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diff --git a/old/63013-0.txt b/old/63013-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3d46f1e..0000000 --- a/old/63013-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2952 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of War Gardens, by Montague Free - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: War Gardens - A Pocket Guide for Home Vegetable Growers - -Author: Montague Free - -Release Date: August 23, 2020 [EBook #63013] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR GARDENS *** - - - - -Produced by Mardi Desjardins & the online Distributed -Proofreaders Canada team at https://www.pgdpcanada.net, -from page images generously made available by the University -of Wisconsin Digital Collection. - - - - - - WAR GARDENS - - - [Illustration] - - - - - WAR GARDENS - - _A Pocket Guide for_ - _Home Vegetable Growers_ - - - BY - MONTAGUE FREE - _Head Gardener_ - _Brooklyn Botanic Garden_ - - [Illustration] - - HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS - NEW YORK AND LONDON - - - - - War Gardens - - * * * * * - - Copyright, 1918, by Harper & Brothers - Printed in the United States of America - Published May, 1918 - - - - - CONTENTS - - - Chapter Page - Preface vii - I. The Value of Back-yard and Vacant-lot 1 - Gardening - II. How to Make a Start—Community Gardens 5 - III. Tools 10 - IV. The Site—The Soil and Its Preparation 15 - V. Fertilizers 26 - VI. The Kinds of Vegetables to Grow 32 - VII. Planning the Garden 36 - VIII. Seeds, Seed-sowing, and Transplanting 40 - IX. Hoeing and Thinning 47 - X. Staking and Tying 51 - XI. Insect Enemies 53 - XII. Plant Diseases 64 - XIII. The Culture of Vegetables in Detail 69 - XIV. Harvesting and Storing 100 - Appendix 109 - - - - - PREFACE - - -The purpose of this book is to state simply and clearly the ways and -means necessary to obtain the largest returns from small plots of land. - -The conditions are anything but ideal in the case of many plots that -will be used as “war gardens.” To tell how to overcome these adverse -conditions, either by adapting the crop to soil and situation, or by -modifying the soil to suit the crop, is one of the primary objects of -this book. - -In the writer’s varied experience with back-yard and vacant-lot gardens, -questions relating to soils and fertilizers, insects and diseases, when -and what to plant, etc., are continually cropping up. Answers to these -questions are given here without theorizing or going into needless -details. - -This is essentially a practical book, designed to help those who desire -to raise their own vegetables in a limited space. - - M. F. - - - - - WAR GARDENS - - - - - I - THE VALUE OF BACK-YARD AND VACANT-LOT GARDENING - - -The National War Garden Commission has estimated that “the people of -this country in 1917 produced a crop valued at three hundred and fifty -million dollars in gardens cultivated in back yards, on vacant lots, and -on other land previously untilled.” This may seem a small amount when -compared with the value of the crops raised by the farmers and market -gardeners, but it is not to be despised, and it shows that something can -be done to increase the food supply by home gardening. - -The raising of vegetables at home not only increases food production, -but also stimulates the consumption of vegetables, thus releasing -staples, such as wheat and meat, for the use of our soldiers and the -Allies. This result is attained partly because fresh vegetables are more -appetizing than shop-worn products and partly because of the attitude of -the raiser, who says, “We have the stuff and may as well eat it.” - -The reduction in the cost of living is also a factor that must be -considered. When vegetables are bought their purchase price is quite a -considerable item in the household budget. Of course if labor is figured -in the cost of raising vegetables at home the financial returns are not -likely to be large unless you take into consideration the fact that the -necessity of paying dues for gymnasium, tennis, or golf is entirely -eliminated. Plenty of fresh air _and_ exercise can be obtained in -gardening. - -Home gardening, too, should help the transportation problem to a certain -extent. Most of the vegetables consumed in the large cities are -transported a considerable distance, and if those people who eat these -much-traveled vegetables raise their own, the transportation system will -be relieved to that amount. - -The raising and caring for plants is certain to broaden one’s interest. -Very few people who cultivate a vegetable-garden, or any other kind of -garden, for that matter, are likely to be satisfied until they know -something of the physiology of plants, how and why they grow, and the -principles underlying successful plant culture. The insects, both -beneficial and otherwise, that one becomes acquainted with in the garden -also add their quota of interest. The life histories of many of them are -strange and marvelous, and it is worth while, both from the point of -view of the welfare of the crops and from the educational standpoint, to -learn something of their habits. - -But it is probably in the