exclusively as a 50 THE VEGETABLE GAEDEN finishing harrow, and Is as effective as a hand steel garden rake. It pulverizes the smallest clods to the depth of three or four Inches and leaves the surface smooth and even. This har- row should be employed by all garden makers who require the use of horse Implements. Plank drags are also exceedingly valuable In pulverizing and leveling the land preparatory^ to seed sowing or transplanting. Frequent cultivation of garden crops Is essen- tial to success. No rule, however, can be given as to the frequency of tillage, for this depends on the t^'pe of soil and Its moisture content as well as on many other conditions. There Is no question about the Importance of using the culti- vator often enough to prevent hard baking and to destroy all weeds before they have made much of a start. It Is generally conceded that tillage should follow every rain If the ground Is dry enough and between rains If the Intervals are of long duration. It Is seldom, perhaps, that the cultivator Is used more frequently than Is neces- sary for the best financial results. The spike-tooth and narrow-shovel harrows are most popular among vegetable growers be- cause they are the best pulverizers and con- servers oi soil moisture. In most Instances the one-horse cultivators are more serviceable, al- TILLAGE PROBLEMS 51 though the riding cultivators can often be used to advantage on large plantations, especially for such crops as sweet corn, potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes. Hillers and shovels of various descriptions may be obtained and attached wherever they are considered an advantage. Hand-wheel cultivators in a great variety of types may also be obtained. The more com- mon forms, such as are sold by seed-houses, are highly satisfactory. They are great labor- savers and should be more generally used by farmers and village garden makers who rely too much on ordinary hand-hoes. If all vege- tables are planted in straight rows, It is remark- able how quickly a large garden may be worked with either a single or double-wheel hoe. The single-wheel hoes are made to use at the sides of the rows while the double hoes straddle them. It will be seen at once that cultivation may be accomplished much more rapidly with double hoes, provided the character of the crop and the stage of growth, as well as the contour and con- dition of the land, will permit their use. Ex- tensive commercial gardeners should have both types of hand cultivators, while the single-wheel hoes will be found more serviceable In small gar- dens where they must be used under a great di- versity of conditions. 52 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Whether hand or horse cultivators are em- ployed a certain amount of hand-hoeing is nearly always necessary to keep the land free from weeds and to maintain the best conditions for plant growth. Every gardener should have an assortment of hoes, including the hilling-hoe, rake-hoe, scuffle-hoe, and narrow weeding-hoe. Promptness in the use of hand-hoes is exceed- ingly important from the standpoint of economy in labor. If this operation is delayed until the spaces between the plants become hard and weedy, much more labor will be required to break up the ground. There are two classes of weeders, namely, those which are drawn by horses and the small, hand t}^pe. Horse w^eeders may be used in cul- tivating sweet corn, potatoes, and a few other crops for a short period after they have been started. They are great labor-savers as com- pared with cultivators and have the additional advantage of stirring the ground betw^een the plants in the row. If the ground becomes quite hard after heavy rains, sometimes spike-tooth harrows can be used to advantage instead of horse weeders. There are probably ten or more different kinds of hand weeders on the market. These are small tools, seldom more than a foot In TILLAGE PROBLEMS 53 length, that are used between plants in the rows. Some contain teeth or prongs, while others have blades that vary greatly In form. They are especially valuable for such crops as onions, beets, radish, carrots, and other vegetables which are grown close together. All garden tools, when not In use, should be kept under cover. They should be cleaned when put away, and the Iron parts of the smaller tools oiled at the close of each season. If It Is desired to protect them from rust. An occa- sional painting of the wood parts will prolong the life of the tools and Implements. CHAPTER VI STABLE MANURES AND COVER-CROPS THE producing power of any soil de- pends more on its supply of humus or vegetable matter than on the amount or character of plant food which it contains. Humus increases the capacity of soils to retain water; elevates their temperature; aids in impor- tant chemical changes; creates favorable condi- tions for friendly bacteria ; improves soil struc- ture; and reduces the labor of tillage. It may be seen at once that no effort should be spared in securing and maintaining a liberal supply of humus. Market gardeners depend almost wholly on stable manures as a source of humus. Crops follow each other in such close succession, and the plants stand so close together, that there is no opportunity to grow cover-crops. As a source of humus, stable manures are superior to cover-crops or green manures, because they are partly decayed when applied to the soil and are 54 STABLE MANURES 55 of greater value to the crops that follow such applications than green manures would be if plowed under immediately before planting vege- tables. Stable manures are often the cheapest source of plant food. Sometimes they may be had at city stables for the hauling, and in many in- stances the prices charged are very reasonable. The value of the actual plant food which city livery-stable manures contain probably seldom exceeds two dollars a ton. Intensive gardeners often pay this price and sometimes more for horse manure delivered on their home railroad sidings. Practically all the manure purchased by market gardeners at city livery stables is horse manure. It is drier than most other manures and requires great care to prevent the loss of ammonia which it contains. Cow manure is slower in its action and may be safely applied to the land nearer the time of planting than horse manure. Stock-yard manure is often available at reasonable prices. Hog manure is also slow in action and is valued by growers of vegetables, but it is seldom available in large amounts. Sheep manure is rich in nitrogen and acts very quickly. Its high content of nitrogen and fine texture make it a favorite manure for garden- 50 THE VEGETABLE GAEDEN Ing, although large quantities cannot often be obtained. Of all the farm manures, hen manure is the most valuable because of its large content of nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid, and its fine texture. It has long been regarded as espe- cially effective for the growing of onions and other vegetables which require a large amount of nitrogen. The United States Department of Agriculture places the following average values on the manure from different animals : cows $2.02: calves $2.18; horses $2.21; hogs $3.29; hens $7.07. In general farm gardening, it is usually best to apply stable manures as fast as they are pro- duced in the barn or hauledfrom the city or rail- road station. This plan is nearly always the most economical so far as labor is concerned. Gardeners must bear in mind, however, that fresh manure, especially fresh horse and poultry manure, applied immediately before the plant- ing of certain crops, is almost certain to result disastrously. Fresh manures are likely to cause a rank growth of the tomato, pepper, eggplant, and the cucurbits.^ \yith the root crops, such as the turnip, beet, carrot, radish, parsnip, and salsify, fresh manure not only causes a rank 1 .\ny plant of the gourd family. STABLE MANURES 57 top growth but It is detrimental to the best de- velopment of the roots. There Is no danger in applying large amounts of fresh manure to cab- bage, sweet corn, and no doubt some other crops, any time previous to planting. Market gardeners practicing the most In- tensive methods Invariably compost most of the stable manure before It is applied to the land. Sometimes other materials of fertilizing value are added to the compost piles, but in modern gardening horse manure Is used almost ex- clusively In the piles which are to be spread on the gardens or fields. Composting makes the manure finer in texture, destroys weed seeds, and promotes favorable chemical changes in the manure. It is customary to stack the manure In large, flat piles, four feet deep or more and with perpendicular sides. When the heaps are made In this manner, there will be practically no leach- ing at the sides nor In the interior of the piles, and if water Is applied with a hose whenever it Is needed, there will be no burning or fire-fang- ing with an accompanying loss of ammonia. The texture of the manure will be greatly im- proved If the piles are forked over once or twice during the period of composting which may last from three to six months or longer if desired. .\^ Till: vfc;ftabi.e gafdex Six months is not too much time in which to ob- tain the best texture. As previously indicated, coarse stable manures should be applied before plowing. If they are cut up with a disk harrow before plow- ing> it will be an advantage in plowing and to the crops that are to be grown. All of the manures of tiner texture, like those from poultry* sheep, and hogs, as well as decayed horse and ww manure, should usually be applied after plowing and thoroughly mixed with the soil by a suitable harrow. Four-tine manure forks are generally employed in spreading manure, although the machine spreaders secure a more even distribution and do the work more economically. The rate of application \'^ries with conditions which must be taken into account. In farm gardening, when heavy clover sod is to be plow^ed for cabbage, sw eet com, and other vege- tables which are cultivated with horses, ten tons of horse manure will often give most excellent results, especially w hen supplemented with com- mercial fertilisers. In the more intensive fonm of gardenings much larger sqpplkatMMis are cciBEnoti, It fe not mwsual to apphr as kS^ as 40 to«^ to the acre when a highly intensive svstem is followed, and sometimes we hear of STABLE MANURES 59 gardeners using 50 to 75 tons to the acre. Whether such excessive amounts are profitable or not is a much argued question. It is highly probable that 25 to 30 tons to the acre, applied annually and supplemented with commercial fertilizers, is ample to maintain the soil humus and to produce maximum crops. If irrigation is possible, good crops may be grown with less manure, although it may not be a good business proposition to make any change in the amount of manure used because of the possibility of irrigation. It is seldom, perhaps, that vegetable growers apply or purchase more manure during the season than is profitable. In many instances sufficient manure cannot be ob- tained for as liberal applications as may be neces- sary for the best results. Because of the impossibility and sometimes expense of obtaining large amounts of manure, vegetable growers have been forced to rely more and more on green manurial crops as a source of humus. It has been clearly demonstrated, too, that truck farms can be successfully operated without the use of stable manure. It has also been demonstrated that humus can often be ob- tained at smaller expense by the growing of manurial crops than by the purchase of stable manure. This is indeed a most fortunate con- 00 Tin: yKL^KTAiu.i: c^andfx dition, tor, with the iiuTcascd u will have to be ijrown to meet the deini.uis ot the Lrreat centers of population. There are three classes of manurial crops. First> those which are started with a grain crop, such as red clover with wheat. On general farms this is an ideal pnictice. If the land is in the proper statie of fertilit)\ there will be an ex- cellent stand of clover and a heavy sod will be produced, which, when plowed under, provides the most fa\x>nible conditions for many of the vegetables. This type of vegetable gardening — that is, the growing: of garden crops on gen- eral farn^s, w here clover and grass are included in the roration f ollowed — will become more im- portant. There is probably no other plan of furnishing organic matter so econon-'ically for the growing of vegerables Second, the organic ma: ::.e >o.! iniy be maintained and increased dv ::ie use of c.uch- crops: that is, n-e, crimson clover, vetch, or other crops, may be sown in the vegetable garden at the last cultix^ation which may be per- formed any time from about the middle of July until the first of September. The seed is sown broadcast and the e;:'::%'ation will cover the STABI.E MANVIIKS Gl most of it. More or less of the catch-crop will be destroyed in harvesting the vegetables, but there will be enough left, if a good stand has been obtained, to greatly Increase the soil liumus. 7'his plan is very popular in many gardening regions, especially where It is difficult to obtain stable manures. Crimson clover does reason- ably well as a catch-crop on sandy soils. Being a legume, It acquires free nitrogen from the at- mosphere, and this Is used to great advantage by the vegetables that follow. Not less than fifteen pounds of seed should be sown to the acre. Rye Is also largely used as a catch-crop. It grows In any kind of soil and makes a dense growth If plenty of seed Is sown. Ihree bushels of seed to the acre will make a very dense growth. Rye and vetch are often sown together. Third, In Impoverished soils It often pays to start manurlal crops by themselves and plow down one crop after another until the land Is well enriched with organic matter. For ex- ample, rye may be sown In the fall and plowed down the next spring when about two feet high, and then followed with oats and Canada field peas sown together. The oats and field peas may be followed with red or mammoth clover, or rye, If there Is any uncertainty about getting G- THE VEGETABLE GAKDEX a good crop ot clover. Seed should be used with freedom, and about 500 pounds oi a high- grade, complete fertilizer to the acre should also be used with each crop. Two or three thousand pounds of lime, applied after the oats and peas, will hasten the decay of vegetable matter and create more favorable conditions for clover by insuring an alkaline soil. Soybeans, cowpeas, and buckwheat are also grown for manurial pur- poses. CHAPTER VII COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS COMMERCIAL fertilizers are becoming more and more a necessity in vegetable gardening. Formerly, the growers of garden crops near all the centers of population were able to obtain horse manure from city stables for nothing, or at small cost, while now, liberal prices are usually charged and the avail- able supply is very much limited. It is not un- common for a commercial grower to pay from $2.50 to $3.00 a ton for manure delivered on the railroad siding, which may be several miles from the farm. Under such conditions, the use of stable manure is an expensive proposition, and, so far as plant food is concerned, commercial fertilizers would be found very much cheaper. The necessity of humus, of course, must be kept in mind, and, unless green manures or cover- crops are employed to maintain the supply of or- ganic matter in the soil, some stable manure should be used annually. An additional reason for the use of com- 63 (>i THE VEGETABLE GABDEX u\cvc\a\ ten ill /cr in conjunction with ni;inure is that the hutcr is an unbahuuwl plant food. It contains much more of nitroocn, if well pre- ser\ ed. than of potash or phosphoric acid. Some growers, therefore, reh mainly on manure as a source ot humus and nitrogen, and supple- ment by tlie application oi potash and phosphoric acid. Manure, too. n\ust first undergo de- composition before it is available to plants, while some tertili/ers, such as nitrate of soda, are available as soon as dissolved. liiis often gi\es fertili/ers a marked adN-antage, especially when it is important to force a rapid growth. And the latter is often of very great importance. I'or example, when vegetables are matured and harNCsted in close succession, several crops may be grown on the same land in one season. Rapid growth is Important also from the stand- point ot qualitw While nitrogen is supplied in large amounts by the application of stable manures, it is usually profitable to use at some time or other during the growing season nitrate of soda or other con\- mercial forms containing a large percentage of nitrogen. This element is especially important in the growth o{ \c,\\c$ and succulent stems and, therefore, such crops as cabbage, kale, Swiss chard, celery, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts. COMMERCIAL FIJRTILIZIJRS (J5 onions, spinach, parsley, endive, sweet corn, and asparagus are most benefited by its application. The value of any given form of nitrogen de- pends largely on its availability. For this reason, nitrate of soda is used to a great extent by all classes of vegetable growers. It may be mixed with other materials or applied sepa- rately. A common plan is to use some nitrate of soda in a complete fertilizer applied before the crops are planted and also as top-dressings during the growing season. It is sometimes dis- tributed in shallow furrows along the rows which are then filled. A favorite plan in small gardens is to sprinkle a teaspoonful or less about each plant of tomatoes, lettuce, cab- bage, or other plants in need of additional nourishment. Applications of nitrate of soda are especially valuable in the spring after crops have been started and before the ground is warm enough to promote rapid nitrification. Nitrate of soda is sometimes applied broadcast after the crops are started, regardless of the location of each plant. It is distributed with a swinging motion of the hand and arm, just as clover seed is sown by hand. If the foliage is perfectly free from dew and rain, there will be practically no danger of burning or injuring the plants because the ferti- tn; Tin: ri:ai:TABLE OAinyEX llzer rebounds from the dry leaf surfaces. There is no rule regardiuir the proper amount of nitrate ot soda to use on an aere. Ordi- narily, 100 pounds to the .-v'-.e '.s suttieient, and if des'.revi .:s •."..■.-n- .is three or •^^erb..ios tour ap- pl'.e.::..^::s //...n l^v^ '-.■.de during the se.:so:i. In other words, it . / rounds of nitrate or soda is usev' :o t'le .ure at intervals o!' .•■vnit two weeks, the •(,^'.::v:s s';:ould he well >;;r'^^..ed with nitro- gen. It ple:uv ot manure and probahlv nitro- genous fertili/ers have been used be:'o:-e ;^l.-n:- ing. subsequent dressings of nitrate o; >....-. r/.-v show no . '. :t. The g^.irdener should be cer- tain that his e-.\ ns v'n n: lack nitrogen at any time, for a shoi:ai:e o: tiiis element invariably results in light yields. Other forms of nitrogen are widely used .I'-'on^ ;:.:vv'envns Raw ov s:vv:nied bone fur- nishes ::on: ; :o o per een:, o: nitrogen. Al- though the nitrogen in this fonii becomes a\'^it able ver)' slowly. It is a safe and valuable ferti- lizer. Dried blood contains from 6 to 14 per cent, of nitrogen and decomposes rapidly. Ground fish contains to - to S per cent, of nitrogen and is useh v\::nsively by truckers in coast sections. T. x c^ varies from 4 to 12 per cent, of nltrogv : .. d Is regarded as valu* COMMEBCIAL FERTILIZERS (J7 able for the growing of vegetables. When top dressings of nitrate of soda are not contem- plated, a part of the nitrogen in the fertilizer applied before planting should be derived from a quickly available source, such as nitrate of soda, and a part from more slowly decompos- ing materials, such as dried blood, tankage, or ground fish. While nitrogen is ordinarily the limiting factor in fertilizers for vegetables, phosphoric acid Is absolutely essential. It hastens maturity and must be furnished in ample quantity to In- sure large yields. Greater emphasis is now placed on phosphoric acid in the growing of vegetables than ever before. This Is due largely to the fact that practically all the soils of the United States are greatly deficient In phosphorus. Acid phosphate, derived from the treatment of rock phosphate. Is the chief source of supply, although the animal bone meals are Important. The acid rock phosphates range from 12 to 1 8 per cent, of available phosphoric acid. Floats, which are simply the untreated rock ground Into a very fine state of division, may be used, but they are not so quick In their action and have not met with as great favor among vegetable growers as with general farmers. 