larger aspects of the situation that the -home-garden movement will ultimately be of greatest value to the nation. -America is not a gardening nation judged from European standards, but -this agitation for the production of food by every one who has, or can -obtain, a plot of ground is going to make us one. Those people who have -once cultivated the ground and raised plants will have had their -interest stimulated, and when the food shortage is over their activities -will find an outlet in the production of flowers, which cannot but -result in more beautiful cities and happier citizens. - -A healthier population will result from the exercise in the open air and -we shall become a less nervous and restless people through our -association with the vital soil and living, growing plants. - - - - - II - HOW TO MAKE A START—COMMUNITY GARDENS - - -In casting about for ways and means of starting a food-garden, by all -means investigate the advisability of joining up with, or inaugurating, -a community garden. There are tremendous possibilities in connection -with co-operative efforts in developing vacant lots and making them -productive, not in the sense of the real-estate man, but as -food-producing plots, designed to reduce the cost of living, and, -incidentally, in many cases, to clean up and make presentable what was -formerly a neighborhood eyesore. - -There are many advantages to be gained by a neighborhood group combining -together for gardening operations. Usually it is not difficult in most -cities to find large plots of vacant land with owners who are only too -glad to have them cultivated. By co-operative effort it is possible to -hire a team and plow and have such plots plowed at a trifling expense, -whereas by individual effort it is seldom possible to obtain sufficient -land to warrant the expense of hiring a team for plowing, even though -the plot were large enough for the team to turn around on. A community -garden organization can buy garden tools, such as wheelbarrows, -wheel-hoes, a sprayer, and other comparatively costly tools, which -greatly facilitate the work of caring for the plot, but which it would -be impossible or unwise for an individual to buy if he wished to come -anywhere near making a profit on his garden. Seeds and fertilizers can -be bought to much greater advantage, and more cheaply when obtained in -bulk, with the added advantage that of such seeds as tomato, egg-plant, -peppers and celery, one packet is usually enough for the whole -organization, whereas by individual effort it would be necessary for -each gardener to buy his own packet of seed, resulting in considerable -waste. Waste is not to be condoned at any time, especially now when -seeds of some vegetables are scarce. - -I have in mind a community organization a description of which will -serve to illustrate what can be done by organized effort of this kind. - -A piece of land about three acres in extent was available for -cultivation in this case. It was fairly good land, but had served to -some extent as a dumping-ground for cellar excavations, and had a -considerable amount of rubbish of one kind and another deposited upon -it. The principal of an adjacent school decided that this land ought not -to remain idle, so he obtained permission from the owner to use it, and -then, with some other energetic people of the community, got together -and started to do things. The ground was first plowed and harrowed free -of charge by the city park department and the largest of the stones -removed. It was then decided that the plot should be fenced, in order to -keep out cats, dogs, small boys, and other undesirables, and to insure -that those who raised the crops should receive the benefit. Material, -consisting of two-by-four-inch posts eight feet long, chicken netting -five feet wide, and a strand of barbed wire to go around the top, was -bought for this purpose at a cost of about $112. The fence was erected -by volunteers in their spare time, and six padlocked gates provided, to -which each plot-holder had a key. Water-pipe was laid all over the area -so that the crops could be cared for in time of drought. The expense -incurred for the purchase of pipe and installation, together with that -of seeds, fertilizers, and the larger garden implements, was borne by -the association. The area was divided into fifty plots each 100 × 23½ -feet. Each plot-holder was asked to keep an account of his expenses, and -also of the yields obtained. The results are interesting. The average -cost of each plot, including expenses incurred for fencing, seeds, -fertilizer, etc., was a little over $11; the value of the crops obtained -was around $34; giving an average profit of between $22 and $23. - -When one considers the smallness of these plots, it must be admitted -that the results were worth while, and the whole adventure is very -encouraging to those who contemplate a similar enterprise. Of course no -allowance was made for the cost of labor involved in preparing and -caring for these plots; but to offset this one should remember that the -soil was not especially good, the workers not experienced, and then one -must take into account the large initial expense of fencing the land, -buying tools, etc. This year the expenses will be considerably less and -the yields ought to be greatly increased because of the improvement of -the soil through the cultivation of the preceding year. - -Other advantages of community gardens that may be mentioned are these: -there is not so much danger of a plot-holder becoming tired of gardening -and quitting before he has harvested his crop; community gardening -fosters a spirit of healthy competition, and each gardener tries to have -his plot looking a little neater, and to produce larger and better -crops, than his neighbor. Furthermore, in a body of men and women -associated in this way there is almost always some one who has had a -garden before and to whom the novices may turn for advice. - -While community gardening is undoubtedly the most economical, and, in -many ways, the most pleasurable method for the home gardener to produce -his crops, one should not be deterred from the attempt to grow -vegetables merely because there is no opportunity to link up with an -organization. The man with a back yard can grow some vegetables, -provided that his soil is fairly good and his plot is open to the -sunshine. Even the apartment-dweller need not despair, because in most -cities it is possible to obtain the use of a plot of vacant ground, -through either the municipality or some organization formed for the -purpose of dealing with such situations. - - - - - III - TOOLS - - -It is unnecessary to spend much money on tools for use in a small -garden. The writer did very well in his home garden with nothing but an -ordinary round-pointed shovel for digging purposes, a rake to pulverize -the soil and make drills for seed-sowing, a scuffle-hoe for cultivating, -and a garden line made from two sticks and a piece of twine. Of course -there are many tools on the market that greatly facilitate cultivation -and make gardening work easier, but their purchase is inadvisable unless -the size of the garden and the permanency of its cultivation warrant it. - -Nothing will be said as to the various types of horse-drawn or -motor-driven implements. This book is written for those who have to do -their gardening with hand tools or those who are limited to the hiring -of just what horse-drawn tools happen to be available. - -For the preparation of the soil, probably the best implement is the -spading-fork. It is easier to work with than a spade and in most cases -is equally efficient. The spading-fork can be used for digging and, at a -pinch, can be made to serve the purpose of fining the surface soil for -seed-sowing. A spade is a handy tool to have, however, especially when -any work is to be done in the way of making beds or forming walks. - -For seed-sowing the absolute essentials are very few. A yard-stick or -foot-rule for measuring the distance between the rows is useful. An even -better way of accomplishing this is to divide a hoe or rake handle, -whichever is used in seed-sowing, into feet and quarter-feet, preferably -cutting in the marks with a knife. If one is limited to buying just one -tool for making the drills the rake should be chosen, as it can also be -used for fining the soil and for cultivating between the rows. A garden -line can easily be improvised from two sticks, sharpened at one end, and -a suitable length of strong twine. - -When the soil is fairly loose and easily worked, a scuffle-hoe is a very -satisfactory tool for cultivating the surface. On the other hand, if the -ground is hard and stony the ordinary draw-hoe should be chosen. A small -hand weeder, which can be obtained at a cost of from ten to fifty cents, -is very useful for loosening the surface of the ground close to the rows -of young seedlings. Look over the illustrations of these tools in a -seedsman’s catalogue and pick out the one most suited to your needs. -With a little ingenuity, tools suitable for stirring up the surface soil -can be fashioned at home from old hoop iron or stout wire fastened on -wooden handles. After a season’s work in the garden you will discover -just what you need in this line, and will probably be able to make a -tool that will give far greater satisfaction than anything you might -buy. - -A garden hose of sufficient length so that water can be applied all over -the garden is an advantage, but not absolutely necessary. A good rubber -hose costs, nowadays, about ten dollars for a length of fifty feet, and -a few expenditures of this nature sadly eat into the profits of the -garden. As an accessory to the hose a sprinkler throwing a fine spray, -that can be left running for several hours, is very useful and -desirable, especially if there is no meter attached to your water -supply! - -When combating insects and diseases in a small garden, a sprayer of the -atomizer type holding about a quart of insecticide and costing between -one and two dollars is very valuable. In a garden of considerable -extent, or in a community garden, insecticides and fungicides can be -economically and efficiently applied by means of a compressed-air -spray-pump holding three or four gallons and costing between six and -eight dollars. If a large potato-patch is