68 THE VECETABLE GARDEN Potash Is especially important tor the root crops like beets, carrots, kohlrabi, turnips, rad- ishes, :\nd parsnips. It also enters largely into the composition of most other vegetables. Clay soils do not need potash as much as light soils need it. Lime and vegetable matter in the soil help to release the natural stores of potash but their value in these respects is somewhat dis- puted. Muriate of potash, sulphate of potash, and kainit ^ arc the most important sources. The rate of application of commercial fer- tilizers depends on the character of the soil, previous crops grown, previous fertilizers em- ployed, moisture conditions of the land, the Im- portance of early maturity, possibility of irriga- tion, and the needs of the crops to be grown. In the most Intensive types of gardening, it Is not unusual to apply two tons to the acre. In the great Norfolk trucking region, a total of ;ooo pounds to the acre annually is frequently used. A ton of a high-grade, complete fertilizer for an acre of cabbage, sweet corn, potatoes, and many other crops is often a profitable amount to use. although the usual practice for such crops is to employ half this quantity, espe- ^ Described as " a colorless to dark flesh-red hydrous potassium-magnesium chlorsultate." COMMEllCJyiL FJJRTTLTZERS 09 dally If the land has been dressed with stable manure. As a rule, however, it is a safe busi- ness proposition to apply as much plant food as the crops can use to advantage, and this is espe- cially true in market gardening which, next to vegetable forcing, is the most intensive type of vegetable gardening. When plans are made for a gross return of several hundred dollars to the acre, there should be no hesitancy in spending, say ten dollars more for fertilizer than what might be regarded as barely neces- sary for a good crop. On the other hand, every vegetable gardener should be cognizant of the fact that dangers at- tenci the use of excessive amounts of chemical fertilizers. In the Norfolk region, for ex- ample, it has been found that lands heavily fertilized annually with chemicals will. In time, become so acid that they will fail to produce satisfactory crops of some of the most Impor- tant vegetables. The only safe course, there- fore, when fertilizers are used In large quantity, Is to apply lime as often as may be necessary to correct unfavorable soil conditions. It has been found exceedingly valuable in the Norfolk region where there has been an excessive use of commercial fertilizers. Ordinarily, one ton of burned lime will be ample for an acre. ;o 77//: JiunyrAHLi: a audkx It' [M-ctcrrt\l, (he ground linicstonc may be usi\l instead ot burned lime, but about twiee as nuieh will be needed to seeure the same etleet. No doubt, there are i\undreds ot aeres de\ oted to vegetables whieh do not need more than half a ton ot burned lime io obtain the most favor- able soil eonditions. The benetits ot lime in eorreeting soil acidity, improving the phvsieal properties o( soils, destroying toxins, releasing plant tood, and hastening the deeav ot vege- table matter, are so great that most gardens should bo thoroughly limed at interN als of about four years. It is unnecessary to discuss at length the methods which may be used in applying fertil- i/crs. In small gardens, scattering with the i\and is \ cry satisfactory. For tields and largx^ g;udens, all sorts o\ fertilizer drills and dis- tributors are on the market. In purchasing complete fertilizer, the cost ot a pound ot nitrv\i;en. phosplioric acid, and potash should be considered, and not the cost of a ton ol the fcrtili/er. As a rule, the highest grade fertilizers are the best and most economical, from CN erv standpoint. If desired, tiie ma- ter* :'.< ■••:v be bor.i:!'.: sc^i\::-.;telv and niixed at ho:-..v I he wholv- /.v .\^s.:ion is exceedingly simple and the labor of home-mixing need not COMMKliCTA L FIJNT! LIZIJRS 71 exceed lilly eenls a ton. A sand sereen, flat- hoUonied sliovel, and barn scales comprise the e(|iil|)inent needed for honie-rnixin^. Knowing the composition of each material, the jrardener can soon delermlne just how much is needed to ^et a fertili/er of a required composition. CHAPTER VIII THE SEED srrri.Y GOOD seed is one oi the important fac- tors In prodiieing large crops oi choice xegetables. Seeds can scarcely be con- sidered good unless they meet the following re- quirements : i^ I ) Seed must be true to name, and not mixed. It Is unfair for a dealer to make sub- stitutions for varieties ordered without the con- sent ot the purchaser. It Is also dishonesty of the worst type for a dealer to mix turnip or cab- bage seed with caulltiower seed, and no trust- worthy seedsman Is ever found guilty of such practice. (:"> Seed must produce the best type of the variety selected. The experience of practical growers and the Investigations of seed growers and experiment stations show that there is marked variation in the standard varieties of vegetables. One strain of Jersey Wakeheld cabbage or Earllana tomato may produce sev- eral tons more of cabbage and tomatoes to the 7i THE SEED SUPPLY 73 acre than other strains of the same varieties. In view of this fact, it does not matter so much whether one huys Jersey Wakefield or Charles- ton Wakefield cabha^e, but it is of the greatest importance that the best strain be obtained of the variety chosen. The rank and file of our vegetable growers do not fully recognize the Im- portance of planting the best strains of the lead- ing commercial varieties. Ordinarily, vege- table gardeners simply buy seed regardless of the merits of the strains. If the seed is to be purchased, it is important to locate the best strains of the varieties desired. (3) Seed must be viable; In other words, a large percentage should grow under favorable conditions. (4) Seed must be free from weed seeds. (5) Seed must be free from grit, or other Impurities, or foreign materials. Every grower of vegetables may add largely to his pleasure and perhaps to his profits by the breeding of the best garden seeds. Funda- mental principles, however, must be recognized, or no progress will be made. A host of gar- deners have made the mistake of selecting choice specimens here and there with little re- gard to the specific qualities of the plants from which they have been taken; or, worse yet, fine :i 77/7': ri:cri:rABLi: candex spcciniciis h.ivc been picked out in the packing lunise tor seed purposes. It is a well-known tact that a very poor plant may produce a tine tomato or melon, bur it Is tolly to save fruits from such plants for seed purposes. The only safe principle to follow to insure progress, or at Ic.-.st to :r..r.!U.r.n the excellence oi a strain, is to :\\\\i:;v.. c ::;c plant as the unit. When making selections for seed purposes, such questions as these should h.i\ c co:'.sidera- tion : Is the plant healthy and vigorous : Is it productive? Are its products satistactorv in si.'e. sh.ipe. color, soliditv. qualitv ? Does it produce too much or too little foliage? Is it sufficiently early? rhe breeder should ha^•e well-detined ideas of tlie points -^:' :•'.' s;:-.nn desired. It *< '-''iv^r- tant to m.:xc .: /wC.^.d of such ideals f.^r :.;:;:';e guidance. Hear in mind, too, that plants difter greatly in their power to perpetuate their good qualities. This :::.-kes it important to kcc:^ .-. careful record ot c.-ch plant from whicli s-^v\-.- mens are selected. This is a very sinv- '. tter and may be worth hundreds or even : :. .s ::uis of dollars to the commercial grower. Most of the g-arden seed used in t:.c Ir.ited States as well as in foiv;^:: c.\::'.:v'c> ■> p:\^v:;:ced bv men who "\:kc :■. bv.< wcss <-^t i:;row:nc ^^^d on THE SEED SUPPLY 76 a large scale. The quality and value of such seed depends wholly on the care and skill used m its production, as well as on the Integrity of the dealer. It is gratifying to be able to say that considerable progress has been made in the im- provement of seed offered by American dealers, yet there is room for advancement. Our coun- try has never been able to grow satisfactory seed of certain classes of vegetables, such as self- blanching celery, and we have had to rely wholly on foreign countries for these seeds. At pres- ent, wars abroad interfere seriously in procuring imported seeds, and international complications will undoubtedly encourage the development of the seed industry in America. It is interesting to note that many of the most successful commercial growers save their own seed. They do this not because it is cheaper or less troublesome than to purchase them, but be- cause they are more certain of satisfactory re- sults from the home-grown seeds. In some in- stances the growers have learned of peculiar market demands and these have been met by breeding seed which produces just the type of vegetable wanted by the consumers to be sup- plied. Again, by the skilful breeding of seed in the home garden or greenhouse, it is possible to grow vegetables of great unifomilty in size. 7(; 77//: vjxnrrAiu.E candfx color, shape. anJ qualltv. It wouki be tolly, lunvoNor, tor anyone to attempt breeding his own seed without sutKeient knowledge ot the principles inNoUed, and the lack ot this neces- sarily places a handicap on a great many gar- deners. Seeds should not be harNcsted until they arc practically ripe, or mature. Close watching is required with some \egetables to gather the seed just at the right time. It produced in pods or capsules, ripeness is indicated when they turn yellow. Prompt harvesting is important when this stage is reached, in order to a\oid loss ot seed from the bursting of the receptacles in the field before the stems are cut. The stems or plants are permitted to drv tor a tew davs be- fore threshing. Bright, sunuv weather is de- sirable for all the processes ot harvesting, dry- ing, and threshing. Some seeds, such as tomato, melon, and cu- cumber, are enveloped in a mucilaginous cover- ing, and thev must stand in their own juice for a tew davs. or sometimes longer, in order to loosen the con ering by means of fermentation. The seeds are then easily washed in a tub, cn^ck, or other convenient vessel. The heavy seeds settle quicklv to the bottom, while the pulp, skin, and light seeds remain on top and may be THE SIJIJJ) SUPPLY 77 poured off. Sev(;nil wasfiin^s arc necessary to obtain clean seed. Sieves are often used during the process of washing. Whether tlie seeds have been cleaned by wind- mlHIng or washing, they must be thoroughly dried in the sun, in slieds, or in well-ventihited rooms before they are permanently stored. An excellent plan is to s|)read them in thin layers In an open loft where they will not be molested by birds, mice, or rats. Care rmist also be taken that the seeds are not fro/en before they are thoroughly dry, for this is certain to reduce their vitality, and It may completely destroy their germinating power. Seeds may be kept in any room which is free from dampness. An ordinary living room is entirely satisfactory and the seeds may be stored in bulk or In paper or cloth bags. When seeds are purchased. It pays to buy the best. The price should receive very little con- sideration. Make certain that there Is nothing better on the market and then buy enough seed to last several years, provided It will retain Its viability. In large commercial establishments this Is an exceedingly Important matter, and an increasing number of gardeners are adopting this policy. The testing of novelties Is always an Inter- 78 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN esting proposition. We naturally like to see vegetables that are superior to those we have been growing. Unfortunately, however, per- haps 95 per cent, or more of the novelties are inferior to the old, reliable, and well-known standard sorts. And why discard old, tried friends for new ones which may serve us much less profitably? There is no possible objection to trying the novelties on a small scale, but it is folly to make large plantations of them or to rely upon them before we know their real merits. Practically all the seed sold by rehable dealers possesses good germinating power. The safe policy, though, is to make a germination test of all the seeds to be planted, whether they have been purchased or saved at home. Much dis- appointment and great loss may be avoided by this very simple operation. Germination pans, plates, and various devices may be used to de- termine the viability of the seed, but the best method is to plant it under real conditions. Shallow boxes, such as the one described in Chaper IV, or cigar boxes, will be found con- venient for this purpose. It is desirable to plant two lots of seed from each packet or bag to be tested. With small seeds, such as lettuce, cabbage, and tomato, there I THE SEED SUPPLY 19 should be lOO in each row, and if the rows are four or five inches long there will be ample room for a germination test. As soon as the plants are all up, counts should be made and the per- centage of germination determined. One year old seed, if well preserved and planted under favorable conditions, will show about the following percentages of germina- tion: Asparagus 90 Okra 80 Bean 9° Onion 80 Beet 1 140 Parsley 7° Cabbage 9° Parsnip 70 Carrot 80 Pea 90 Cauliflower 80 Radish 9° Celery 60 Salsify 75 Corn, sweet 85 Spinach 80 Cucumber 85 Squash 85 Eggplant 75 Tomato &5 Lettuce 85 Watermelon 85 Muskmelon 85 Seeds vary greatly in their longevity. That depends on kind of vegetable, thoroughness of curing, and storage conditions. The following table shows the probable maximum time that seeds may be kept and then germinate satis- factorily : Years ^ears Artichoke 2 Cabbage 3 Asparagus 2 Carrot i Bean 3 Cauliflower 4 Beet 4 Celery 2 1 Botanically a fruit, often containing more than one seed. so ruF vfl^ftaiu f (.;akdks -llHWtlpt \ s \ \ \\ X \% \\x\ «\x VAtrx« >\\X\XX\\\\«\«\ \\v\xx\x\\\vx\ »\sx\\\x\x\\x\ s\\\x\\\\\s\\\ MA PKi/j ;;.'<'; IT is assumed that rr.^/' ^f tfjr: r^;' ' ' ^f this little hook hav- rr/.r^: or Je. . :,t in vc^ctahlc ^ardcnin^ from a tommcreial standpoint; therefore, the question of marketing/ should receive some consideration. Men who have had lar^^c experience, hoth in producing/ and sellin^^, often claim that the sales end of the proposition is the more difficult. Certainly our a^/ricultural collc^^es, farmers' in'.'-i^'j^e'.. and various classc'. of farm paper'. }.;;.,-; ^^, v';rj far more attention to the production of farm crops than to their satisfactory disposition. We now recognize the fact that real problems confront the gardener in marketing his crops just as they do in growing them, and it is gratify- ing that the various forces in agricultural educa- tion are now making a serious effort to help solve these problems. In the first place the grower must bear in mind that there are underlying principles to be ob- S2 THE VEGETABLE GAFDEX served in the suecessful marketliii; of vegetables. The ^re.u principle in\oI\ed is that no ettort should be spared to please the man and his fan\ily who purchase either directly or indirectly the vegetables which you grow, Fhis effort in- creases consumption and assists In holding prices. Any gardener who manages to get a good price for an inferior product, whether it is handled by a middleman or not. does an injury to the great fraternity of commercial vegetable growers. Whenever Inferior vegetables iind their way to the table of consumers, the effect is to limit con- sumption at the time and to discourage the housekeeper in placing further orders for vege- tables of the same kind. Successful marketing means that the consumer must be won and so well pleased that he will make additional purchases. This cannot be ac- complished unless the vegetables are of high quality, attractive in appearance, and the con- tainers honestly packed. Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the Importance of attractive- ness. If an article appeals to the eye of the buyer, there is seldom difficulty in making a sale unless the market is over-stocked. Even,' grower of vegetables should make a most care- ful study of the elements or factors which count for attractiveness, ^>getables must be graded MATIKETING 88 to show off to the best advantage. They should be uniform in size, color, shape, soundness, and ripeness. 7he packages must also be bright and clean, and with fancy vegetables it may pay to use tissue paper, lace paper, or other orna- ments similar to those used by fruit growers. Too much care cannot be exercised in harvest- ing vegetables. 7 hey should not be handled so roughly as to cause bruising. They should be harvested just at the proper state of ripe- ness to Insure the best quality, and methods for their transportation to market In the best condi- tion should be fully considered. Tomatoes, for example, which are to be shipped long distances and probably held for a few days in wholesale houses, retail stores, and finally in the consumer's pantry before they are served on the table, must be picked in a practi- cally green state. By this practice, quality Is necessarily sacrificed, a fact which accounts for the good demand for home-grown, field, and greenhouse tomatoes when the markets are full of southern tomatoes. The time of harvesting is most closely as- sociated with the question of quality. A large percentage of the sweet corn which is sold on the city markets Is either too green or too ripe. Comparatively few growers realize the great 84 THE VEGETABLE CAFDEX importance of having every ear just right when It Is sent to market. Millions of cantaloupes are Insipid because they were picked before they are ripe, and many other examples might be glvt^n to show the necessity of marketing every crop at the proper time. When a grower sells at retail from the farm wagon, nothing will establish a friendly market more rapidly than to have every vegetable at Its proper stage of ripeness to Insure the highest quality. To gather the crop. It pays to have conven- ient baskets furnished with strong handles. In large plantations, roadways should be provided at convenient intervals. These may be permanent roads or provided tentatively for each crop by planting strips of the earliest va- rieties which are removed before the main har- vesting begins. Any kind of a shed or farm building can be conveniently arranged for the packing of veg- etables. The large commercial establishments have houses of special construction, and, though a great advantage, they are not absolutely necessary, especially on smaller places where vegetables may be produced as a side Issue. ^^^latever the character of the building used, MARKETING 85 there must be tables of convenient height to the workmen and also sufficient room for the stor- age of empty carriers as well as for those which have been packed ready for market. One of the most Important articles Is a tank or tub to be used In washing vegetables and this means that there should be an ample supply of pure, fresh water. Cleanliness Is one of the most Important factors In preparing vegetables for market. Sometimes this can be accom- plished by the use of a damp cloth, while In other Instances It Is necessary to use plenty of water. Such vegetables as peas and beans in pods do not often need washing, but Immersion In a vessel of cold water gives them a fresh, bright, clean appearance and also helps to re- tain the plumpness of the pods until they reach the consumer. A brush as well as water Is often necessary to remove the soil that may ad- here to beets and other root crops. An almost endless variety of packages are in use. As a rule, the smaller packages meet with greatest favor among consumers. Com- paratively few people care to buy as much as a barrel of cabbage or potatoes or a bushel of tomatoes. The small packages are gaining In favor in all markets. They are especially pop- 86 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN ular if provided with a bale or handle so that the purchaser can carry the vegetables home without inconvenience. If the vegetables are to be hauled or trans- ported long distances to market, the carrying qualities of the packages must be taken into ac- count. The nesting abihty of a package is also an important consideration. While selling a load of produce to retailers or consumers, it is very desirable to be able to nest or stack the empty baskets or crates so that they will require little space in the wagon. Grading is universally recognized as a neces- sary operation in preparing vegetables for mar- ket. The number of grades depends largely on the requirements of the market to be supplied. Ordinarily, two grades will serve the purpose, although at times it pays to make three grades. The packages should be well filled, and the veg- etables arranged as neatly as possible. Hundreds of vegetable growers find that it pays to do more or less advertising. It may be the pasting of a brand or label on the package or perhaps on the vegetable, as when melons are labeled. Local newspaper advertisements are often effective. A bulletin board at the front gate or farm entrance may serve the purpose. MARKETING 87 A business card In the interior of the package is one of the best means of advertising. Dodgers are sometimes found to be an ad- vantage in making sales. Postal cards taste- fully illustrated and with just the right com- ments are often very good. Wagons are in most general use, although auto trucks are becoming quite general for the delivery of vegetables. Trucks possess de- cided advantages, especially when the hauls are long and the roads smooth, hard, and com- paratively free from steep grades. Under such conditions, and when a large amount of prod- uce is to be transported, they have been found more economical than transportation by horse power. Co-operative buying and selling organiza- tions are being successfully operated in various parts of the country and there is no reason why every community should not enjoy the advan- tages and privileges of co-operation. CHAPTER X INTFNSIVF OARPFXING NO one type of vegetable gardening is best suited to all eonditions. On thousands ot general farms, and in seores of well-known trueking seetions, highly intensive methods would not be found feasible. Approved lield methods must be followed, in- volving moderate applieations of manure or fertilizers, ample spaeing between plants, and tillage sutReiently frequent to eontrol weeds and to keep the ground in a friable condition. There are many locations where no other tN-pe of vegetable g-ardening would be found prac- ticable or protitable. But, with the increase in land \'^hies and the general tendency to make every acre do larger duty, there is a demand for information on how to obtain maximum re- turns from a given area, and the purpose oi this chapter is to present, in condensed form, the data needed to secure the very best results, whether a fraction of an acre or one hundred acres are under cultivation. INTENSIVE GARDENING 81) The best seed obtainable must be sown at the proper time and in sufficient quantity to give a perfect stand of plants. No possible chances will be taken by alert gardeners in planting seed of unknown quality, and enough of it will be used to start a plant at every point where a plant is wanted. To be absolutely certain of having a perfect stand of plants, it is sometimes desirable to sow very thickly with the idea of thinning or removing surplus plants. How- ever, if the germinating quality of the seed is known, and the gardener has had experience in sowing, the distribution may be made so skil- fully, and the amount of seed used will be judged so accurately, that the stand of plants will be satisfactory without resorting to thin- ning. The Intensive gardener will constantly bear In mind that humus Is the life of any soil, and that there must be no lack of vegetable fiber In the soil. If the largest and the best crops are to be harvested. The trucker may conclude that ten or twelve tons of manure will be ample for at least a fair crop, but the Intensive grower will place no limit on the amount of manure to be applied each year. Forty tons may be all that is needed, but, if he Is convinced that seventy-five tons will Increase net profits, there ^> THE VEGETABIJ:: GaEDKX will Sf no he^rancY in apphing thit amount. A highly sucoe^ful vegeriMe gn>wer at Cleve- Imsi, Ohio, has S^ea u:^::ig tor many years $00 tons innually 01: twdve acres of land. Where suov^rss^on cropping is followed, the amount to h; :sed on an acre may be applied at various sh-e types of vegetable gar xry to conqpost all manures bc:.r;; > ::he gardens* This ie^s:rv>y^ ..: . . . :> _:„ makes the manure : : S!0 Aat it mixes more thoron^^^ with the soil. As stated elsewhere, a rank growth of v:c T^^'es may be avoided by using rotten in- <:- f fredi manures^ Sofls of rather low fertility may be radically changed and made exce^^ii^g!y productive in one season by the free iise of manure. Instances are known of fertiKzer being ap- plied at the rate of two to four tons to die acre. It is doubtful, however, whether increase i yidds are often obtained by the excessive ;:s^ of coDMiiarcnl fertilizers^ It is highly prob- able that two tons of a higji-grade fertilizer used anDnaOj to an acre of land» m addkion to the stable manures a^|£ed» wiQ siqpi^ aA the plant food that could possMy be utilized by any system of cropp«ng. When the maxiniim INTENSIVE GARDENING 91 fertility is desired, the safest: policy is to be somewhat conservative in the amount of chem- ical fertilizers used and to apply manures and organic fertilizers, like dried blood and tank- age, with j/reater liberality. Tillage occupies an important place in in- tensive vegetable gardening. Yields are often limited because the soil has not been well pre- pared nor the crops thoroughly cultivated. The preliminary tillage for a crop demands that the soil shall be in a fine state of division to the depth of the plow furrow. Disking be- fore planting often helps to make a satisfactory seed or plant bed, and this is especially true if there are surface applications of manure to be mixed with the soil. Too much cannot be said concerning the necessity of stirring the soil often enough to prevent all weed growth and to keep the sur- face of the soil in an open, porous condition. A productive soil is always well aerated and tillage is the means of opening the ventilators. No rule can be laid concerning the frequency of cultivation for much depends on the texture and structure of the soil. Heavy soils require the most frequent cultivation. It is universally conceded that water is the most Important factor In plant growth. The M THE VKuFTAlUJE GAUnKX land n>ay be most K-^imtifuIlv supplied with plant food, but if the content of soil moisture is inadequate the crop yields will be unsatistavN tor>\ A constant and liberal amount ot mois- ture is needed in the chemical and bacterid cd<^cal activities ot the soiL Large additions of manure are of great vaUie in the building of a soil reserx oir. and crv^ps which are planted in a soil containing a large percentage of decay- ing \^getable matter will not suffer tv» the same extent fn>m drought as crv^ps which are grown in soils lacking in humus. Xotwithstanding the tremendous \^lue of humus in retaining soil moisture and of tillage in cv>nser\nng it. irriga- tJon must be relied upon to give absolute con- trol of soil moisture conditions. The impor- tance of irrigation is now universalh* recog- nised by all classes of ^^egetable grc>wers whc wish K> make yields larger and cror production more certain. Various methods are employed. /. :he water- ing of garden crops, but the overhead system possesses the greatest ad\^antages and may now be found in all of the important gardening sec- tions of the United States, The distributing pipes naay range from a few inches above Ae g:. -:id to a height iirfiieh will permit man or liorse to pass under without any interference. INTENSIVE (JAItDENINC; \)% The lines avcraji^c ahout ';o ff:f:t apart and ar^: fitted vvitii small (Jischar^/c no/z/Jcs at intf-.r'/als of four feet. The distributing^ lines are eon- netted with tfje y/ater mains or suhmains h/ means of [patent unions. /A lever is secured at one enf] of each no///Je line by v/hich the entire line is turned or revolved at will so that it is easily possible to v/ater a strip si- ated v/ith companion cr^s;. ^;. J- or example, radishes, lettuce, and cabbage are p]'^-':' to- gether at the same time, early in the .pr.-sg. 7"he rows of early cabbage may be thirty-tv/o inches apart and the plants sixteen inches apart in the row. Lettuce is planted in the rows al- i>i T7ZF rEGE2\iBLE CARDEX ternately with the cabbage, and a row of lettuce IS also set midway between the rows of c.ibb.iLre, the spacing of the plants being eight inches apan» or more if desired. Button radishes are drilled in rows between the rows of lettuce and the arrangement of the three vegetables will be as follows: C L C L C L C L C RADISH L L L L L L I L L RADISH C L C L C L C L C The radishes will be harvested first, and then the lettuce, and linally the cabbage. With care- ful spacing of the crops there will be little in- terference of one with another. In order to make a combination plan of cropping like this a financial success, there must be a satisfactory market* of course, for each vegetable. Numerous plans for intercropping may be ciir^^e.^ out with entire success. Little diffi- c;. :uld be experienced in deciding on defi- nite pi. Ills, if proper consideration is given to the c > > ; ■ : ' ;. \ ' : : : s The gardener must rake into -■,::..:::: ;..: :.:::e when each crop should be started; the approximate date when each crop will be ready for market: the space required JNTKNSIVK a A It DKNINC 05 for CJicfj vegetable throughout flic pcrlrjf] of growth; the habil of ciffi 'Li/.s of phuits iri- (hj(ic(j in tfic phin; and tiic food unci rnfjibturc rc(iuircrncnts of the various plants considered. CIIAPTKR XI rilF llOMF C^AKIM-N THIS little \olunio would not be com- plete without A brief discussion of the home garden, although every chapter, except the one on marketing, is just as ap- plicable to the home garden as to the com- mercial garden. 1 he importance ot America's home gardens Is ^•ery much underestimated. \Vere a monthly value placed on their products, it would amount to millions of dollars annually. Every farm has its kitchen garden, which occupies a promi- nent place In the feeding oi the farmer's family. There are days and CNcn weeks in some farm homes when the contributions of the kitchen garden, in addition to eggs, milk, bread, and butter, constitute the bill of fare. If the leguminous vegetables — peas and beans — enter largely Into the diet, there will be little need ot fresh meat, which Is often so dItHcult to obtain In the country. The farmer and countryman, therefore, should make the most 9G THE HOME GARDEN yt careful plans for this — the most Important — cultivated area of the entire farm. Of equal importance is the vegetable garden of the villager and the suburbanite who may have difficulty in meeting the increasing ex- penses of a growing family. A Pennsylvania shopman was reared In a village, twelve miles from the town where he works. He supports a wife and several children. For several years after his marriage he lived in the village where he was reared, walking to his work very early every Monday morning and returning Saturday night. I'here were no trolleys or other means of transportation. Believing that It would be better to live in the town where the shops were located, he rented a house and made the experiment — which It proved to be for a year or two — and then re- turned to the village. There was practically only one reason for his going back, namely, that four dollars a day would not make his family as comfortable in the shop town as In the village. Although a cow and chickens were kept at the village home, their value did not equal that of the large garden which was of great economic importance in the support of his family. Chapter I presents arguments and suggests opportunities for all classes of people, rich and i)s Tin: vkl^ktaiuj: cahdks poor, young and old, and those weary In mind and body, by whieh they may hud rest, reerea- tion, and health h\ vegetable gardening, and certainly almost our entire population ean tind at least some soil (perhaps only a window-box in the city tlat) in which a few vegetables might be grow n. In home vegetable g-ardenlng there should be several distinct aims. Quality is of para- mount importance* In the selection of varie- ties, the question s^hould always be asked, are they of the highest quality? Otherwise, you are not justified in planting them, unless son\e special reason exists. We must not lose sight of the fact that rapid growth helps to secure high quality. As srated in another chapter, vegetables which are gnnvn slowly are likely to be tough and tibrous, stringy and bitter, or otherwise unpleasiint in flavor. If there is no check in growth from the day the plants are up until they are harvested, the quality should be of the best, if good varieties have been selected. Rapid grow th depends on a constant and abund- ant supply of soil moisture and available plant food, in addition to frequent and thorough til- lag«^ Again, there should be an abundance of the vegctaMes which are in greatest demand on the THE nOMK GAniW.N 0!) home tai)lc. If (ir)l(lcn I>;uitcirr) sweet corn is a gerienil favorite vvilli tfie fcunily, plant a gen- erous area so that it can he served liheraDy as often as desired. I'he successful home gar- dener will try to cater to tfie wishes and de- sires of every rnernher of the family. I le will also strive to fiave \hc favorite ve^etahles dur- ing as long a period as possihle. In this respect many gardeners fail. "J'hcy do not realize the importance of planting at close intervals, so that there will he an unhroken succession of vegetahles for t}ie tahle. Too frecjuently there is only one planting of sweet corn, peas, etc., when there should he several of the varieties selected for the purpose of yielding a uniform supply over a maximum period. Another fault of some home gardeners is that the assortment of vegetahles is too limited. The fact that a few vegetahles are preferred by the family Is not sufficient reason for exclud- ing all others. Some of the vegetables of minor importance, which are seldom seen on the market, are most palatable when properly pre- pared and served. The home garden should be located as con- veniently as possible to the residence of the gar- dener. A sandy loam is best, but any kind of soil may be quickly improved for the growing 100 77/7; VKCKTABLi: CrANDKX oi N'wgctablcs. rhoro;:cH Jralnaoc Is abso- lutely ncwcss.iry. A l^ciuIo slope to the south or soy.tluMs: is prct'orablc, but excellent results may be obtauied o:-. .:-.v exposure. A natural or artltielal wlndbre .^ s . ; ^reat value to pro- tect vegetables . •. c" ^cns whieh are swept by hard winds. I he water supply, especially if irrigation is contemplated, should also have careful consideration. Hotbeds and cold-frames, and perhaps a small greenhouse, are a c'--' .kN .-r.t.ige. They make it possible to g:\M\ s: \^:'.g. e.r/ly plants and to force to maturity \ egetables like radislies. onions, and lettuce when the weather IS too cool to grow them out-of-doors. A hot- bed of two ; \ o foot sash, and a cold-frame of about four sash, will be found exceedingly valu- able in any^ home g-arden. Almost innumerable plans could be made, showing the arrangement of :!ie \ ario;:s cl.-sses of vegetables in the li. e garden. The gar- de:'er *> ::.::.:rally anxi. .:> :\^r his labor to ao co::.v.,s.. .-.s -.-nuch as poss.ble, and planting everything in rows running lengthwise of the plot will shorten the :. w.-i^^-'^l to drill, plant, and cultivate the a ea. 1 ong rows are a spedal ad\'antage in drilling and cultivating because the operator is not required to turn his TIIK HOME GARDEN 101 tools or implements so frequently. In gardens of good size the rows should seldom if ever be so close together that hand wheel hoes cannot be used. I'hey are great labor-saving devices and permit the gardener to spend more time in weeding, spraying, or doing other work about the premises, and they also enable him to take care of a larger area. The principle of rotation should be recog- nized as far as possible in the home garden. It is never desirable to plant cabbage, cauli- flower, onions, or any other crop, in the same ground year after year. Such practice tends to increase and encourage the presence of club- root, and many other plant diseases, and insect pests. In small gardens, companion and succession cropping may be used to great advantage. See Chapter X. The perennial crops, such as rhubarb and asparagus, as well as the bush fruits and grapes, should be planted at one side of the garden where they will not interfere with the annual crops. CHAPTER XII CULTUR-^L DIRECTIONS ARTICHOKE — GLOBE {Cynara scolymus) THE Globe artichoke is steadily gaining in popularit}- among American garden- ers. It is a delicious and wholesome vegetable that should be more generally grown. It is easily propagated from seed or suckers. Seed sown in the spring will produce strong plants for setting in the permanent bed the next spring. Plant in rich, moist soil, rows three feet apart, plants two feet apart in the row. Cut the old plants back to the ground in the fall and mulch with about live inches of coarse manure. ARTICHOKE — JERUSALEM {H elianthus tuberosus) The tubers of this vegetable, which may be ser^-ed as pickles or cooked for salads, are easily grown. A very rich soil is not required. The tubers are usually cut into two or three-eye 102 ASPARAGUS 103 pieces and planted in the same way as potatoes, the pieces being dropped about 15 inches apart in the row. After the tops are dead, dig the tubers or let them remain in the ground over winter. There will be no danger of injury from freezing. ASPARAGUS {Asparagus officinalis) This vegetable of European origin has found a place in the gardens throughout America. It is regarded as one of our most important vege- tables, from a commercial standpoint, and no home garden is complete without it. A tremen- dous quantity is sold for immediate con- sumption and a large amount is canned, so that this product is served throughout the year. As- paragus is of such easy culture, and is so thor- oughly enjoyed by almost everyone, that there is little or no excuse for not having it in every home garden. Many, too, who do not lack land area, will find this a most desirable vege- table to grow in somewhat larger quantity than is actually needed to meet the demand of the home table, for it is likely that the surplus can be sold without difficulty to neighbors or in nearby local markets. While a number of varieties are offered for ^ov 77//: VKCKT ABI:K CAEDFy sale by American seedsmen .u\d nurserymen, only two varieties need be n\entioned here* Palmetto is unquestionably the best known and most extensively grown. It Is prv^litic and pro- duces large shoots ot excellent quality. The plants are also fairly resistant to rust. Re- cently, a new variety, Readlnij Giant, has been introduced by the Asparagus Experiment Sta- tion of Concord, Massachusetts, which is re- garded as practically immune from rust. It is highly probable that Reading Giant will become the leading American variety because of its power to resist rust. Deep, rich, moist, sandy loams are the best soils for the growing of asparagus. Sandy soils are particularly desirable if a white product is to be grown. There is an increasing demand, however, for green '^ grass/' and an excellent quality may be produced in any soil that is suf- ficiently fertile. A soil that will produce a good crop of com will, with proper management, grow a good crop of asparagus. After a plantation has been established, and unusually strong and productive plants are found here and there, it may pay to select your own seed from them. Many of the most suc^ cessful conmiercial growers save their own seed. It desired, a few of the best male and female ASPARAGUS 105 plants can be Isolated and used wholly for seed purposes. Amateurs as well as market ^^rov.ers will derive much enjoyment from producing their own seeds. See that the male plants are just as good as the female. It is preferable to select plants that produce relatively few large shoots, rather than many small ones. 7 hey should also be irtt from rust. 7"o propagate new plants, select a rich loca- tion in the garden or on the farm. Make it still richer by apf/iying plenty of rotten manure, of any kind, before planting. After plowing, harrow or rake in a complete high-grade ferti- lizer, at the rate of not less than a ton to the acre. Tlie soil should be in a perfect state of cultivation before -^r. y v:^;': ':\ /y.vn. Make the rows two feet apart. Drop the seeds about tv. o inches apart and cover them with an inch of soil. If unusually strong plants are desired, drop the seeds 3 inches apart. A hand seed drill may be used if a large number of plants are to be grown. A desirable practice is to drop a radish seed every few feet. These will germinate quickly and the plants will mark the rows so that culti- vation may be begun at once. The asparagus plants may not appear for a month because the seed germinates very slowly. Give thorough loe THE VEGETABLE GARDEN tillage throughout the summer. Thin the as- paragus plants, if a seed drill has been used in sowing. If necessan', top-dress the plat in July with nitrate oi soda lOO pounds to the acre, if the plants are not growing satisfactorily. A plan more certain of good results is to top-dress with 3 or 4 inches of fresh horse manure, being careful not to let the manure come into contact with the tender seedlings. The plants may be dug in the fall and stored during the winter in moist soil, sand, or saw- dust. A convenient plan is to tie them in bundles of 50 and pack them in barrels which may be placed in a cool cellar or buried under leaves out-of-doors. One-year roots are preferable to two-year roots. Experiments have clearly demonstrated thar large roots are much more profitable than small ones. At The Pennsylvania State Col- lege, the largest roots, planted in 190S. pro- duced in 1914, $816.72 to the acre, and the smallest roots S694.32 to the acre. The con- clusion of the whole matter is that oa^ is never justified in planting anything but the largest one- year roots. This means that the gardener should grow two or three times as many roots as are actually needed to plant the area in mind, select the best roots, and discard the others. ASPARAGUS 107 Mi.^fj Kr. '.e relative pro- :, . . .■ : ::■'; : ■/.,-,. The ■•:, Tlie until t: r -^ ^heir of 1" ;' : ':?^er lives near a > 5 ragus. If so, it ws in order to 5ps the better -?^^ lots of green .' . . /. -^sumers rh^.: V. : y. : :-. .•,;;:-. ir: . i . .' ., •, ;r;-,r :y the trea- icient, although lOS 77//: JKCrKTABLi: aAh'DEX llkciv be increased by using more, say twenty tons to the acre, in addition to 500 pounds oi a complete t'ertili/er. There is much ditlerence of opinion as to how an asparagus plantation should be tertili/ed. It is highly probable, however, that at least ten tons o( stable manure can be used annually to advantage. It is also likelv that the com- mercial tertili/er should be employed in two ap- plications, the first in the spring ot the year be- fore any asparagus is cut i^the manure may also be spread at this time"), and the second imme- diately after the last cutting of asparagus, which is ordinarily about the tirst of July. The fer- tilizer should contain not less than 4 per cent, of nitrogen, 6 to S per cent, of phosphoric acid, and the same amount of potash. The nu^st in- tensi\e and successful growers apply not less than a ton of fertilizer annually. If white shoots are to be grown, it is cus- tomary to allow front 5 to feet between rows, and the roots are set about : feet apart in the row. If green spears are to be grown, it is un- necessary to have the rows so far apart: 4 feet is sufficient space between rows, although half :\ foot more of space is an advantage in culti- vating, especially after the plantation is S or more years of age. Two by four feet apart ASPAUAGUS 109 Is regarded as highly satisfactory by some of the most successful growers. Fall [)lanting may be practiced, but spring Is the better time. J he land should be plowed no deeper than the ordinary furrow slice, nor should the roots be planted deeper than this. It Is Invariably a disadvantage to have the roots In the subsoil because they grow laterally, and they fail to find the proper nourishment and physical conditions In the subsoil which are neces- sary for the most rapid growth. Cover the roots at first with not more than 2 Inches of soil and Increase the depth of covering as the plants grow. Thorough tillage should be given from early spring until It Is Impossible to get between the rows with a horse and cultivator. The most ef- fective tool to use early In the spring, the first day the ground Is dry enough to work, Is a disk or cutaway harrow. This will cut up the soil and manure and secure good surface conditions before any asparagus Is cut. The spring appli- cations of fertilizer may also be made before harrowing the land. Various cultivators are used during the cutting season and some hand- hoelng is usually required to prevent weed growth. After the last cutting is made, about the first of July, fertilizer may again be applied no TUF ri\;rT.UU.K CAKDKX and the hnd disked. There .. . :c^rn aN>ut the tew shcK^ts that are viestrvnevi by the disk harrvnw Others w ill take their place. Asparagus must be au every day in very >\'ann weather, especially duriixg the mcuuh of May> and usually e\^ry other day. It is tievl in bunches \^rying in si?e to suit the markets tv> be supplicvi Most markets require bunches that weigh aKxit Ji pounds. An acre should yield at lea:^t 2500 bunches a season. The price per bun.^h i:v^nerallv ran^t^^ troin 1 ; to t5 cent^. The common asparagus beetle is the most de- stnictix-e insect pest. It may be cv^ntrolled in the nursery by sprayii>g with arsenate of lead. Lure rows^ in cutting plantations are often sprayed with a poison and this same material may be uscvl after the aitting season. Air- slaked lime is \^luahle to use on the rows dur* ing the cutting season. Coops of chickens in and around the plantation will help to keep the beetles in check. Rust is the onK serious disease of a^aragas. If it is pre\^ent in the plantation, cut the plants in the ftJl before the lea\^s drop and hum them. If Aere is no dBsease, it is better to defer cutting vrnQT Iran «ilitr 9«ns «l ili« WdL lUJ/l/V ni the tof)s until early sj^rin^ because they will hr:lp to hold the snow un(J they will prevent the boil from being blown away by hard winds. 