cultivated, a -powder-distributing bellows, costing about one dollar, is useful for -distributing Paris green in powder form. A powder-distributer for use in -a small garden can be improvised by making a small cheese-cloth bag in -which the powder is placed and distributed by shaking the bag over the -plants. - -Wheel-hoes varying in price from five to fifteen dollars—the price -depending on the size and number of attachments—are available for -expediting the work in large gardens. Some of these implements have -attachments so that they may be used for marking the rows, sowing seeds -in drills or hills, for raking, cultivating, and shallow plowing. These, -however, are for use on large areas by professional gardeners, or to -delight the connoisseur of tools. - -To sum up—the tools that it is advisable for a beginner, with a garden -of moderate size, to buy are: a spading-fork, an iron rake, a six-inch -hoe (of either the scuffle or the ordinary variety), a one-quart -atomizer for applying spray fluids, and a watering-can. The cost of -these should not exceed three or four dollars. - -Start out with a few essential tools and add others if you find that you -absolutely need them. - - - - - IV - THE SITE—THE SOIL AND ITS PREPARATION - - -Practically all of the vegetable crops require sunshine, and plenty of -it, in order to attain their full development. Therefore, in selecting -the location of your vegetable-garden (if it is possible to have any -choice) choose one open to sunshine and not hemmed in by tall buildings -which shut out the air. A location near big trees should be avoided, for -the trees not only shade the crops, but their wide-spreading roots also -rob the ground of food and moisture which the vegetables need. The ideal -location for a vegetable-garden is one open to the south and sheltered -from the north and west winds, but always with this provision—the soil -must be of a suitable nature. - -This brings us to a consideration of one of the most important factors -in successful vegetable culture—that of the soil. - -Soils vary a great deal in their physical characters and also in their -chemical composition. - -Sandy soils quickly dry out and warm up in the spring, and in -consequence it is possible to prepare them for planting and produce -crops much earlier than is the case with heavier soils. For this reason -sandy soils are usually preferred by market gardeners, whose object is -to get their crops on the market as soon as possible. One great -objection to sandy soils is the rapidity with which they lose their -moisture by drainage and evaporation. They are frequently not naturally -fertile and it is necessary to apply large quantities of manure to make -them profitable. They are also subject to loss of fertility by leaching. -The way in which these disadvantages can be corrected will be told -later. - -At the other end of the scale, almost exactly opposite in every -particular, are those soils in which clay predominates. Soils of this -type are cold, they dry out very slowly, and as a result it is late -before they can be fitted for planting. In dry seasons, because of their -water-holding capacity, they are greatly to be preferred, and plants -growing on them are less liable to suffer from drought. Clay soils, -because of their stickiness, are very difficult to work, and although -they may be well supplied with plant food, it is sometimes unavailable -because of the sticky, tenacious character of the clay which does not -provide a good medium in which the roots may ramify in search of food. - -Peat soils and muck lands are made up largely of decayed organic matter. -They are usually deficient in minerals, but by correct management can be -made to produce good crops of certain kinds of vegetables. Enormous -quantities of celery and onions are successfully grown on muck soils. - -The kind of soil most desired by the gardener is the happy medium that -is called loam. This consists of a mixture of clay and sand in nearly -equal proportions, combined with a considerable quantity of decayed -organic matter. Such soils are fertile, easy to work, retentive of -moisture, but sufficiently porous so that the moisture is not retained -in excess. Air can penetrate such soils, a prime necessity for healthy -root growth, and also necessary for the existence of bacteria which do -so much in making inert plant foods soluble and available for the use of -plants. - -The extreme types of soil previously mentioned can be greatly improved -by judicious treatment. It will be remembered that one of the great -drawbacks to sandy soils was the readiness with which they lose their -moisture. The proper treatment for this type is to add organic matter. -This decays and forms humus, which binds the coarse particles together -to a certain extent and increases the absorbtive and retentive -properties of the soil. This organic matter is best applied in the form -of decayed, or partially decayed, barn-yard or stable manure. If manure -is not available a good substitute can be found in leaves. These may be -gathered in the fall and piled in a heap to decay. Very little -decomposition will take place during the winter months in