151:AN (I'tiaicolux 'vulgaris hikI I\ lunatus) I fiis vcj^cfahlc of A/ncrif an f^ri^in was ^^rown by the Indians, and no doubf many varjrfif', y/rrc ^rown in America heiore tfiey became generally known in l^uropean countries. Vroin 2i historic standpoint, no j_^arden cn;p is of greater interest. '1 be following classification of [)eans has been sii^'^cstrd by C^orbett: CLASSlMCA'i JON OV liKANS AiA:()\<\)\S( , 'JO GI<0(;j'S ANO J yjM.S K\<\ii(:y /Colore^! I Whi»e J'icld Jicans. . Jiu«}l Pole or corn hill Marrow / f.olorcd I VVliife j>ea /Colored I White /Colored t White Garden Beans. ., 'liuhh fKUUif.y I Llnria W; Pole c'jrccripod Wax J jvijiia i^Grecnpo Kunncr C Scarlet Punn»:r; rKiflney fWax *-^I>ima \Grecnpod Ui THE VEGETABLE GAPDEX Giirden ni.ikcrs as well as all classes of con- sumers should not fail to recognize the food value of beans as compared with that of other protein foods. One hundred pounds of lean beef contains 21.3 pounds oi protein: 100 pounds of eggs, 14. S pounds of protein; 100 pounds of dried lima beans, iS.i pounds of protein: and 100 pounds of dried navy beans, 21.; pounds of protein, or slightly more than lean meat: and the beans also contain ;q.6 pounds of carbohydrates. It is seen at once that weight for weight the nutritive value of beans is greater than that oi lean meat. All classes of green shelled beans also run high in protein and carbohydrates. Too much impor- tance cannot be attached to bean culture from the standpoint oi economy and efficiency in sup- plying food to our growing population. A larger quantity might be grown to be sold in the green state, to be dried and threshed, and to be canned for consumption at all seasons of the year. A matter of gratification to the vegetable grower Is that a crop of beans always leaves the soil In better condition than It was before the beans were grown. In other words, it Is a soil- Improving crop and not a soil-Impoverishing crop. It traps the free nitrogen of the air and niJAN 113 adds U) ihc supf)ly of tfiis clement In the soil. 'Ilicrc are so many excellent varieties of beans that it is difficult to single out a few of more than average merit. A mistake will n(jt he made by ordering any of the leading dwarf wax- [)odded varieties described in tfie seed cata- logues. 'J liere is })robably nothing better than 15ur[)ee's Stringless among the dwarf green- [)odded varieties. Cjod(Jard is a most excellent midscason, green, shell bean, and is probably the best of its class. (johJen Carmine meets with universal favor as a pr>le wax-podded variety. Creaseback is a popular early green-podded bean. Lazy Wife is also a very good bean of this class. Leviathan is a highly superior early j)f)le lima bean, and King of the Garden is a good late lima. ]^\)rdhook and Henderson are widely cultivated bush lima beans. Fortunately, the bean may be grown success- fully In a great variety of soil types. I'he rich sandy loams uncjuestionably furnish ideal condi- tions, especially for the early crop. Any soil, however, which is well drained and well sup- plied with organic matter, will, when properly handled, produce good crops of beans. The light sandy soils are especially desirable for lima beans. 1 he bush llmas arc not uniformly suc- cessful on heavy clay soils, nor do any of the 114 rUK VKuKTAlU F CaKDFX various types siKvecd . vk soils, W.ir.n sunny c:xposurcs .. ' :: \' !.>c^tiv>as arc fti>x>r3iWc K> early r..:. high yields. The bean may be v.. ^ v uiy ordinary garden or fam\ rotation. It does remarkably well following clo\^r. If preferred, the beans may follow com. so that the rotation would be clox^r. com. beans, and wheat. This rotation is pc^pular in Michigan, where na\y beans are grown on a large scale. In the home or com- mercial garden, there need be no hesitation in planting beans wherever and whenever there may seem to appear possibilities. The gross returns to rfie acre are seldom large, and the CMit- lay in time and capital in growing a crop is »mJ1. It IS not customary to use large amounts of hig^i-grade fertiKier for beans. Tlw eariy plantings imdoubtedly prv^t niore from appfioK ttons of nitrogen than the late ones. It is prob- aUe that about 4 per cent, of mtrc^^i should be used for beans early in the season., while kss than half that per cent, would be sufficient later. From 6 to $ per cent, of dbe mineral elements ^lould be t»nployed; 500 poundb to the acre is usually ampk. If plenty of rotten manure is availabie to use in the h^l for lima beans^ no commercial fertiHier will be needed. BEAN 115 Beans can often be ^rown as companion crops with other vcjj^ctiihlcs. lor example, if stniw- hcrries are phmted very early in tfie season, husfi beans may be planted between the rows oi straw- berries as soon as the ^romid is warm enouj^h to start the beans. The beans will soon be ready to sell in a jjjreen state and the crops will not seri- ously interfere with eacli other. A ^reat vari- ety of garden croppinjr plims may be employed in which beans will constitute one of the crops. We are so anxious to have real early beans for the home table that we sometimes take risks in [)lantin^ before the ground is as warm as it should be for beans, and before the period for killing frosts has passed. If the beans rot in the ground, or the plants are killed by frost, the monetary loss is slight, and another lot of beans may be planted. It is usually safe to make small plantings a few days before the customary time for planting corn. If they are to be cultivated with a hand wheel hoe, the bush varieties need not have more than I 8 inches between rows, while for horse tillage the space should be at least 28 inches. Plants on the average of 3 inches apart In the row will give a good stand and should produce a satisfac- tory crop. Some growers prefer to drop 3 or 4 lie THE VFaFTAlUF C.lh'DFX hcM\$ in hills S iiK'lu^s ap.irt. This method Is used l.irgely in ;' . ■. ■ " \"< Norfolk. It facilitates the usv . : .;.....: ..^ .s .v:\veenthe hills, Fn^m 4 to o beans of the pole varieties are pl,u\tev! in a hill, and the hills are usually 4x4 feet apart. It does not pay to plant ' •■.: .v,;:\s ;::-;;l the soil is thoRHighly w^rm for they in\^riably rot if it is ck>UL It is usi: 1 v s aV to plant lima beans when the oak lea\ es .ue as larije as squir- rels' ears, Pole beans are ijcnerally supported by poles c> to S feet hi^jh which are placed in the hills when the beans are planted. Wire trel- lises of N^iflous kinds are sometimes used to sup^ port pole beans. Fhey are neater than poles and secure a :nore uniform distribution of the plaints. When trellises are used, the beans are plantevi a few inches apart in drills. Whatever the class of beans, they sh. dean tillage durinjj the entire period of growth. No work, however, should be done among the beans when the plants are moist or wet with dew or rain, because this may spread or disseminate the disease known as anthracnose^ or more com- monly as pod spot. If pure seed is planted in non-infected soil, the disease is not likely to oc- cur. Spraying has not been found to be of any value in checking its ravages. ///;/;r 117 (Beta milgaris) i lu' hrcl Is imlvrrs;illy |:;i()WJi in Anicrkim and r:iir()|)c';iii j^ardciis. Hy |)r()j)cr maua^rc- incnt i(: may he had frcsli from July milil No- vcnihcr, and (lien (lie roofs ;nay he slorcd for consinnplion unlil lalc in ihc spring. The fleshy ^rccn leaves are dehcioiis vvfien cooked 'd\K\ served as greens. The heel ihrives In any soil tlial Is riefi and TTioist. 'J he sandy soils, esj)eeially sandy loams, produce (he smoothest and finest roots, though heels of excellent (jiiallty are often ^rown In heavy soil. The oval and turnip-shaped varie- ties are |)referal)le to lon^ sorts for ^rowin^ in silt or clay soils. 'l^iere are many desirahle varieties of heets. Croshy I'ljiryptian Is an early and important turnlp-shaj)ed variety. lulipse is an extra early, round, smootfi variety with small tops. It Is'pri/eci for ihe home j: weeks are re- quired for the early varieties to attain edible size* Successive sow ings should be made until the middle of August. Fwelve inches of space between rows is ample for the early varieties, while a little more space is an advantage for later varieties with larger tops. The seeds ot the early varieties should be dropped 2 or 3 inches apart in the row, while twiee this space should be allowed for late N-^arieties. Some growers prefer to sow more thickly and then thin the plants as may be desired. riie seed should be covered with about ,\n uk\\ oi soil. Inet seeds germinate rather slowly, especially it the soil is lacking in mois- ture, Gerniination is usually hastened if the furrows, after sowii\^, are well tinned by the use of the hoe or feet, or perhaps the wheel of the seed drill. Beets do not bear transplanting as readily as some other vegetables, although it is often done. The best time is during cool, cloudy weather, when there is an abundance of moisture in the soiL Sometuues the seed is sown under glass niiHH'coiJ Hi) AwA the plants tr.iiisfcnod to tlic o\^c\\ grtMinJ, II \ cMv hiroo beets are dcsii'cd. A lertili/cr ;nialy/in<;- rather \u\x\\ ii\ eaeh o( the three ele- ments usually applied will he I'ouiul satisfactory for beets. The early beets are j^euerally buuehevl for inarketiii*;, while the late erop is sold by measure. Tiie roots are easily pre- served in pits t)r in moist soil in a cool celUir. BUOCCCMJ {Hrdssitti olnditui, weeks later, setting the plants about i 8 x ;>() inehes apart. Hroeeoli reijuires deep, rich, moist soil. BRUSSia.S SPROUrS This is a nu>st delieious member ol the eab- bao-e family. l.ar^^e buds ov miniature heads are bortie in the axils oi the leaves alon^ the tall stem. The '' spnnits " are from i to 2 inehes in diameter and are prepared in the same man- ner for the table as eaulillower. Brussels l.\) THE VEGETABLE CANDEX sprouts should be much more generally grown In Ameriean gardens. Its culture is more dltH- cult, as a rule, than eaulitlower, but it is well worth the effort, in the home garden at least. Sometimes seed is sown under glass and a very early product is grown. The more common practice, howe\ er, is to produce it as a late crop. In which case the seed should be sown In May. Six or seven weeks later the plants should be set iSxjo inches apart in rich, moist soil. To- ward the end of summer, the leaves along the stalk are all removed except a tuft at the top. The leaf pruning which the plants thus receive induces the most rapid de>'clopment ot the '' sprouts." The plants are not quite so hardy as the cabbage. CABBAGE Cabbage is one of the oldest of our cultivated vegetables. It was probably in use 2000 to 2500 years i>. c. luiropean countries have al- ways regarded it as one oi their most important vegetables, and it is certainly one of the five most Important vegetables of the I'nited States. Large areas are grown in many southern sec- tions to meet the spring and early summer de- mand, and northern sections produce Immense CABB/iGE ^9.^ quantities of late cabbage which are distributed throughout the country. I'his crop offers special opportunities to those who have local markets that are poorly supplied. There is no necessity of growing a large num- ber of varieties. Jersey Wakefield, which pro- duces hard, pointed heads, is the best known and most largely planted of the pointed type. Charleston Wakefield is a third larger and ma- tures from three days to a week later. Copen- hagen Market, a comparatively new variety, produces hard, round heads and is practically as early as Jersey Wakefield. This variety is well bred and is becoming widely popular. Succession Is an unusually good, flat-headed, midsummer variety that also does well as a late crop. The seed should be sown somewhat later than the large-headed varieties such as Drum- head, Flat Dutch, and Surehead. Danish Ball head is the leading winter variety. It produces unusually hard, solid heads that keep under favorable conditions until late In the spring. Red Drumhead and Mammoth Rock Red are the leading red varieties, used extensively for pickling. Volga Is an Interesting, round- headed cabbage, somewhat resembling Dan- ish Ballhead. It succeeds much better on limestone soils than Danish Ballhead. m THE rECrFTABLE GAEDEX Most ot the cabbage seed grown in this coun- try Is produced on Long Ishuid. Some seed, especially that ot Danish Railhead and Copen- hagen Market, Is Imported from Dennuirk. Seed, especially oi late varieties, may be pro- duced at home without much ditHculty. Choice heads oi the type desired should be selected, buried with the roots on, and gnen thorough protection during the winter. The following spring the plants are reset, tops of heads cut crisscross, and stems well ridged with soil to keep the plants erect. When the seed pods have turned vellow, the plants should be cut and dried In the field for a few days and then stored under coNcr until dry enough to thresh. IVom lo to 25 plants should make a pound ot seed. Cabbage is growii successfully on a great va- riety oi soil types. Fhe sandy i^oils are favor- able to earliness, while the heavy soils are con- ducl\e to high vields. 1 Imestone soils which are \alucd so highly for the general farm crops do not produce the heaviest crops of cabbage. The more open and porous soils seem to be more t^u-orable to cabbage. An abundant and con- stant supply of soil moisture throughout the period of growth Is absolutelv essential and there should be no deficiency in available plant food. Clover sod is always an advantage, espe- CABBAGE 123 dally If it can be manured before the land is plowed. Early plants are started under glass or in a warm window. 1 he best plan Is to sow In rows 2 Inches apart, dropping about a dozen seeds to each inch of furrow. The furrows should be deep enough to cover the seed with about one- fourth inch of soil. Soil should be selected which is known to be free from the disease that causes club-root. If a greenhouse is avadable, the first sowing In the North should be made not later than T^ebruary i. When starting the plants In hotbeds, it is preferable to sow lo days later. Keep the soil moist, but extreme care should be exercised to avoid over-watering, for this Is certain to cause weak, spindling plants which will be tedious to transplant. They wdl also be more subject to damping off fungus than short, stocky plants. The seedlings will be ready to transplant mto the cold-frame In less than four weeks from seed sowing. It Is customary to plant one and one- half inches apart each way, though more liberal spacing will produce stronger plants. An ex- cellent plan Is to use flats or plant boxes two or three Inches deep. An Inch of rotten manure should be placed In the bottom of each box be- fore the seedlings are transplanted. The seed- vn /7//-; J'iknrr.iin.i: c;.iHni:\ lings arc watered and eaiwi t'vM* in ihc co\d-{v.\u\c as explained in a pre\ ious chapter. They should bo well hardened before setting in the ticki* Seed tor the late crop is ahvavs sown in the open ground. I'arly preparation ot tlie sccd-bcd Is an avKantai^e. because it ev^nserves soil n\oisture and thus insures more prompt gennination. la order to avoid club-root the plants should be started in soil that has not pro- duced cabbage for a long term (>( vears. The rows should be about a toot apart. a:id ^ to S seeds to each inch ot furrow should •. es ...; n a gOv>d stand of plants. I !u^ viepth of covering the seed will depend mainly on the character of the soil. Ordinarily, half an Inch of soil over the seed is sutHcient. If the plants are too much crv^'wded, thev shouUi be thinned as sooii as pos- sible. Experiments at The Te-' 's\ K anla State Col- lege show that it is practic. . : sow seed where the crop is to n\ature and thus avoid trai\splant- in^. Yields have been fully as high. Fhe plan simply proN'ides for dropping several seeds at eaeh spot w here a head is desired and after the plants are well started, thinning to one strong plant, rhis method appeals to those who do not have any particular use for the soil before the usual time for transplanting cabbage, and CAniiACii: 1^5 who find (liflicully In providing \;\h()V \() do the Ir.'insphiiilin^. Of course, ih( rxj)cns(: of tilhij^c in shiilinp; lh(- phirils is inc j ciiscd, ;ind it fniiy he rnoic ( xjx n,iv(t lo cornhjif Insert enemies wfien tlie httic phmts ;ire scattered over w. wliole field Inslcnd of ( on( cntrMted in :i sni;dl s(:ed-l)ed. I>;ite (■a\)\);\\i^v oftefi fiiils herjiuse tfie I:i,nd is ph)we(I too hite in the spri/i^. If tfie seed is sown May lo, which is ahout; tdie rl^fit (hite for many varieties, tfie seedhn^s will he ready to tr:irisplant the Intter part of jnne. Now, if sod hiiid is not ph)we(I until a few days hefore this time, tfie ground will i)e idmost eerl;iifi to he wantln)j[ in soil moisture, and if rain does not fall very soon, successful transplanting will he a very uncertain matter. 1 fie only safe course to pur- sue Is to plow tlie land early in tfie s{)rin;^ ;i,nd to |)rcvcnt tfie rapid eva[)oration of soil moisture hy harrowlnj:^ as often as may he necessary to maintain a dust mulch. I \'\\rh fertility Is ahsolutcly essential to ohtain lar^e crops of cahha^e. A soil tfiat is deficient in nitrogen, potasfi, phosphoric acid, and soil moisture, or any of these constituents, cannot possII)ly produce a ^ood crop of cahha^e. A fjeavy clover sod will contrihute lar^^ely to the success of the crop. Liheral applications of manure with or without sods are also exceed- 1^6 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Ingly valuable. Any kind of manure may be used to advantage. If a heavy sod of clover or timothy Is available to be plowed down, lo tons of manure should provide an abundance of vegetable fiber in the soil. In addition to this treatment, growers following intensive methods employ from 1500 to 2000 pounds of a high- grade fertilizer. It should contain at least 4 per cent, of nitrogen and from 6 to 8 per cent, of each of the mineral elements. The late crop is not generally fertilized so lavishly, because the money returns seldom justify such heavy fertilization. On the other hand, wherever very good local markets are available it may be a profitable business proposi- tion to fertilize the late crop just as heavily as the early crop. Sometimes nitrate of soda can be used at a great profit. Suppose there has been protracted drought after the plants are in the garden, that they make very slow growth or refuse to head properly, and rain is expected soon. At such a time nitrate of soda, sown broadcast at the rate of about 100 pounds to the acre, will be almost certain to have a most desirable influence. When applied broadcast, there need be no fear of the nitrate burning or injuring the plants. The proper distance for planting in the CABBAGE m garden depends mainly on two factors, namely, the fertility of the soil and the varieties to be planted. Under average conditions, the very early varieties should have 26 to 30 inches be- tween rows and the late ones 30 to 34 Inches. Jersey Wakefield should have about 14 inches between plants in the row; Charleston Wake- field and Copenhagen Market, 16; Succession and Danish Ballhead, 18 to 20; and very large late varieties, 24. Cool, cloudy weather is most favorable to transplanting in the garden, especially if the plants have been pulled from the seed-bed. If they have been started in flats, as explained in a previous chapter, and each plant removed with a block of soil and manure attached to the roots, the plants will live and grow under the most unfavorable weather conditions. When a very early market is sought, it well pays to be as careful as possible in making the transfer with- out serious mutilation of the roots. If the soil is lacking in moisture, the sun shining brightly, and perhaps the wind blowing, transplanting for the late crop will be more certain if some water is used with each plant. Whatever the method used, the soil should always be brought firmly into contact with the roots. Enough has been said about the importance 1^>S THE VEGETABLE GARDEN of soil moisture to this crop to render unneces- sary the discussion of tillage. Of course, there should be absolutely clean tillage and the hand- hoe should be used sufficiently to control all weed growth. Those who have a surplus of cabbage to sell will usually hnd it desirable to conform to methods oi marketing that are used in the vicinity. A common practice is to sell early cabbage by weight on local markets, or some- times by count, and also by measure. When sold by weight, it is generally important to al- low the heads to reach full maturity. The late crop Is nearly always sold by weight. It is not uncommon for the first few cuttings of early cabbage to sell for 3 cents a pound, while one and one-half cents Is a good average for the season. One cent a pound Is a profitable price for late cabbage. The outside leaves should be removed and the heads made to appear neat, whatever plan Is used in marketing. In the great cabbage-growing sections, specially constructed houses are used for the storage of this crop. Inextensive growers usu- ally resort to burying, and a great variety of plans may be employed. One of the best and simplest Is to place the cabbage in long wind- rows on top of the ground where there is good CABBAGE 129 drainage. Three heads are placed side by side, with the outer leaves under them. If de- sired, an additional layer of cabbage is placed on top of these. The plow is then used to turn two furrows against each side of the windrow and the work of burying is finished with shovels. In most northern localities it is unnecessary to use more than 5 or 6 inches of soil over the cabbage, provided 3 or 4 inches of horse manure is spread over the soil after the ground begins to freeze. In extremely cold locations, more manure may be needed to give thorough protection. A very convenient plan by which to bury small quantities of cabbage is to fill ordinary barrels with the heads, cover top of barrels with boards, lay barrels on their sides and cover with soil and manure. Straw, hay, or old mats may be placed against the boards so that the cabbage can be removed without much inconvenience at any time during the winter. This plan is especially desirable for home gar- deners who do not care to keep more than 50 to 100 heads. The cabbage has a number of enemies which must be kept under control. The cabbage mag- got, which attacks the roots, is one of the most serious. If the crop is not planted on the same 1^) THE JEGETABLE GJUDEX grvnmd at closer Jnttrvals than five ytarts, the maggot wiU not W Hkdv to appte^ar. In $n>aU patche^ji, Jnii^ctJons of kerv>$ene en\ulsuon or car* K>Hc acid cn>uku>i\ aKnit the rv>ot:»i> a$i $oon as the fltesi are notkxd> will pi\>Ye K^vutc cScctive as 9i preventive measure^ DJsks of caniboarvl placevl aro^wd the plants unmevlJately after transplantuxg are also vahiaWe* The cabbage aphis may be contnxUevi by sprayiixg the plants thoro-x^hh' on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves w ith tv^baccv^ preparation or kerosene en\ulsiofi. Fhe c\^mn>v>u green worm may be controlled by poisonous sprays or by fresh insect powder. Long tern\ notations are absolutely necessary to prevent cluKroots The liberal use of lime is also an excellent preventive. CARROT The carrv^t is not as popxJar as it should be in America. It is unquestionabk one of our most wholesv>?