the Northern -states, and for this reason leaves that have been piled in heaps for -twelve months or more are to be preferred. Decay may be hastened by -forking over the leaves two or three times during the summer. Although -decayed leaves are better than fresh ones for mixing in with the soil, -fresh leaves are better than none at all. - -The owners of city gardens frequently neglect an opportunity of adding -humus to their soil when they allow the leaves of street trees to be -burned or carted away. The city street-cleaning department is usually -only too glad to be relieved of this duty. - -When it is impossible to add humus to the soil through the medium of -organic manures, as is often the case in city back yards, recourse may -be had to one of the many brands of prepared humus obtainable from -seedsmen. - -Liming is also considered to be good for sandy soils, as the lime -exercises a binding influence on the coarse particles. Of course when -clay is available it is good to add it, and mix thoroughly with the -sand, but it is seldom that clay is present in near enough proximity to -make this practice a paying proposition. Compacting sandy soils, by -means of a roller on large areas, or by means of the feet in the case of -small plots, is good horticultural practice. - -Clay soils, like the preceding, are greatly improved by the addition of -organic matter. It should be applied in the fall, in the form of strawy -stable manure, and buried deeply. Leaves also are a valuable addition. -Liming is good, as this causes the flocculation of the clay particles -and renders the soil more open and permeable by air and water. The -addition of sand, sifted coal ashes, or wood ashes serves the same -purpose. Clay soils are benefited by being plowed or spaded in the fall -and left rough over the winter. This allows the frost to penetrate more -readily, resulting in the breaking up and disintegration of the clods. -Another advantage of fall plowing in the case of land of this type is -that by so doing it dries out more rapidly in the spring and it is -possible to get your crops planted earlier. - -Muck and swamp soils are frequently waterlogged, and before they will -support a crop it is necessary to underdrain them; but as this is an -operation that is scarcely practicable for those for whom this book is -written, it will not be dealt with here. As there is always a lack of -basic salts in this type of soil, liming is practised, usually to good -advantage. - -Those who contemplate taking over a piece of land for the purpose of -growing vegetables should, if the land has not previously produced a -crop, obtain the opinion of a competent gardener as to its possibilities -from a gardening standpoint. Such men are usually available in every -community, and as a rule are glad to help. If expert opinion is not -available, the novice can form an approximate idea of its value by -making careful observations in the following manner. Take notice of the -vegetation growing on the plot. If it is luxuriant and consists mostly -of grasses it will probably be all right for growing vegetables. Dig -holes here and there with a spade or trowel and examine the soil. If you -find, an inch or two below the surface, nothing but tin cans and broken -bottles it is not a safe gardening proposition. Neither should you go -ahead if you find only a thin layer of topsoil, two or three inches, -above the subsoil. It is usually easy to tell the difference between -what is known as topsoil and subsoil. The topsoil is darker in color, -due to the presence of humus, and of a finer texture. This topsoil -should be at least eight inches deep to get good results. Soils which -contain too many large stones should be avoided, also those which -consist of only a thin layer overlying a rock ledge. - -Most vegetables succeed best in a soil that is slightly alkaline, and -land intended for garden use should be tested with litmus paper to -discover if acid is present in excess. Take a piece of blue litmus paper -and press it upon a handful of moist soil. If it turns red it indicates -the presence of acid and the advisability of liming. Lime is a valuable -element in the soil, as it assists in making plant foods soluble. It is -best applied in the fall, spreading it over the surface and digging or -plowing it in. It can also be applied in the spring, but in no case -should it be put on so that it comes in direct contact with manure. Lime -applied with manure causes ammonia to be liberated too rapidly in the -form of gas, which escapes into the air, and thus much of the fertility -of the manure is lost. When it is necessary to apply lime in the spring, -the manure should first be dug or plowed under, and the lime then spread -on the surface, and raked or harrowed in. Use about 20 pounds of -air-slaked lime or 30 to 40 pounds of ground limestone to 400 square -feet. - -Thorough preparation of the soil is essential if best results are to be -obtained. This means that the soil must be broken up and pulverized as -deeply as possible. There are several reasons for this. Breaking up the -soil to a good depth increases the water-holding capacity of the soil—a -very important