^ie veget^bles^ and> when properly prepare^! for the table, it is highlv palata- We. The smoothest and most ^>ertcc:l\ ^thaped roots are §^wn in sandy soil. If the home garvlen is not naturally sandy, a load or two of co8ir^> shaip sand* mixed w^ith a sjwall area of CyiRHOT 131 the soil, will rriakc il possiMc, lo j^row better ( arrots as well as other vej^etables rcrjuirln^ sand for the best results. Any soil, however, conlainlnf^ a. h'beral amount of or^anie matter^ will f^row ^(iod earrots, es[)ecially tfie short- r(joted varieties. Of this class, Early Short Scarlet and J^arly Scarlet Horn are very popu- lar. Chantenay or Mrniel, iJanvers 1 lalf- Lon^, Oxheart, and Rul)icon are j^orjd niid- season varieties. Lonj^* Oran}:^e is tfie leadinj:^ late, long-rooted variety. Seed for the early crop should be sown as early in tf)e spring as the grouncJ can be pre- pared. A succession of short roots may be had throughout the season l)y making sowings of the early varieties at intervals of two or three weeks, or, if preferred, the larger and later maturing varieties may be used. l*"or wheel- hoe cultivation, it is customary to allow from 12 to 14 inches of space between the rows. Plants of the early varieties should stand about 2 inches apart In the row, while late varieties should be spaced from 4 to 6 inches apart. A 4-6-8 fertilizer ^ will meet the needs of the carrot. 1 In speaking of comnnercial fertilizers the first figure designates tlie percentage of iiiirogen, the second the per- centage of phosphoric acid, and the last (he percentage of potash which it contains. 132 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN CAULIFLOWER {Brassica oleracea, ' i^ ga hdf \ duiger of hanl frv^$t^. So\vu\g$ iu..\ .: s. .;. mftde in the open ground* Cderiac requires the same general cultural treatment as celery* This vegetable, which h.is becorr.i^ so pOfnilir inrevx^nt years, ^ouU tind a pl.ue ;:\ e\ ery home garden* It also aiiorvis splendid possibilities for intensive cult\ire in a commercial way, wherever market conditions will iustifv the ven- ture* Celery lowers are well .iv\;c. tinted with the t\\\^ general classes of this vegetable* namely> the sown and thorvxighly blanched i^rttn sorts* On the other hand* they are mor« ea^Iy and more proStably gprown in many sections, and are most attracti>^ when placed on the market* Winter Queen is one of the best green varieties* It should ha\^ a place in most home gardens* Giant Pascal is superb in quality, but because of rtie great height of the plants it is more trooUle- some to blanch* Probably nine^enths of aU the celery in the United States is Golden Self* Blanching* It is universally popular among CKLiatV 1S5 cornrncrtial ^^-(jwcrs, especially tfiosc operating on muck soils. White Plume is ]arj:^er than (iolden Self-lilanchin^ hut sf^mewhat inferior in (juality. Mmperor Tordhook is a promising new variety. Celery, like cauliflower, thrives host In a cool, moist clirriate. With [)roper management, how- ever, it may he grown successfully in all parts of the United States, especially if seasonal changes arc taken into consideration. As previously indicated, the muck soils of the lake regions arc used to a very great extent in the culture of celery, 'ihe hulk of the celery consumed hy our great cities is grown in muck soils. Wc want every reader to realize, how- ever, that it is possible to grow very fine celery in practically every garden. Any soil that is macJc very fertile and kept constantly moist should produce a good crop of celery. The success of this crop depends largely on the quality of seed used. The utmost care should he exercised in buying the best seed, though it may seem rather expensive. Prac- tically all of the seed of self-blanching varieties is grown in France, 'i'he United States has not been able to produce high-grade seed of the self- blanching varieties. Seed for the early crop should be sown under 1^6 THE VEGETABLE GAFDEN glass about the rirst of March. Celery seed Is very small and should be barely covered and kept constantly moist to Insure germination. An excellent plan Is to keep a moist cloth or bur- lap over the bed until the seeds begin to sprout. As soon as the rough leaves appear, transplant Into flats, spacing the seedlings one and one-half to two Inches apart each way. Celery requires a comparatively high tem- perature until the plants are set In the garden. They refuse to make rapid growth In the low temj^erature of the cold-frame. Low tempera- ture may also stunt the plants and cause them to produce seed shoots Instead of an edible prod- uct. It Is better to keep the plants In the hot- bed or greenhouse, where plenty of heat can be furnished. Dally ventilation is also Important. Plants for the late crop are easily grown by sow- ing seed In the open groimd where the beds can be kept constantly moist. A little shading In any convenient way Is a great advantage in start- ing late plants. Ordinarily, the seed Is sown thinly In rows a foot apart and the plants, when about 5 or 6 inches high, are transferred to the flat where the crop Is to be grown. ^Yhen the apple trees are In bloom Is the proper time In most northern sections to sow seed for the late crop. The CELERY 137 plants may be set in the garden any time the lat- ter part of June or during July. If the seed- lings are rather tall and spindling, it is an ad- vantage to clip them back from one to three inches before they are finally transplanted. In the preparation of the soil the most Impor- tant factor Is to use an abundance of rotten horse manure. Intensive growers often use 30 to 50 tons of manure to the acre. If the ground has been manured freely for a number of years, it will be unnecessary to apply so much manure before planting celery. In fact, it is not unusual to grow very fine celery on land of high fertility that has not been manured at all immediately before setting out the plants. Celery is a shallow-rooted plant, and for this reason some growers prefer to use at least a part of the rotten manure as a top dressing after plowing, in which case a disk harrow should be employed until the manure Is thoroughly mixed with the soil. Commercial fertilizer Is often highly benefi- cial In growing celery. If stable manure has been abundantly supplied, little or no benefit may be derived from the use of commercial fer- tilizer. Most celery growers, however, use more or less fertilizer. It should contain at least 4 per cent, of nitrogen and from 6 to 8 per 138 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN cent, of each of the mineral elements. The amounts to the acre vary from looo pounds to 2 tons. Ordinarily, a ton to the acre is ample, especially if a considerable quantity of manure has been applied. Plants for the early crop should not be set in ^he garden until there is practically no danger of hard, killing frosts. In most sections the plants should not be set out before the loth of May. The ground should be in a fine state of cultivation and it should be smooth and moist. The self-blanching varieties are usually set 3 to 4 inches apart in the row; while a third more space is allowed for green varieties. The dis- tance between rows will depend on the methods employed in cultivating and blanching. If the soil is to be mulched or cultivated with a hand wheel hoe and the plants blanched by means of boards, 2 feet between rows will be ample and some of our most intensive growers do not allow more than 18 to 20 inches. In the '* new celery culture,'' where blanching is accomplished by crowding, the plants are only 6 to 10 inches apart. If soil is to be used in blanching, then there should be at least 4 feet between rows, and 5 feet is not too much space for tall varie- ties like Giant Pascal. When transplanting into the garden takes place, the soil should be CELERY 139 pressed firmly about the roots. Cultivation should be given immediately after planting, and repeated often enough to maintain a fine, dust mulch. The mulching system of culture is gaining rapidly in popularity because it is more certain of success than any other method. It provides for the placing, as soon as convenient after planting, of 3 or 4 inches of fresh horse manure, aerated in thin layers for a few days, between the rows of celery which need not be more than 2 feet apart. The manure should not come into direct contact with the plants, as it may burn them. About 40 tons of manure to the acre is required to be most effective. The benefits are: (i) Moisture is conserved more perfectly than by the most thorough tillage; (2) Tillage is rendered unnecessary; (3) Weeds cannot grow to any great extent; (4) Food is furnished the celery plants after every rain or the application of water. Twelve-inch hemlock boards are the best for blanching the early crop. A board is placed on each side of the row and held in place by double wire hooks or stakes. Blanching in warm weather will require from 10 to 20 days. The same boards can be used a number of times dur- ing the season. When earth is used in blanch- 140 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Ing, ridging begins as soon as the nights become cooler in September. If the most erect plants are desired, it pays to press some loose soil about the base of each stem before a consider- able quantity of soil is thrown against the plants. If blights or celery diseases have been troublesome on previous crops, it will pay to spray w^Ith Bordeaux mixture, making the first applications in the seed-bed and repeating often enough to keep the plants well covered with the spray residue. One of the best means of storing celery Is to employ trenches, lo to 12 inches wide and not quite as deep as the average height of the plants. The crop should be stored about No- vember I, or before there is severe freezing weather. See that the plants are free from dew or rain. Do not expose them unnecessar- ily to sunshine and drying w^inds. Stand them as close together as possible in the trenches. Nail 10 or 12-Inch boards together in the form of a trough and use this to protect the celery from the sun, rain, and freezing wxather. Ventilation may be given by placing stones or blocks of wood under the edges of the boards. These should be removed when there are In- dications of cold w^eather. Additional pro- tection should be given as necessary by cover- CHARD Ul ing the boards with straw, mats, or strawy manure. Celery may also be stored successfully in pits and cool cellars. CHARD {Beta 'vulgaris) This vegetable is frequently called Swiss chard. The leaf blades are excellent when pre- pared as greens, while the stalks are very pal- atable when cooked and served like asparagus. The plants may be started under glass in the same manner as beets, though the more com- mon plan is to sow in the open ground where the plants are to mature. Lucullus is a good variety. Rows should be not less than 1 8 inches apart. When the plants are 5 to 6 inches high, thin to stand about 3 inches apart, using the thinnings for greens. Later the plants should be thinned to stand 8 to 10 inches apart. CHINESE CABBAGE This vegetable has been but little grown in American gardens. It is valued both for sal- ads and for cooking. Seed may be sown under glass and the plants set in the open ground in May, or, as is more common, sow the seed where the crop is to mature. Allow at least 2 feet U^ THE VEGETABLE GARDEN between rows and 15 inches between plants in the rows. CHIVE {Allium schoenoprasum) This member of the onion family is of easy culture. The dense tuft of slender, hollow leaves is valued for flavoring. It may be prop- agated by dividing and planting the roots or by sowing seed early in the spring. The plants should be thinned to stand about 6 inches apart. CORN SALAD {Valerianella olitoria) This vegetable is grown to a limited extent in American gardens. The leaves are used for salad purposes, greens, seasoning, and garnish- ing. It does better as an early spring or late fall crop because the plants are sensitive to heat. The seed should be sown thinly in rows about a foot apart, and the plants thinned to about 6 inches. It does best in cool, moist, fertile soils. CRESS There are three common forms of cress. Water cress is popular in all of our city mar- kets. It thrives in pure, shallow, running water and may be grown in moist, shady places. The CUCUMBER US plants are readily propagated from short pieces of the stems, planted along or near springs and brooks. Seed may also be scattered where con- ditions are favorable for germination. Gar- den or upland cress should be sown thickly in drills a foot apart. Upland cress is the least important of the cresses. It is most successful as a fall crop. CUCUMBER {Cucumis satwis) The cucumber is prized in all American gar- dens. It is used most largely for sHcing and pickling, though frying is fairly common. White Spine, of which there are many va- rieties, is the best known and most largely cul- tivated variety. Chicago Pickling, Boston Pickling, and Fordhook Pickling are especially valuable for pickles. Sandy soils produce the earliest crop and heavy soils the largest yields. It may be read- ily grown, however, in any soil which is moist and fertile. Seed is often saved from choice plants in the home plantation. If very early cucumbers are desired, the plants are easily started in the hotbed or greenhouse. Sowing should occur not more than 4 weeks before the proper time for planting in the garden. lU THE VEGETABLE GARDEN An excellent plan Is to fill 3 or 4 inch earthen or paper pots with a rich compost. Plant 6 or 8 seeds in each pot and thin to 2 to 4 plants. If possible, provide a night temperature of 60 de- grees and 10 degrees higher during the day. Apply water sparingly for a few days before the plants are set in the garden and give them as much fresh air as possible, so that they will be properly hardened for transplanting out-of- doors. The soil for cucumbers should be prepared as early as possible in the spring and the mois- ture conserved by harrowing the soil at fre- quent intervals. The plants thrive best in soils abounding in vegetable matter. This suggests the liberal application of stable manure. How- ever valuable a complete fertilizer may be, it cannot be used as a substitute for manure. The fact is, if an ample quantity of rotten manure is employed, commercial fertilizer may not be of much benefit, though it is generally employed. It should contain 3 to 5 per cent, of nitrogen and 6 to 8 per cent, of each of the mineral elements. Cucumbers are most commonly planted In hills. In moderately fertile, light, sandy soils the hills may be 4 x 5 feet apart, though ^x ^ or 5 X 6 Is generally preferred. Plenty of seed DANDELION 145 is sown In each hill and the plants thinned to three or four. Some commercial growers pre- fer to sow in drills 5 or 6 feet apart and then thin the plants to stand about a foot apart. This plan gives each plant better opportunity for full development than when several are crowded together in the same hill. Whatever system Is employed, It is generally desirable to use rotten manure In the hills or furrows before any seeds are planted. There should be clean tillage throughout the season. The striped cucumber beetle Is the most de- structive Insect enemy. The larvae feed on the stems and if present In large number will soon weaken them, and the beetles quickly damage the leaves. The most certain means to protect the plants is to cover the hills with netting of some kind. Air-slaked lime sprinkled on the plants is often an effective repellant. DANDELION {Taraxacum officinale) Cultivated varieties are gaining in popular- ity for greens. They may also be blanched with soil for salad purposes. Rich soil should be prepared as early as possible In the spring and the seed sown in shallow drills a foot apart. Thin the plants to stand 6 inches apart In the 146 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN row. The first cutting is always the finest, though several cuttings may follow. Very early spring cuttings may be made from plants that are retained during the winter. DILL {Anethum graveolens) This herb is quite popular for flavoring. The seed is especially valuable for flavoring pickles. Sow the seed half an inch deep in rows a foot apart and thin the plants so they will stand 6 to 8 inches apart. EGGPLANT {Solanum belongena) This vegetable is steadily gaining in commer- cial importance and it is seen more frequently than ever before in our home gardens. Black Beauty, New York Imperial, and Black Pekin are the leading dark-fruited va- rieties. Early Long Purple is considered earlier and hardier than any other variety and for these reasons it is most popular in northern sections where the large kinds do not thrive. The fruits are 9 to lo inches long. Ivory is an interesting white-fruited variety. The eggplant is very sensitive to cold and is produced at a great disadvantage where the ENDIVE 147 nights are cool and the summers short. Un- favorable climatic conditions require the great- est care in starting the plants and preparing the soil. Seed should be sown in a warm hot- bed or greenhouse about the tenth of March and the seedlings shifted once or twice into pots before they are planted in the field. An effort should be made to have strong, vigorous plants, which in most sections of the North should not be set in the open ground before June i. The soil in the garden should abound in veg- etable matter. A shovelful or two of thor- oughly rotted manure, placed in each hill when the plants are set, will help to provide ideal conditions. The large, pointed varieties should be planted 4x4 feet apart, while 2 x 4 or even closer will be satisfactory for Early Long Pur- ple in northern sections. If growth in the gar- den is very slow, a teaspoonful of nitrate of soda scattered on the soil around each plant may prove beneficial, especially if the weather is abnormally cool. ENDIVE {Cichorium Endwa) Endive is extensively grown in Europe and is becoming more common in American gar- dens. It is an annual, hardy to frost, and val- 148 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN uable for salad, for greens, for flavoring soups, and for garnishing. This vegetable is grown mainly as a fall crop. Giant Fringed, Green Curled Winter, and White Curled are the leading varieties. Seed for the fall crop should be sown in July or August; time of sowing de- pends on the locality. From 40 to 50 days are required for the crop to attain marketable size. The plants should be thinned to 10 or 12 inches and there should be at least a foot of space between rows. If the plants are wanted for salad purposes the leaves should be well blanched, which may be accomplished by any plan which will exclude most of the light from the inside leaves. A common method is to tie the leaves together with twine. Late in the fall the plants may be covered with straw, or removed to a cold-frame or cool cellar. Boards may be used along the rows in the same way as explained for blanching celery. GARLIC {Allium sativum) This perennial plant is a member of the onion family and is used mainly for flavoring pur- poses, because it is stronger in flavor than the onion. The small bulbs or cloves, as they are called, should be planted early in the spring, HORSE-RADISH 149 an inch or two deep, 4 to 6 Inches apart, with a foot of space between rows. The bulbs are harvested, cured, and stored In the same way as onions. HORSE-RADISH {Cochlearia armoracia) Horse-radish Is highly valued as a condiment and should have a place In every garden. It requires a deep, rich, moist soil. Sandy loams provide the best conditions. The plants are readily propagated from root cuttings. These are usually made from the small lateral roots which are removed from the large roots when the crop Is prepared for market. The cuttings are 4 to 6 Inches long. Inasmuch as these lat- eral roots are practically uniform In diameter throughout their length, it Is customary to cut them square at the bottom, and then there Is no uncertainty as to which end should be planted up In the garden. The roots are planted 15 to 18 inches apart In the row, and there should be at least 26 Inches between rows. If the ground is to be cultivated with a horse; 20 Inches will be suffi- cient space for wheel-hoe cultivation. It Is de- sirable to have 3 to 5 Inches of soil over the roots, which are often planted obliquely. Some 150 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN of the roots should he dug and stored in moist soil or sand for use durhig the winter and the remainder of the crop may be left in the ground until spring. KALE OR BORECOLE {Brassica oUracca acephala) Kale is an important crop in the Norfolk region and it is grown to some extent through- out the LTnited States. It is a member of the cabbage family and is used mainly for greens, though the dwarf varieties are also valued for garnishing and bedding. It thrives in any good, moist soil. In the North the seed should be sown in May and then the plants will be ready for the table In the fall. The smaller kinds should have S Inches of space between the rows and the larger varieties 15 inches. The greens are not as delicate as spinach. KOHL-RABI {Brassica oleracea catilorapa) Kohl-rabi is also a member of the cabbage family and no more difficult to grow than cab- bage. It is often called turnip-rooted cabbage. Green Vienna, Earliest Erfurt, White Vienna, and Purple Vienna are the best known varie- ties. The plants are readily started under ia:kk 161 glass ill (he same way as early eahbaj^e, aiul