point because of the fact that plants have to take all of -the food substances that they obtain from the soil in solution. It -provides a greater bulk of soil in which the plant roots may ramify in -search of food. The less fertile the soil the greater is the necessity -for breaking it deeply to increase the area from which the roots may -draw nourishment. Deep tillage encourages the roots to penetrate -downward, and plants whose roots go down deeply in the soil are less -likely to suffer during dry spells. - -It is well to remember, however, that although it is desirable to have -the soil broken up deeply it is not a good practice to bring too much of -the subsoil up to the surface in digging or plowing. In farming -operations a greater depth of soil is obtained by using what is known as -a subsoil plow. This implement frequently is used after the field has -been plowed in the usual way and penetrates below the topsoil and breaks -up the subsoil, but without disturbing their relative positions. In -gardens the same result is obtained by what is called bastard trenching, -of which more will be said later. - -In preparing a piece of ground that has not previously been cultivated -the first thing to do is to remove all large stones and rubbish that may -be on the surface. If it is a large area, the work of breaking it will, -of course, be done with a plow. Supposing the land is covered with a -growth of sod, it is a good plan to go over it several times with a disk -harrow before plowing. This will cut up the sods, cause them to decay -more rapidly when they are turned under, and insure the soil being -pulverized throughout its whole depth. After plowing, harrowing is -necessary to break the lumps and to compact the soil somewhat. The -fining process can then be completed by hand, using a rake for the -purpose. - -Small areas can be prepared for planting by digging with a spade or -spading-fork. A trench should first be dug a foot or eighteen inches -wide and a foot deep, provided that the topsoil extends that far. The -soil from this trench should be placed on one side so as to be available -for filling in the last trench when digging is finished. Having opened -the first trench, proceed with the digging, turning each spadeful of -soil bottom up in the trench. The soil can be turned over with greater -ease and more efficiently by always maintaining a trench when digging. -It is the only way by which sods, manure, and weeds may be properly -buried so that they may decay and form plant food. - -Bastard trenching is carried out in the same way as digging except that -the trench is made at least two feet wide and the subsoil thus exposed -is broken up with a spading-fork before the topsoil from the next trench -is turned over upon it. - -When digging, the soil should be broken up as finely as possible with -the spade or fork, so as to leave no lumps, and all large stones should -be thrown out. - -Digging or plowing should never be attempted when the ground is frozen -or when it is so wet that the soil sticks to the tools used. - -After the soil has been turned over and broken up the rake should come -into operation and the surface fined so as to fit it for seed-sowing. - - - - - V - FERTILIZERS - - -The most important elements that it is necessary to apply to the soil in -the form of fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. - -_Nitrogen_ greatly stimulates the production of leaves, and an excess of -it applied to crops grown for their fruit or roots is undesirable. It is -contained in all the animal manures, associated with other fertilizing -elements, and in a practically pure state in nitrate of soda. - -_Phosphorus_ is a valuable and necessary fertilizer which has a great -influence on the production of fruits and seeds. It is found in greater -or less quantities in animal manures, and in bone meal. Phosphatic rock -that has been treated with acid is another important source of -phosphorus. - -_Potash._ The rôle of potash in the soil is similar to that of -phosphoric acid. It is considered to be a valuable fertilizer for all -crops that are grown for their roots. It occurs in animal manures and in -wood ashes. Muriate of potash and kainite contain potash in a more -concentrated form, but are difficult to obtain at present. - -All of these three elements must be present in the soil for the -production of healthy crops. - -It is generally conceded that the best all-round fertilizer for plants -is decayed _barn-yard_ or _stable manure_. It not only adds fertility to -the soil, but by its decay it helps to make the mineral particles -soluble and thus available as plant foods. As already indicated, it also -improves the physical condition of the soil, making sandy soils more -retentive of moisture, and rendering clay soils more porous. When -applied in the spring it should be decayed or partly decayed, as in this -condition it is immediately available for the use of the crop. If it is -put on the ground in the fall, fresh manure may be used and plowed -under. By the time that the planting season arrives it will be -sufficiently decayed. If there is no objection on the score of -appearances, stable manure, either