then set ill (lie open f^rouiul (he la((er j)art of April or early in May. I'latUs of the smaller, earlier varieties do not need more than 8 Inches of space in the row, while a foot is not too much room for the late kinds. riiere should be 15 inches ol s|iace between rows for hand-hoe till- age and nearly twice that amount for horse tillage. Seed for the late crop is sown in the garden where the |)lants are to mature. LEEK {Allium porriim) A sheaf of leaves instead of a bulb is pro- duced by this well-known member of the onion family. They are generally eaten raw, though sonietimes cooked and used for flavoring. Sow seed in open ground early in the spring. In June or July, cut the tops back quite severely and transplant 4 to 6 inches apart in rows a foot apart. Ridge the rows in the fall in order to obtain long, white tender sheaves. \\\t plants may be readily kept in storage in the same way as celery. LETTUCE {Ldituca saliva) Lettuce is unquestionably our most important salad crop. It is grown on a large scale for 15^ THE VEGETABLE GARDEN commercial purposes and our home gardeners are rarely without it. Scores of excellent varieties are catalogued by the seedsmen. There is no best variety of any particular class. Grand Rapids is highly valued as a curly-leaved variety and is grown extensively under glass as well as out-of-doors. May King, All Heart, Sensation, and Way-a- Head are excellent heading varieties. Big Boston is the leading variety for planting on muck soils. Paris Cos is an excellent variety of the cos type. Lettuce is one of our hardiest vegetables. When thoroughly hardened it will stand even lower temperature than cabbage. The loose leaf or non-heading varieties thrive in any good, rich, moist soil. Head lettuce will not be successful in any soil that is not well aerated. For this reason it is most success- fully grown in sandy soils. In the home gar- den, a load or two of sand, mixed with a small area of the soil, will greatly increase the chances of success in growing head lettuce. A liberal application of rotten manure is also ex- ceedingly beneficial to this crop. Seed may be sown in the open ground just: as early as the soil can be prepared. Rows should be about a foot apart and the plants MARTYNIA 153 thinned to 8 to 12 inches. Seed may also be sown under glass the latter part of February or early in March, the plants being grown in the same manner as explained for cabbage. They may be transplanted to the open ground fully as early as cabbage. Commercial fertilizer can also be used to ad- vantage in lettuce plantations. It should con- tain about 4 per cent, of nitrogen and 6 to 8 per cent, of each of the mineral elements. It is usu- ally necessary to make sowings at intervals of several weeks in order to produce a succession of tender leaves or heads. MARTYNIA {Martynia proboscidea) This vegetable is used to some extent for pickling. It is best grown by starting the plants under glass and transplanting them in the open the latter part of May. It should have a warm, sunny location to obtain the best results. The plants should be set from 3 to 4 feet apart each way. MINT Three kinds of mints, namely, peppermint, spearmint, and Japanese mint, are grown in American gardens. All are of easy culture. They should be sown in shallow drills 12 to 18 154 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN inches apart and the plants thinned to stand 3 to 4 inches apart in the row. MUSKMELON [Cucumis Melo) The muskmelon has become one of our most important truck crops and the home garden is not complete without it. So many superb varieties are available that it is difficult to select a few of par excellence. The Rocky Ford type is the most important commercially, and Rocky Ford and Netted Gem are good varieties of this class. Among varieties which are highly prized, in addition to the ones named, may be mentioned Emerald Gem, Jersey Belle, Paul Rose, Osage, Eden Gem, Burrell Gem, and Hackensack. The muskmelon is not at home in the warmer parts of the United States, but it may be grown in small quantities in practically every section. The fruits are so delicious that every garden maker should try to grow a few hills, though he may not be successful every year. The sandy types of soils are considered best for muskmelons, largely because of their thor- ough drainage and their advantage in producing an early crop. While these are decided ad- vantages, this crop is grown with signal success MUSKMELON 155 on a great variety of soil types. In fact, some of the most extensive commercial plantations are located on clay and silt loams. An abund- ance of organic matter in the soil is highly es- sential and there should be a uniform supply of soil moisture throughout the season. The greatest care should be exercised in se- curing well-bred seed. Where the summers are short and cool, it is often an advantage to save seed from home-grown specimens of vigorous, productive plants, thus obtaining in a few years a melon which will be more or less acclimatized to local conditions. In most sections, where muskmelons are grown on a large scale, the seed is planted in the open ground where the crop is matured. For home gardens, however, and for sections where the soil and climatic conditions are unfavorable to this crop, there are distinct advantages in starting the plants under glass. The melons will then ripen a week to ten days earlier, which saving in time is a great factor where the sum- mers are cool and of short duration. Insect pests are also more readily combated if the plants are of good size before they are set in the garden. The plants may be started by various methods, but one of the best and most practical 156 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN plans IS to sow 6 to 8 seeds in each 4-Inch earthen or paper pot. This should be done about four weeks before the probable date when they will be set in the garden. The plants should be thinned to 2 or 3 in each pot. They should not be taken to the garden until after danger of hard frosts. In most sections, noth- ing will be gained by setting potted plants in the open ground before the latter part of May or first of June, though one must be governed entirely by local climatic conditions. Soil that has been well manured in previous years for garden crops should produce good melons. A shovelful or two of rotten manure placed in each hill will be highly beneficial. If the seed is planted directly in the open ground, the manure should be thoroughly mixed in the hills or drills. The hills should ordinarily be 6^G feet apart. If drills are employed, there should be 6 feet between rows, and the plants should be thinned to stand about 15 inches apart in the row. High-grade fertilizer may be used to supplement the manure if desired, and it should be mixed with the soil in the most thor- ough manner. Clean tillage from planting un- til harvest is essential. The plants may be pro- tected from cucumber beetles in the same way as explained for cucumbers. MUSTARD 157 Where climatic, seasonal, and soil conditions are very unfavorable to muskmelon culture, a limited number of melons may be grown with- out very much trouble in cold-frames, using hot- beds if necessary to start the plants. MUSTARD {Brassica) Mustard is used sometimes as a salad plant and also for greens, while the seeds are used in manufacturing the mustard of commerce. Seed may be sown any time from early spring until September, in rows a foot apart, and the plants thinned to 5 or 6 inches apart in the row. White London is one of the best vari- eties. OKRA OR GUMBO {Hibiscus esculentus) This vegetable is grown to some extent in the South and occasionally in the North. The tender pods are used in soups and stews and sometimes cooked or served as a salad. The plants should be started under glass at about the same time as tomatoes, and planted in 4-inch pots, preparatory to setting in the garden. They do best in warm, fertile soil and should be planted about 2x3 feet apart. 158 THE VEGETABLE GAIiDEN ONION {J Ilium i't'p(i) The onion is uni^•crsally planted in home gar- dens, and it is one ot our most important garden erops from a commercial standpoint. \Vher- e\er market conditions are fa\oraMe the onion offers exceptionally good opportunities for the employment oi intensive methods with the hope oi satisfactory returns. The onion is planted more or less extensively In practically all American gardens. Danvers is prohably the most largely grown. Southport Yellow Globe is a superior variety In some re- spects and Is preferred by many commercial growers. WeathersHeld is a highly popular red variety. Southport Red Globe is a favorite red onion wherever it is known. Silver King Is one of the leading white onions. White Pearl Is early and very attractive, but the bulbs are smaller than Silver King. White Queen Is ex- tremely earlv and produces snrall, pure white bulbs that are valued for pickling. White and Yellow Multipliers are planted largely in the South. Egyptian is a perfectly hardv variety, recommended for fall planting in the \orth. Bulbs oi the foreign class of onions, such as the Bermuda, Spanish, and Italian, are milder ONION 159 in flavor than American onions. They are also larger but do not keep so well. Some of the varieties are considered especially valuable for planting under glass, the seedlings being trans- planted to the open ground usually In May. Of this class, Prizetaker Is best known and most extensively cultivated. White Italian Tripoli produces large, white, flattened bulbs. Giant Gibraltar and Denia produce very large bulbs, requiring more time to mature than Prizetaker. Red Bermuda, White Bermuda, and Crystal Wax are the best known varieties of the Ber- muda class. The American varieties are best adapted to northern conditions, though the foreign types may be grown if special care Is exercised in start- ing the plants and In giving the crops the proper treatment. Land for onions should be as fertile as pos- sible. The rich, sandy loams provide Ideal con- ditions. Good onions, however, may be grown in any soil which receives the proper treatment. Heavy silt and clay soils are the most objection- able, though large additions of stable manure will make It possible to obtain fairly satisfactory crops. Fall plowing of such soils Is advan- tageous. It Is highly Important to use land that 160 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN is practically free from weed seeds. This re- quires that clean tillage be given the ground the preceding year. A favorite plan is to apply an abundance of stable manure for a cultivated crop, such as sweet corn, and then use the ground the next year for onions. If manure is applied direct for the onions, it should be as free as possible of weed seeds, otherwise the cost of hand-hoeing and weeding will be excessive. Manure which has been composted for several months will con- tain very few weed seeds. If stable manure is used at the rate of 20 tons or more to the acre, and if the land has been liberally fertilized for several years previous to planting onions, it may not be necessary to use very much fertilizer. As a rule, however, a ton of fertilizer containing 4 per cent, of nitrogen and not less than 7 per cent, of each of the min- eral elements — potash and phosphoric acid — will give a larger yield and increased profits. We must bear in mind that the onion is a heavy feeder and good crops cannot be obtained in soils of moderate fertility. It is a crop calling for the most thorough and intensive methods, particularly with reference to plant food and the supply of organic matter in the soil. The bulk of the market crop grown in the ONION 161 United States is produced from seed sown in the open ground just as early in the spring as the soil can be prepared. This system is also used to a considerable extent in home gardens. Ordinarily, the rows are a foot apart. Four and one-half pounds of good seed will plant an acre. There should be not less than 8 good plants in each foot of row ; if the soil is very rich and bulbs of extra large size are desired, there should be about 6 plants to the foot. In small plantations it is not a great task to thin the plants so that the stand can be regulated to suit the ideas of the grower. When especially large and fine bulbs are de- sired, an excellent plan is to start the plants under glass. Early sowing is conducive to the best bulbs. If space is available in the hot-bed or greenhouse it pays to sow the seed of Prize- taker and other varieties of the foreign type about February i, though a month later will do if earlier sowing Is not feasible. Use rich, sandy loam, or any good garden soil, for start- ing the plants. Make the drills half an inch deep and three Inches apart. Drop lo to 12 seeds to the Inch of furrow. Any temperature which may be maintained for other vegetable plants will do for the onion. Be careful that the soil does not become exces- 162 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN sively dry at any time, for this condition, fol- lowed by the free use of water, may induce damping off. When the plants are about 5 inches tall, clip them back to 4 inches every week until they are set in the garden. This will make them stronger and stockier and they will be hardier when planted out-of-doors than if clip- ping is not practiced. In home gardens the most common plan is to grow or buy sets and plant them out-of-doors just as soon as the ground is dry enough to work. Plants grow very rapidly from sets and mature bulbs earlier than it is possible to grow them from seed sown direct into the soil. It is the most convenient form of onion culture for amateurs or inexperienced growers. The rows should be a foot apart, if wheel hoes are to be used, and the sets should be forced well into the ground at intervals of about 3 inches. Plants started under glass should be spaced at the same intervals in the rows. Some gardeners space the sets or plants only one and one-half inches apart in the row and then every other onion is pulled green for bunching, and the others are left in the ground until full grown. Hand wheel hoes should be employed as soon as possible after the crop is started. It is also necessary to do more or less weeding, for which ONION 163 some of the hand tools will be found very valu- able. When most of the onion tops have become dead and shriveled, the bulbs should be pulled. Several rows are usually thrown together into windrows and allowed to remain on the ground for several days or perhaps a week if the weather is bright and sunny. If the bulbs are turned occasionally with a wooden rake, they will dry more rapidly. They are then stored under cover until fully cured. Onions are easily kept during the winter in any dry, well-ventilated room. The bulbs may be spread in bulk on the floor, or, if preferred, placed in bags or crates. Sometimes the bulbs are permitted to freeze early in the winter and then covered with sufficient hay or straw to pre- vent thawing until spring. Bunching onions are easily grown from seed by making very thick sowings. From 20 to 30 pounds of seed to the acre should be used for the production of bunching onions, while 40 to 60 pounds to the acre are used for the growing of sets. The onion thrip, rust, and blight should be avoided as much as possible by rotation. It is seldom desirable to use the same ground year after year for onions. 16* THE VEGETABLE GARDEN PARSLEY {Carum petroselinum) This vegetable is highly prized for salads, flavoring purposes, and for garnishing. Extra Curled Dwarf, Moss Curled, and Fern-Leaved are excellent varieties. Seeds may be sown under glass or In the open ground. Good soil Is required to grow fine plants. Sow In June for the fall crop. Set the plants 8x14 Inches apart to provide ample space for them. They may be dug up In the fall and potted or planted In boxes In a sunny window of the kitchen or living room. PARSNIP {Pastinaca satwa) This Is one of the Important root crops. It thrives In deep, fertile, moist, sandy soils. Roots of fair quality may be grown In heavy soils If the land Is deep and well enriched by the application of rotten manure. Early Short Round Is a valuable, very early variety. Guern- sey and Hollow Crown are the standard varie- ties for the late crop. A long season Is re- quired for parsnips; the seed should be sown as early as possible In the spring and covered with one-half to one Inch of soil. There should be at least 15 inches between rows, and the plants should be thinned to 6 or 7 inches In the row. PEA 165 Some of the roots should be dried in the fall, for sale or consumption during the winter, and the balance of the crop left in the rows where it was grown until spring. The severest winter weather does not injure the roots. PEA {Pisum satwum) The pea is invariably planted in home gar- dens and it is one of our important garden and truck crops. An enormous quantity is canned every year. Of the early smooth peas, Alaska is one of the most prominent varieties. It is used exten- sively for canning. Extra Early is sold by all seedsmen and it is valued by those who want an extremely early product. Gradus, Thomas Laxton, and Nott's Excelsior are excellent early peas of the wrinkled type. The wrinkled peas are considered superior in quality to the smooth peas, but not quite so hardy. These varieties may be planted as early in the spring as the ground can be prepared. Improved Stratagem and Telegraph are excellent tall late vari- eties. Soils abounding in vegetable matter produce the heaviest crops of peas. For this reason rot- ten manure may be used to advantage, applied 166 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN either broadcast or in the furrows. If the soil is rather thin, furrow applications before plant- ing will be more effective. Complete fertilizers have also been found valuable for peas. Rows of dwarf varieties need not be more than i8 inches apart, while the late tall kinds should have 3 feet of space. Thirty inches between rows is a common distance for varieties of medium height. Seed should be sown thickly for heavy yields and covered with an inch or two of soil. Wire or brush supports should be used for the tall varieties. PEPPER {Capsicum annuum) The pepper is gaining rapidly in commercial importance and it is much more appreciated in home gardens than it was ten years ago. This is particularly true of the mango or sweet pep- per. Although the plants are susceptible to frost and do best at high temperatures, there is no reason why at least a few plants should not be grown in practically all American gar- dens. The warm sandy loams are preferred for this crop. Of the hot or pungent varieties. Tabasco, Long Red Cayenne, True Red Chili, Bird Eye, and Hot Bell are best known. Of the mild- RADISH 167 fruited type, Bull Nose, Chinese Giant, and Ruby King are highly popular. Neapolitan is an early variety which possesses special merit for cool sections where peppers are not usually grown under the most favorable circum- stances. The plants should always be started in a warm hotbed or greenhouse. A high tempera- ture is required both for the germination of the seed and the growth of the young plants. One or two transplantings should be made before the plants are taken to the garden. Plenty of rotten manure should be used in the hill with each plant, unless the soil and climatic condi- tions are very favorable. Commercial ferti- lizer can also be used to advantage in soils of moderate fertility. The plants should not be set In the garden until the ground is thoroughly warm and there is no danger of frost. Most varieties should be planted about i8 x 30 Inches apart. Ridging the plants with soil will help them to stand erect and support their crop of fruit. RADISH {Raphanus sativus) The radish Is one of our most important root crops. It is grown largely as a spring and 168 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN early summer crop and the forcing industry, both in frames and greenhouses, is of consider- able consequence. The earliest varieties attain an edible size in three weeks and this fact makes the radish a most popular vegetable among home gardeners. It is a cool weather crop, but may be grown under a wide range of climatic condi- tions. The soil should be highly fertile, and the sandy loams are best, though splendid roots may be grown in any soil which is well enriched with rotten manure. Commercial fertilizers are sometimes employed for radishes, but the main reliance is placed on stable manures, which should never be employed in a fresh state be- cause they cause an excessive growth of tops at the sacrifice of roots. Round Red Forcing and Scarlet Frame are excellent varieties of the small, red, button type. Earliest White is a superb early white variety. Beckert Chartier is a very good long-rooted red variety. French Breakfast is a bright scarlet radish with white tips. Radishes are planted from early spring until the first of September. The rows are generally about a foot apart and the plants range from i to 5 inches apart. The distance depends on the size of the roots. The seeds are covered with about one-half inch of soil. RHUBARB 169 RHUBARB {Rheum Rhaponticum) The rhubarb is one of the easiest crops to grow. The largest stalks are produced in deep, rich loams, but a good product can be grown in any garden soil of average fertility. Any kind of stable manure may be employed to advantage in growing rhubarb. If the supply of manure is limited, the greatest benefit will be derived by mixing two or three shovelfuls of rotten manure in each hill when the roots are planted. This vegetable is readily propagated from seed, but the most common plan is to di- vide old roots into separate pieces to start new plantations. The roots are usually planted 3x4 feet apart and covered with several inches of soil. Victoria and Linnaeus or Strawberry are the leading varieties. If liberal applications of manure are made to the plants every year there will be little or no need for using commercial fertilizer. Nitrate of soda is often of special value in encouraging a strong and rapid growth. RUTABAGA {Brassica campestris) This vegetable is sometimes called " Swedish Turnip." It is very similar in some respects to 170 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN kohl-rabl and requires about the same cultural treatment. Sow seed as early as possible in the open ground or start the plants under glass. Seed for the late crop should be sown the latter part of June or early in July. The roots should stand about 8 inches apart in the row and there should be at least 15 inches between the rows. SALSIFY {Tragopogon porrifolius) Salsify Is also known as " oyster plant " and " vegetable oyster." It Is of easy culture. Sow seed in fertile soil as early as the ground can be prepared. Make rows a foot apart and thin the plants to stand 4 or 5 inches in the row. The roots may be left in the ground all winter, though some of them should be lifted for winter sales or consumption. SAVORY There are two kinds of savory, namely, sum- mer and winter. The former Is an annual and the latter Is a perennial. The leaves of both kinds are used for seasoning. They are readily grown from seed sown In the open or under glass. SHALLOT 171 SHALLOT {Allium ascalonicum) The shallot is a member of the onion family, but is somewhat milder in flavor than the onion. It should have the same cultural treatment as the onion. SPINACH {Spinacea oleracea) This is undoubtedly our best " greens." Im- mense quantities are grown in the South and shipped to northern markets very early in the spring. Rich, moist soils are required to grow heavy crops. Stable manure, well decayed, is especially valuable in the growing of spinach. It is a common practice in the South to sow seed the latter part of September or later, in rows 10 to 14 inches apart, and to thin the plants to stand 4 to 6 inches apart in the row. Spinach from this sowing is harvested very early the fol- lowing spring. In the North, the usual practice is to make sowings in the spring as early as the ground can be prepared. An excellent plan is to sow the seed on frozen ground in late winter and to cover at once with a half-inch mulch of fine, well- composted manure. The plants grow much bet- ter in cool weather than at high temperatiires. 172 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Norfolk Savoy, Victoria, and Long Season are well-known varieties. SQUASH The squash, outside of a few sections of the country, is not as highly appreciated as it should be. The late types are particularly valuable in helping to provide a wider range of foods for the winter months. Early White Bush and Mammoth White Bush are excellent summer varieties of the " patty pan " type. Summer Crookneck and Giant Crookneck are favorite early yellow-fruited varieties. Hubbard is one of the best winter varieties. Other winter varieties of special merit are Warted Hubbard, Golden Hubbard, Boston Marrow, and Deli- cata. The squash should have about the same cul- tural treatment as the melon, though it is less difficult to grow. Early plants may be started under glass in the same manner as described for cucumbers. The more common plan is to sow seed in the open ground. The soil should be rich and well drained. The bush types of patty pan and crookneck may be planted in hills 4x4 feet apart, while those with running vines, like the Hubbard, should be spaced from 8x8 feet apart to 10 x 12 feet, distance depending on the SWEET CORN 173 fertility of the soil. It is customary to plant lo or more seeds in each hill, and then to thin the plants to two or three. Two or three forkfuls of rotten manure should be planted in each hill. The winter squashes should be harvested be- fore hard frosts occur, and with the utmost care, to prevent bruising. They may be easily kept in warm, dry rooms. Commercial storage houses endeavor to hold the temperature above 50. Squashes keep very well in crates placed near the cellar furnace. SWEET CORN {Zea mays) It IS unnecessary to discuss the importance of this crop, either from a commercial standpoint or from its value in the home garden. Nearly everybody is extremely fond of a strictly high- grade product. Fordhook is a very early small-eared variety. White Cob Cory is a gen- eral favorite and quite early. Golden Bantam heads the list in quality. It is becoming exceed- ingly popular because of its superb flavor. Cosmopolitan is a mid-season variety that produces beautiful ears. Country Gentleman and Stowell Evergreen are well-known, prolific late varieties. Disappointment is often due to the use of poor seed. When possible it pays to 174 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN grow one's own seed, store it on the cob, and make germination tests of the ke/nels before planting. The plants are easily started under glass by planting about 6 kernels in a three-inch pot three weeks in advance of planting in the garden. The plants should be thinned to 3 or 4. Cold- frames will do for this purpose. The soil should be well enriched by the application of manure. High-grade fertilizers can also be used advantageously. Any soil which will grow a good crop of field corn will produce good sweet corn. Clover or timothy sod, plowed in the fall or very early in the spring, provides ex- cellent conditions for sweet corn. Planting in the open ground, on a very large scale, should not occur until after danger of hard, killing frosts. In the home garden and in small commercial plantations, we may be justi- fied in taking some risk by planting quite early, replanting if the plants are killed by frost. The first of May is not too early to do some planting in the North, and successive plantings should be made until probably the latter part of June, or even later in warm sections, if there is time for the crop to mature before killing frosts are likely to appear in the fall. SWEET POTATO 175 The distance between plants depends mainly on the vigor of the varieties to be grown. The smaller varieties like Fordhook and Golden Bantam do not need more than 9 inches between plants in the row and 32 inches is sufficient space between rows. For the late varieties, 1x4 feet is satisfactory. There should be clean tillage throughout the period of growth. It also pays to remove any suckers that may appear around the plants. The safest plan, especially in small plantations, is to use plenty of seed to Insure a good stand of plants, and then to thin as much as may be necessary. SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas) The sweet potato is one of our most Impor- tant truck crops. It is important in the Atlantic Coast States and throughout the South. Some of the best known varieties are Big Stem Jersey, Yellow Jersey, Red Jersey, Southern Queen, Pumpkin Yam, Georgia, Red Bermuda, Black Spanish, and Shanghai. The sweet potato grows best at high tempera- ture. For this reason It Is an unsatisfactory crop for most sections of the North. The sandy soils are considered best adapted to sweet 176 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN potatoes. In the South, very good crops are grown in fairly heavy soils, provided the latter are well drained. Sweet potatoes are usually propagated by growing " slips '* or " sets." This is accom- plished by bedding the tubers in fine, moist sand, and supplying sufficient heat to cause them to sprout. This may be readily done in green- houses or hotbeds. Ordinarily, a period of about six weeks is required to secure well-rooted plants. These are set in the open ground, after there is no further danger of frost, on ridges (though level culture is sometimes practiced), 36 to 42 inches apart, and the plants should be spaced 14 to 18 inches apart in the row. For this crop, thoroughly composted manures are valuable and complete fertilizers are often em- ployed with excellent results. It is desirable to harvest the crop before frost. The tubers should be placed in warm, dry storage. Squashes and sweet potatoes are often kept in the same house. THYME {Thymus vulgaris) This IS a popular herb that is used for season- ing. It is easily propagated by means of seeds, root divisions, and layers. It grows well in any TOMATO 177 good soil. The plants should stand about 6 inches apart in the row. The leaves may be used green or dried and preserved for winter use. TOMATO {Lycopersicum esculentum) This vegetable of South American origin oc- cupies a most important place in the long list of vegetables grown in the United States. Cer- tainly, no home garden is complete without it and it is extensively grown on truck farms and general farms throughout the country. While the tomato is easily injured by frost, and retarded in growth by cool weather, it may, by the employment of proper methods, be pro- duced in practically every section where other vegetables are grown. If early varieties are selected and the plants grown to a good size un- der glass, ripe specimens may be picked in 40 days from the time the plants are set in the open ground. Again, in localities where late spring or early summer frosts are prevalent, the plants may be thoroughly protected, so that this is not a real barrier to their cultivation. The tomato is at home in a great variety of soils. Sandy loams provide ideal conditions, though the crop is grown successfully on a large commercial scale in soils having the widest range 178 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN of physical properties. Thorough soil drainage is absolutely essential to success and there should be a reasonable amount of organic matter In the soil. Earllana and Bonny Best are the most exten- sively-grown early varieties, both producing red fruits. Chalk Jewel, which ripens somewhat later, Is also excellent. Stone and Matchless are unusually good late red tomatoes. June Pink Is a well-known early pink variety. Globe a desirable mid-season purple variety, and Beauty and Trucker's Favorite are valuable late varieties of this class. The seedsmen supply excellent seed of the leading varieties and It Is also a simple matter to breed and save tomato seed In the home plantation. Seed for early tomatoes should be sowm under glass not later than March i, and many growers prefer to sow ten days to two weeks earlier. The seedlings should be trans- planted Into flats and later Into pots. When extra fine plants are desired, it is cus- tomary to make the final shift Into 4 or 5 inch pots. The plants should be from 8 to 10 inches tall w^hen they are taken to the field or garden. Smaller plants, of course, may be used with en- tire success, but the crop will not be so early. If the plants bear a few clusters of flowers and TOMATO 179 perhaps a few newly-formed fruits when they are transferred to the garden, there will be no question about the earliness of the crop. Clover or grass sods plowed very early in the spring provide most excellent soil conditions for tomatoes. The crop may also be grown suc- cessfully on land which was used the preceding year for other vegetables or general farm crops. Rotten manure can usually be applied to advan- tage. Commercial fertilizers containing liberal amounts of the three elements commonly found in complete mixtures are also beneficial. In most soils, looo pounds of a 4-7-8 mixture should meet the requirements of the crop. The proper distance between plants depends on the varieties to be planted, method of train- ing, and fertility of the soil. Ordinarily, the plants should be set 4 x 4 feet apart, if there Is to be no pruning or training. In very rich soil, there should be more space. If the plants are to be formed and trained to single stems, they may be planted 1 8 inches apart in the row, and it will be unnecessary to allow more than 30 inches between rows, though more space Is a decided advantage in cultivating with a horse. In small garden plots. It Is possible to get very good results by planting 20 x 20 Inches apart, when the plants may be trained to single stems. 180 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN This plan of training is quite popular among home gardeners and is used to some extent by commercial growers. It simply consists in re- moving .with the thumb and finger all side or lateral shoots as rapidly as they appear, thus in- ducing the growth of a single stem which is tied to a stake or wire trellis. When the plant reaches the height of about five feet the top is pinched off and no further growth of stem is permitted. This plan of training results in very early, large tomatoes that are clean and easy to pick. The plan is especially desirable for small gardens w^here ground is at a premium. It pays to exercise special care in marketing very early tomatoes. An excellent plan is to wrap the fruits in tissue paper and pack them in baskets that will hold about 5 pounds. When any of the fungous diseases of the to- mato appear to a troublesome extent, the plants should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture at in- tervals of two or three weeks from the time the seedlings are up until the crop Is well matured. The flea beetle sometimes appears In great num- bers soon after the plants are set In the open ground. It may be successfully repelled by spraying with arsenate of lead. TURNIP 181 TURNIP {Brassica rapa) The turnip Is one of our best root crops. It Is of easy culture and does well in a great variety of soil types, the sandy loams being the best. The soil should be fertile and moist but well drained. White Milan, Red or Purple Top, White Flat Dutch, Purple Top White Globe, White Egg, and Yellow Globe are ex- cellent varieties. Though turnip seed is often sown broadcast, it is better to sow the seed in drills 12 to 18 Inches apart and to thin the plants to 2 or 3 inches apart for early varieties and 4 or 5 Inches for late varieties. The seed should seldom be covered with more than half an Inch of soil. Sowings for the early crop can be made as soon as the ground is dry enough to work and for the late crop the latter part of July or early In Au- gust. The roots are easily preserved during the winter by storing them In a cool cellar and cover- ing them with a few Inches of moist soil or sand to retain their moisture, and thus prevent them from shriveling. They may also be held over winter by burying. 18S THE VEGETABLE GARDEN WATERMELON {Citrullus ^'ulgaris) The instructions which have been given for the culture of muskmelons apply equally well to watermelons, except that the latter require more space. There are many good varieties. Among the best may be mentioned Kleckley Sweet, Kolb Gem, Cuban Queen, Halbert Honey, Dixie, and Sugar Stick. Cole and Fordhook are very early varieties. Baby De- light is an extremely small but prohfic melon of good quality. Watermelons may be started under glass in the same way as other cucurbits. The most common distance for planting is loxio feet apart. The hills should be made rich by the use of several shovelfuls of rotten manure in each. Use plenty of seed and thin to 3 or 4 plants in each hill. APPENDIX Number of Plants Required to the Acre at Various Distances. 1 in. X lo in 627,269 18 in. x 2 ft 14j520 1 in. X 13 in 532,720 18 in. x 30 in 11,616 2 in. X lo in 313,633 18 in. x 3 ft 9,680 2 in. X 13 in 261,360 18 in. x 4 ft 7,260 3 in. X 13 in 174,340 18 in. x 5 ft 5,804 4 in. X 13 in 130,680 3 ft. x 3 ft 10,890 6 in. X 13 in 87,130 3 ft. x 3 ft 7,360 13 in. X 13 in 43, 560 3 ft. x 4 ft 5,445 13 in. X 15 in 34,848 3 ft. x 5 ft 4,356 13 in. X 18 in 39,040 3 ft. x 3 ft 4,840 13 in. X 34 in 31,780 3 ft. x 4 ft 3,630 13 in. X 30 in 17,424 3 ft. x 5 ft 2,904 13 in. X 3 ft 14,520 4 ft. x 4 ft 3,733 13 in. X 4 ft 10,890 4 ft. X 5 ft 2,178 13 in. X 5 ft 8,713 5 ft. X 5 ft 1,742 15 in. X 18 in 33,333 5 ft. x 6 ft 1,452 15 in. X 3 ft 17,424 6 ft. X 6 ft 1,310 15 in. X 3 ft 11,619 6 ft. X 7 ft 1,037 15 in. X 4 ft 8,713 6 ft. X 8 ft 907 15 in. X 5 ft 6,969 7 ft. X 7 ft 888 18 in. X 30 in 17,424 8 ft. x 8 ft 680 Quantity of Seed Required to the Acre. Asparagus, 2>< ounces to loo feet of drill: 2 pounds should produce enough roots to plant an acre. Beans, dwarf, i quart to loo feet of drill; I J4 bushels an acre. Lima, % bushel to an 183 184. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN acre. Pole, i pint to lOO feet drill; y^ bushel an acre. Beet, i ounce to 50 feet of drill; 4 pounds to an acre. Broccoli, i ounce to 300 feet of drill; 2 ounces an acre. Cabbage, i ounce to 300 feet of drill; hotbed or greenhouse i ounce should produce at least 2,000 plants; outdoors, i pound should produce at least 20,000 plants. Carrot, i ounce to 100 feet of drill; 2}^ pounds to an acre. Cauliflower, i ounce should produce 3,000 or more plants. Celery, Vs ounce to 100 feet of drill; I ounce should produce at least 10,000 plants. Sweet Corn, J4 to ^ pint to 100 hills ; when planted in hills i peck to an acre. Cucumbers, i to 2 ounces to 100 hills; i to 2 pounds to an acre. Eggplant, i ounce should produce 1,500 to 2,000 plants. Endive, }i ounce to 100 feet of drill; 4J4 pounds to an acre. Kale, i ounce to 300 feet of drill. Kohl-Rabi, I ounce to 300 feet of drill; 4 pounds an acre. APPENDIX 185 Leek, i ounce to loo feet of drill; 4 pounds an acre. Lettuce, y^ ounce to 100 feet of drill; 3 pounds to an acre. Muskmelon, 2 ounces to 100 hills; 4x4 feet, 2 pounds to an acre. Onion, seed, >^ ounce to 100 feet of drill; 4 to 5 pounds an acre. Sets, i quart to 40 feet of drill; 8 bushels, and more if large, an acre. Parsley, >^ ounce to 100 feet of drill; 3 pounds to an acre. Peas, i to 2 pints to 100 feet of drill; i ^ to 2j^ bushels an acre. Pepper, i ounce should produce 1,500 plants. Radish, i ounce to 100 feet of drill; 10 to 12 pounds an acre. Rhubarb, i ounce of seed to 125 feet of drill; 3^ pounds to an acre. Salsify, i ounce of seed to 100 feet of drill; 8 pounds to an acre. Spinach, i ounce to 100 feet of drill; 8 pounds to an acre; broadcast, 30 pounds to an acre. Squash, summer, 4 ounces to 100 hills. Fall and winter, 8 ounces to 100 hills. Tomato, i ounce of seed should produce 3,000 to 4,000 plants. 186 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Turnip, i ounce to 200 feet of drill; i to 2 pounds to an acre. Watermelon, i ounce to 30 hills. THE END OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY'-NEW YORK U A WfMinOl^ C ^*e ttxlhooh for out- rMJ\lSUDKJ\Jr%,D door work and play H Each book deals with a separate Bubject and deals with it thor- oughly. If you want to know anything about Airedales an OUTING HANDBOOK gives you all you want. If it's Apple Growing, another OUTING HANDBOOK meets your need. The Fisherman, the Camper, the Poultry-raiser, the Automobilist, the Horseman, all varieties of out-door enthusiasts, will find separate volumes for their separate interests. There is no waste space. H The series is based on the plan of one subject to a book and each book complete. The authors are experts. Each book has been specially prepared for this series and all are published in uniform style, fle»ble cloth binding. €L Two hundred titles are projected. The series covers all phases of outdoor life, from bee-keeping to big-game shooting. Among the books now ready or in preparation are thoee described on the fol- lowing pages. PRICE SEVENTY CENTS PER VOL. NET, POSTAGE 5c EXTRA THE NUMBERS MAKE ORDERING EASY. 1. EXERCISE AND HEALTH, by Dr. Woods Hutchinson. Dr. Hutchinson takes the common-sense view that the greatest problem in exercise for most of us is to get enough of the right kind. The greatest error in exercise is not to take enough, and the greatest danger in athletics is in giving them up. He writes in a direct matter-of-fact manner with an avoidance of medical terms, and a strong emphasis on the rational, all-round manner of living that is best calculated to bring a man to a ripe old age with little illness or consciousness of bodily weakness. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY-NEW YORK 2. CAMP COOKERY, by Horace Kephart. «i less a man carries in his pack the more he mnst carry in his hea says Mr. Kephart. This book tells what a man should carry in b pack and head. Every step is traced — the selection of provisi and utensils, with the kind and quantity of each, the preparatioi game, the building of fires, the cooking of every conceivable kin< food that the camp outfit or woods, fields or streams may provid even to the making of desserts. Every recipe is the result of h practice and long experience. 3. BACKWOODS SURGERY AND MEDICIJN by Charles S. Moody, M. D. A handy book for the f dent lover of the woods who doesn't expect to be ill but believes being on the safe side. Common-sense methods for the treatm of the ordinary wounds and accidents are described — setting broken limb, reducing a dislocation, caring for burns, cuts, i Practical remedies for camp diseases are recommended, as well the ordinary indications of the most probable ailments. Include list of the necessary medical and surgical supplies. 4. APPLE GROWING, by M. C. Burritt. i various problems conJfronting the apple grower, from the preparat of the soil and the planting of the trees to the marketing of the fri are discussed in detail by the author. Chapter headings are: — 1 Outlook for the Growing of Apples — Planning for the Orchar< Planting and Growing the Orchard— Pruning the Trees — Cultivat and Cover Cropping — Manuring and Fertilizing — Insects and I eases Affecting the Apple — The Principles and Practice of Spray — Harvesting and Storing— Markets and Marketing — Some Hints Renovating Old Orchards — The Cost of Growing Apples. 5. THE AIREDALE, by Williams Haynes. a book opens with a short chapter on the origin and development the Airedale, as a distinctive breed. The author then takes up \ problems of type as bearing on the selection of the dog, breedi training and use. The book is designed for the non-professional c fancier, who wishes common sense advice which does not invo elaborate preparations or expenditmre. Chapters are included on 1 care of Uic dog in the kennel and simple remedies for ordiu diseases. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY— NEW YORK r ■ 6. THE AUTOMOBILE.— Its selection, Care and Use, by Robert Sloss. This is a plain, practical discussion of tie things tnat every man needs to know ii'he is to buy the right car and get the most out of it, The various details of operation and care are given in simple, intelligent terms. From it the car owner can easily learn the mechanism of his motor and the art of locating motor trouble, as well as how to use his car for the greatest pleasure. A chapter is included on building garages. 7. FISHING KITS AND EQUIPMENT, by Samuel G. Gamp. A complete guide to the angler buying a new outfit. Every detail of the fishing kit of the freshwater angler is de- Bcribed, from rodtip to creel, and clothing. Special emphasis is laid on outfitting for fly fishing, but full instruction is also given to the man who wants to catch pickerel, pike, muskellunge, lake-trout, bass and other freshwater game fishes. Prices are quoted for all articles recommended and the approved method of selecting and testing the various rods, lines, leaders, etc., is described. 