fresh or decayed, may be applied in -the form of a thin mulch (a layer on the surface of the ground) at any -time when the plants are growing. The fertility is gradually washed down -into the soil by rain, and a loose covering of this kind is of -additional advantage in that it helps to prevent the loss of water from -the soil by evaporation. This mulch must _not_ be worked into the soil -so that it comes in contact with the plant roots, but should be left on -the surface until it is dug under the following fall or spring. -Discretion must be exercised in its use. Root crops, that are already -growing luxuriantly, such as beets or carrots, or crops that are grown -for their fruit, such as beans and tomatoes, would probably be harmed by -a surface dressing of this kind. Barn-yard manure is rich in nitrogen, -which is a great stimulant of leaf growth. If it is applied too freely -to the crops just mentioned it is likely to result in an excessive crop -of leaves at the expense of roots or fruit. - -A dressing of stable manure two or three inches thick all over the plot -or at the rate of from three to five hundred pounds to a plot twenty by -twenty feet is about the right quantity to use when the ground is dug or -plowed. - -_Sheep manure_ is perhaps the next in importance of the organic manures -and is more concentrated than barn-yard or stable manure. It can be -applied at the rate of forty pounds to four hundred square feet. It is -better to spread it over the surface immediately after the ground has -been broken up, and thoroughly mix it with the surface soil by means of -a rake or harrow. - -_Hen manure_ is still more concentrated and should be used in the same -way, or as a top-dressing after the crops have started their growth. -Twenty pounds to four hundred square feet is a suitable amount to apply. -To facilitate its distribution it should be mixed with dry earth and -kept in a dry place for a few weeks before it is desired to apply it. - -Of the so-called _chemical fertilizers_, those that are sold by seedsmen -as “complete” fertilizers are the best for the amateur to buy. These at -the present time are usually made up in the proportion of 5 per cent. -nitrogen, 8 per cent. phosphorus, and 1 per cent. potash. Use twelve -pounds to four hundred square feet. - -All of the preceding are “complete” fertilizers containing nitrogen, -phosphorus, and potash in varying proportions. If they are used in -combination the quantities must be reduced. - -_Bone meal_ is a fertilizer which contains phosphorus and nitrogen. In -some of its forms it is rather slow acting and sometimes does not become -fully available for the use of the crop until the year succeeding its -application. Use twelve pounds to four hundred square feet. - -_Nitrate of soda_ is the quickest-acting fertilizer that we have and is -very valuable for stimulating the growth of plants early in the spring, -when the nitrogen content of the soil is usually low. It is especially -suitable for those crops that are grown for their leaves, such as -spinach, lettuce, and cabbage. Great care must be exercised in the use -of this fertilizer, as an overdose will injure or kill the plants. As it -is very soluble, it should not be applied until the plants are up and -ready to use it, otherwise much of it will be washed out of the soil and -wasted. It should be sprinkled on the surface of the soil, first -crushing the lumps, and then mixed in with a hoe or cultivator. An ounce -to each square yard, applied at intervals of about three weeks, until -the crops have a good start, is the right proportion to use. It is -impossible to lay too much emphasis on the necessity for care in the use -of this fertilizer. It must not be allowed to come in contact with the -leaves of the crop, or it will cause them to burn and turn brown. -Generally speaking, it is not a good fertilizer to use on root or fruit -crops, although it can be used to good advantage in helping young plants -of tomato, cucumber, muskmelon, etc., to get a start just after they -have been planted out. Its use later in the season is likely to result -in the production of leaves at the expense of fruit. - -_Wood ashes_ contain potash and lime. This fertilizer is a valuable -dressing for heavy, clayey soils, as it improves their physical -condition. It is good for root crops, such as beets, carrots, radishes, -etc. Use twenty pounds to four hundred square feet. - -It is best to apply all concentrated fertilizers as surface dressings, -and then harrow or rake them into the soil, rather than to plow or dig -them under. - -If it so happens that the soil is not very fertile and there is only a -limited quantity of fertilizer available, it is a good plan, instead of -spreading it all over the plot, to apply it only in close proximity to -the hills or drills in which the plants are growing. - -It is important to remember that the greatest good can only be obtained -from chemical fertilizers when the soil is plentifully supplied with -humus. - - - - - VI - THE KINDS OF VEGETABLES TO GROW - - -A number of factors have to be taken into consideration before deciding -just which kinds of vegetables to plant in your