8. THE FINE ART OF FISHING, by Samuel G. Camp. Combine the pleasure of catching fish with the gratification of following the sport in the most approved manner. The sugges- tions offered are helpftil to beginner and expert anglers. The range of fish and fishing conditions covered is wide and includes such sub- jects as **Ca8ting Fine and Far Off," "Strip-Casting for Bass," "Fish- ing for Mountain Trout" and **Autumn Fishing for Lake Trout." The book is pervaded with a cpirit of love for the streamside and the out-doors generally which the genuine angler will appreciate. A companion book to "Fishing Kits and Equipment." The advice on outfitting so capably given in that book is supplemented in this later work by equally valuable information on how to use the equipment. 9. THE HORSE— Its Breeding, Care and Use, by David Bufifum. Mr. Buffiun takes up the common, cvery-day problems of the ordinary horse-users, such as feeding, shoeing, simple home remedies, breaking and the cure for various equine ▼ices. An important chapter is that tracing the influx of Arabian blood into the English and American horses and its value and limi- tations. Chapters are included on draft-horses, carriage horses, and the development of the two-minute trotter. It is distinctly a sensible book for the sensible man who -^vishes to know how he can improve his horses and his horsempnsfcij) at the same time* OUTING PUBUSHING COMP ANYONE W YORK 10. THE MOTOR BOAT— Its Selection, Care an^ Use, by H. W. Slauson. The intending purcliaser is advised as to the type of motor boat best suited to his particular needs and how to keep it in running condition after purchased. The chapter headings are : Eands and Uses of Motor Boats — "When the Motor Balks — Speeding of the Motor Boat — Getting More Power from a New Motor — How to Install a Marine Power Plant — Accessories- Covers, Canopies and Tops — Camping and Cruising — The Boathouse. 11. OUTDOOR SIGNALLING, by Elbert Wells. Mr. WeUs has perfected a method of signalling by means of wig- wag, light, smoke, or whistle which is as simple as it is effective. The fundamental principle can bo learned in ten minutes and its appUcation is far easier than that of any other code now in use. It permits also the use of cipher and can be adapted to almost any imaginable conditions of weather, light, or topography. 12. TRACKS AND TRACKING, by Josef Brunner. After twenty years of patient study and practical experience, Mr. Brunner can, from his intimate knowledge, speak with authority on this subject. "Tracks and Tracking" shows how to follow intelli- gently even the most intricate animal or bird tracks. It teaches how to interpret tracks of wild game and decipher the many tell-tale signs of the chase that would otherwise pass unnoticed. It proves how it is possible to tell from the footprints the name, sex, speed, direction, whether and how wounded, and many other things about wild animals and birds. All material has been gathered first hand ; the drawings and half-tones from photographs form an important part of the work. •^1 13. WING AND TRAP-SHOOTING, by Charles Askins. Contains a full discussion of the various methods, such as snap-shooting, swing and half-swing, discusses the flight of birds with reference to the gunner's problem of lead and range and makes special application of the various points to the different birds commonly shot in this country. A chapter is included on trap shooting and the book closes with a forceful and common-sense presentation of the etiquette of the field. " OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY-^NEW YORK 14. PROFITABLE BREEDS OF POULTRY, by Arthur S. Wheeler. Mr. "Wheeler discusses from personal ex- perience the J)est-known general purpose breeds. Advice is given trom the standpoint of the* man who desires results in eggs and stock rather than in specimens for exhibition. In addition to a careful analysis of stock — good and bad — and some conclusions regarding housing and management, the author writes in detail regarding Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Mediterraneans and the Cornish. 15. RIFLES AND RIFLE SHOOTING, by Charles Askins. A practical manual describing various makes and mechan- isms, in addition to discussing in detail the range and limitations in the use of the rifle. Treats on the every style and make of rifle aa well as their use. Every type of rifle ia ^scussed so that the book is complete in every detail. 16. SPORTING FIREARMS, by Horace Kephart. This book is the result of painstaking tests and experiments. Prac- tically nothing is taken for granted. Part I deals with the rifle, and Part n with the shotgun. The man seeking guidance in the selec- tion and use of small firearms, as well as the advanced student of the subject, will receive an unusual amount of assistance from this work. The chapter headings are: Rifles and Ammunition — The Flight of Bullets — Killing Power — Rifle Mechanism and Materials — Rifle Sights — Triggers and Stocks — Care of Rifle — Shot Patterns and Penetration — Gauges and Weights — Mechanism and Build of Shotguns. 17. THEYACHTSMAN'SHANDBOOK,byHerbert L. Stone. The author and compiler of this work is the editor of ** Yachting." He treats in simple language of the many problems confronting the amateur sailor and motor boatman. Handling ground tackle, handling lines, taking soundings, the use of the lead line, care and use of sails, yachting etiquette, are all given carefal attention. Some light is thrown upon the operation of the gasoline motor, and suggestions are made for the avoidance of engine troubles. 18. SCOTTISH AND IRISH TERRIERS, by Wil- liams Haynes. This is a companion book to "The Airedale,*' and deals with the history and development of both breeds. For the owner of the dog, valuable information is given as to the use of the terriers, their treatment in health, their treatment when sick, the principles of dog breeding, and dog shows and rules. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY— NEW YORK: ' 19. NAVIGATION FOR THE AMATEUR, by Capt. E. T. Morton. A short treatise on tlie eimpler methods of find- ing position at sea by the observation of the eiui's ahitude and the use of the sextant and chronometer. It is arranged especially for yachtsmen and amateurs who wish to know the simpler formulae for the necessary navigation involved in taking a boat anywhere off shore. Illustrated with drawings. Chapter headings : Fundamental Terms — Time — The Sumner Line— The Day's Work, Equal Altitude, and Ex-Meridian Sights — Hints on Taking Observations. 20. OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY, by JuHan A. Dimock. A solution of all the problems in camera work out-of- doors. The various subjects dealt with are : The Camera — Lens and Plates — Light and Exposiore — Development — Prints and Printing — Composition— Landscapes — Figure Work— Speed Photography — ^The Leaping Tarpon — Sea Pictures^In the Good Old Winter Time — Wild life. 21. PACKING AND PORTAGING, by Dillon Wallace. Mr. Wallace has brought together in one volume all the valuable information on the different ways of making and carry- ing the different kinds of packs. The ground covered ranges from man«paoking to horse-packing, from tiie use of the tamp line to throwing the diamond hitch. 22. THE BULL TERRIER, by WiUiams Haynes. This is a companion book to "The Airedale" and '*Scottish and Irish Terriers" by the same author. Its greatest usefulness is as a guide to the dog owner who wishes to be his own kennel manager. A full account of the development of the breed is given with a description of best types and standards. Recommendations for the care of the dog in health or sickness are included. The chapter heads cover such matters as:— The Bull Terrier's History— Training the Bull Terrier—The Terrier in Health^^enneling— Diseases. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY— NEW YORK 23. THE FOX TERRIER, by WiUiams Haynes. As in his other books on the terrier, Mr. Haynes takes up the origin and history of the breed, its types and standards, and the more ex- clusive representatives down to the present time. Training the Fox Terrier — His Care and Kenneling in Sickness and Health — and the Various Uses to Which He Can Be Put— are among the phases handled. 24. SUBURBAN GARDENS, by Grace Tabor. Illustrated with diagrams. The author regards the house and grounds as a complete unit and shows how the best results may be obtained by carrying the reader in detail through the various phases of designing the garden, with the levels and contours necessary, laying out the walks and paths, planning and placing the arbors, summer houses, seats, etc., and selecting and placing trees, shrubs, vines and flowers. Ideal plans for plots of various sizes are appended, as well as suggestions for correcting mistakes that have been made through "starting wrong." 25. FISHING WITH FLOATING FLIES, by Samuel G. Camp. This is an art that is comparatively new in this country although English anglers have used the dry fly for generations. Mr. Camp has given the matter special study and is one of the few American anglers who really understands the matter from the selection of the outfit to the landing of the fish. His book lakes up the process in that order, namely — How to Outfit for Dry Fly Fishing—How, Where, and When to Cast— The Selection and Use of Floating Flies — Dry Fly Fishing for Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout — Hooking, Playing and Landing — Practical Hints on Dry Fly Fishing. 26. THE GASOLINE MOTOR, by Harold Whiting Slauson. Deals with the practical problems of motor operation. The standpoint is that of the man who wishes to know how and why gasoline generates power and something about the various types. Describes in detail the diff*erent parts of motors and the faults to which they are liable. Also gives full directions as to re- pair and upkeep. Various chapters deal with Types of Motors — Valves — Bearings — Ignition — Carburetors — Lubrication — Fuel — Two Cycle Motors. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY— NEW YORK 27. ICE BOATING, by H. L. Stone. lUustrated with diagrams. Here have been brought together all the available in- formatiori on the organization and history of ice-boating, the build- ing of the various types of ice yachts, from the small 15 footer to the 600-foot racer, together with detailed plans and specifications. Full information is also given to meet the needs of those who wish to be able to build and sail their own boats but are handicapped by the lack of proper knowledge as to just the points described in this volume. 28. MODERN GOLF, by Harold H. HHton. Mr. Hilton is the only man who has ever held the amateur champion- ship of Great Britain and the United States in the same year. In addition to this, he has, for years, been recognized as one of the most intelligent, steady players of the game in England. This book is a product of his advanced thought and experience and gives the reader sound advice, not so much on the mere swinging of the clubs as in the actual playing of the game, with all the factors that enter into it. He discusses the use of wooden clubs, the choice of clubs, the art of approaching, tournament play as a distinct thing in itself, and kindred subjects. 29. INTENSIVE FAEMING, by L. C. Corbett. A discussion of the meaning, method and value of intensive methods in agriculture. This book is designed for the convenience of prac- tical farmers who find themselves under the necessity of making a living out of high-priced land. 30. PRACTICAL DOG BREEDING, by WiUiams Haynes. This is a companion volume to PRACTICAL DOG KEEPING, described below. It goes at length into the funda- mental questions of breeding, such as selection of types on both sides, the perpetuation of desirable, and the elimination of undesir- able, quaUties, the value of prepotency in building up a desired breed, etc. The arguments are illustrated with instances of what has been accomplished, both good and bad, in the case of well- known breeds. 31. PRACTICAL DOG KEEPING, by Williams Haynes. Mr. Haynes is weU known to the readers of the OUTING HANDBOOKS as the author of books on the terriers. His new book is somewhat more ambitious in that it carries him into the general field of selection of breeds, the buying and selling of dogs, the care of dogs in kennels, handling in bench shows and field trials, and at considerable length into such subjects as food and feeding, e^&ercise and grooming, disease, etc OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY-NEW YORK 32. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN, by R. L. Watts. This book is designed for the small grower with a limited plot of ground. The reader is told what types of vegetables to select, the manner of planting and cultivation, and the returns that may be expected. 33. AMATEUR RODMAKING, by Perry D.Frazer. Illustrated, a practical manual for all those who want to make their own rod and fittings. It contains a review of fishing rod his- tory, a discussion of materials, a list of the tools needed, description ol the method to be foUowed in making all kinds of rods, including tly-castmg, bait-fishing, salmon, etc., with full instructions for wind- ing, varnishing, qXq, 34. PISTOL AND REVOLVER SHOOTING, by A. L. A. Eimmelwriglit. A new and revised edition of a'work that has already achieved prominence as an accepted authority on the use of the hand gun. Full instructions are given in the use of both revolver and target pistol, including shooting position, grip, position of arm, etc. The book is thoroughly illustrated with diagrams and photographs and includes the, amies of the United States Revolver Association and a list of the records made both here and abroad. 35. PIGEON RAISING, by Alice MacLeod. This is a book for both fancier and market breeder. Full descriptions are given of the construction of houses, the care of the birds, pre- paration for market, and shipment. Descriptions of the various breeds with their markings and characteristics are given. Illustrated with photographs and diagrams. 36. FISHING TACKLE, by Perry D, Frazer. H- lustrated. The subtitle is descriptive. "Hints for Beginners in the Selection, Care, and Use of Rods, Reels, Lines, etc." It tells all the fisherman needs to know about making and overhauling his tackle during the closed season and gives full instructions for tour- nament casting and fly-casting. Chapters are included on cases and boiders tor the care of tackle when not in use. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY^NEW YORK 37. AUTOMOBILE OPERATION, by A. L. Brennan, Jr. Illustrated. Tells the plain truth ahout the little things that every motorist wants to know about his own car. Do you want to cure ignition troubles? Overhaul and adjust your carbureter? Keep your transmission in order? Get the maximum wear out of your tires? Do any other of the hundred and one things that are necessary for the greatest use and enjoyment of your car? Then you will find this book usefuL 38. THE FOX HOUND, by Roger D. WilHams. Author of "Horse and Hound", niustrated. The author is the foremost authority on fox himting and foxhounds in America. For years he has kept the foxhound studbook, and is the final source of information on all disputed points relating to this breed. His book discusses types, methods of training, kenneling, diseases and all the other practical points relating to the use and care of ths^ hound. An appendix is added containing the rules and regulations of hound field trials. 39. SALT WATER GAME FISHING, by Charlea F. Holder. Mr. Holder covers the whole field of his subject devoting a chapter each to such fish as the tuna, the tarpon, amber* jack, the sail fish, the yellow-tail, the king fish, the barracuda, the sea bass and the small game fishes of Florida, Porto Rico, the Pacific Coast, Hawaii, and the Philippines. The habits and habitats of the fish are described, together with the methods and tackle for taking them. The book concludes with an account of the development and rales of the American Sea Angling Clubs. Illustrated. 40. WINTER CAMPING, by Warwick S. Carpenter. A book that meets the increasing interest in outdoor life in the cold weather. !Mr, Carpenter discusses such subjects as shelter equipment, clothing, food, snowshoeing, skiing, and winter hunting, wild life in winter woods, care of frost bite, etc. It is based on much actual ex- perience in winter camping and is folly illustrated with working photographs. 4L WOODCRAFT FOR WOMEN, by Mrs. Kath- rene Gedney Pinkerton. The author has spent several years in the Canadian woods and is thoroughly familiar with the subject firom both the masculine and feminine point of view. She gives sound tips on clothing, camping outfit, food supplies, and methods, by which the woman may adjust herself to the outdoor environment. 42. SMALL BOAT BUILDING, by H. W. Patterson. Illustrated with diagrams and plans. A working manual for the man who wants to be his own designer and builder. Detail descriptions and drawings are given showing the various stages in the building, and chapters are included on proper materials and details. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY— NEW YORK 43. *READING THE WEATHER, by T. Morris Longstreth. The author gives in detail the various recognized signs for different kinds of weather based primarily on the material worked out by the Government Weather Bureau, gives rules by which the character and duration of storms may be estimated, and gives instructions for sensible use of the barometer. He also gives useful information as to various weather averages for different parts of the country, at different times of the year, and furnishes sound advice for the camper, sportsman, and others who wish to know what they may expect in the weather line. 44. BOXING, by D. C. Hutchison. ., Practical in- struction for men who wish to learn the first steps* in the manly art. Mr. Hutchison writes from long personal experience as an amateur boxer and as a trainer of other amateurs. His instructions are accompanied with ftdl diagrams showing the approved blows and guards. He also gives fiill directions for training for condition without danger of going stale from overtraining. It is essentially a book for the amateur who boxes for sport and exercise. 45. TEIWIS TACTICS, by Raymond D. Little. Out of his store of experience as a successfol tennis player, Mr. Little has written this practical guide for those who wish to know how real tennis is played. He tells the reader when and how to take the net, discusses the relative merits of the back-court ♦and volleying game and how their proper balance may be achieved; analyzes and appraises the twist service, shows the fundamental necessities of euccessful doubles play. 46. *HOW TO PLAY TENNIS, by James Burns. This book gives simple, direct instruction from the professional standpoint on the fundamentals of the game. It tells the reader how to hold his racket, how to swing it for the various strokes, how to stand and how to cover the court. These points are illustrated with photographs and diagrams. The author also illustrates the course of the ball in the progress of play and points out the positions of greatest safety and greatest danger. 47. TAXIDERMY, by Leon L. Pray, niustrated with diagrams.^ Being a practical taxidermist, the author at once goes into the question of selection of tools and materials for the various stages of skinning, 8tufl&ng and mounting. The subjects whose handling is described are, for the most part, the every-day ones, such as ordinary birds, small mammals, etc., although adequate instructions are included for mounting big game specimens, as well as the pre- liminary care of ekins in hot climates. Full diagrams accompany the text* OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY^NEW YOR K 48. THE CANOE— ITS SELECTION, CARE AND USE, by Robert E. Pinkerton. Illustrated with photographs. With proper use the canoe is one of the safests craft3 that floats. Mr. Pinkerton tells how that state ©f safety may he obtained. He gives fall instructions for the selection of the right canoe for each particular purpose or set of conditionso Then ho tdls how it should be used in order to secure the maximum of safety, comfort and use- fulness. His own lesson was learned among the Indians of Canada, where paddling is a high art, and the use of the canoe almost as much a matter of course as ihe wearing of moccasins. 49. HORSE PACKING, by Charles J. Post. Illustrated with diagrams. This is a complete description of the hitches, knots, and apparatus used in making and canying loads of various kinds on horseback. Its basis is the methods followed in the West and in the American Army. The diagrams are full and detailed, giving the various hitches and knots at each of the important stages so that even the novice can follow and use them. It is the only book ever published on this subject of which this could be said. Full description is given of the ideal pack animal, as well as a cata- logue of the diseases and injuries to which such animals are subject. 51. *LEARNING TO SKATE, by J. F.Verne. The general problem of the art of skating is taken up from the etandpoint of the man or woman who puts on skates for the first time. Funda- mental rules are laid down for learning the simpler strokes, carrying the reader on through to speed and fancy skating. Advice is in- cluded on the proper skates and clothing. 52. *TOURING AFOOT, hj Dr. C. P. Fordyce. Illustrated. This book is designed to meet the growing interest in walking trips and covers the whole field of outfit and method for trips of varying length. Various standard camping devices are described and outfits are prescribed for all conditions. It ia based on the assumption that the reader will want to carry on his own back every- thing that he requires for the trip. 53. *THE MARINE MOTOR, by Lieut. Frank W. Sterling, U. S. N. Illustrated with diagrams. This book is the product of a wide experience on the engineering staff of the United States Navy. It gives careful descriptions of the various parts of the marine motor, their relation to the whole and their method of operation ; it also describes the commoner troubles and suggests remedies. The principal types of engines are described in detail with diagrams. The object is primarily to give the novice a good working knowledge of his engine, its operation and care.