garden. Some of these -factors are: the nature of the soil, the size of the garden, the food -value of the crop and the ease with which it may be stored for winter -use. - -Sometimes it is possible to adapt the soil to the crop, but usually it -is easier to adapt the crop to the soil. A rich loam will support -practically all of the vegetables and produce good crops. A thin, sandy -soil which has not been properly fertilized is only suitable for such -crops as bush beans, beets, Swiss chard, tomato, and New Zealand -spinach. Of course other crops can be grown on such a soil, but not very -satisfactorily. Potatoes like a sandy soil, but it must be well -fertilized. - -Heavy clay soils will grow cabbage, kale, corn, parsley, parsnips (if -the soil is deep), peas and rhubarb. - -If the soil is shallow it is not advisable to attempt any of the root -crops that make a long root. In this category belong the long beets, -parsnips, and salsify. - -That person is unwise who attempts to grow potatoes, corn, and cabbage -in a very restricted area. These crops need plenty of room in which to -develop, and when one has only a city back yard, or a small plot, it is -better to concentrate on the smaller-growing vegetables. The best crops -to grow in the city back yard are bush beans, parsley, radish, beets, -Swiss chard, and tomato. Peas would probably succeed if it were not for -the sparrows which pick off the leaves as fast as they are produced. - -One is strictly limited if the available ground is shaded. All the -vegetables need sun for the greater part of the day. Those kinds which -are grown for their leaves are more satisfactory in a shady garden, and -if the soil conditions are favorable the following may be tried: beet, -cabbage, lettuce, and Swiss chard. Even these need a few hours of -sunshine. - -Those who are interested in dietetics may wish to choose their -vegetables on the basis of their food value. In terms of the calorie, -the unit of energy as applied to food, we find that 1 ounce of dried -beans (seeds) and 8 ounces of string-beans are required to produce a -hundred calories. Of green corn 3.2 ounces are needed; of potatoes, 5.3 -ounces; of onions, 8 ounces; of beets, 9.6 ounces; of cabbage, 13.3 -ounces; and at the bottom of the list comes celery, of which 23.7 ounces -are required to produce a hundred calories. It is misleading, however, -to take a list of vegetables with their caloric values and decide, that -because 6.4 ounces of peas contain one hundred calories, while it is -necessary to have 10.1 ounces of carrots to produce the same amount, -nothing but peas shall be grown in the garden. The proper basis on which -to make a decision along these lines is on the amount of calories that -can be obtained from each square yard of ground. A considerable area is -necessary for the production of a pound of peas, while a similar weight -of carrots could be produced in a much smaller space. Furthermore, it -must be remembered that the human system demands a certain amount of -bulky foods, and these are supplied by vegetables low in caloric values. - -There are a number of crops that can easily be preserved or stored for -winter use, and this should be considered when deciding what kinds of -vegetables to grow. String-beans are easily preserved by pickling them -in brine, and there is no difficulty whatever in caring for the -dry-shell beans when they are not infested with weevils. All of the root -crops—carrots, beets, parsnips—can be easily stored in sand or soil in -the cellar, and potatoes are one of the easiest of crops to care for. -Onions can readily be carried over into the winter if a cool, airy room -is available. All of the crops just mentioned are fairly high in food -value. - - - - - VII - PLANNING THE GARDEN - - -A garden can be made without a plan, but it is usually a haphazard sort -of affair, and it frequently means that much more money is spent for -seeds than is necessary. Another frequent happening in a miss-or-hit -garden of this kind is a plethora of some kinds of vegetables and a -great scarcity of others. - -It is difficult to give any definite information as to the quantities of -vegetables to grow, as yields vary so much, owing to the character of -the soil and climate, the variety of the vegetable, and the skill, or -lack of it, of the gardener. The preferences of the individual must also -be considered. The table in the Appendix giving the approximate amount -of vegetables that can be obtained from a hundred-foot row may be -helpful. It must be remembered, however, that these figures are only -approximate and that wide variations can be expected. - -When planning your garden you must take into consideration the sunshine -it receives, and if part of it is shaded reserve that part for those -crops that will endure shade. If there is any variation in the nature of -the soil, whether in regard to its physical condition, fertility, or -wetness, you should place the crops accordingly. - -As a general rule the rows should run north and south, as by this plan -each row receives its share of sunlight. If for any reason this is not -practicable, put the tall-growing crops at the north end of the plot, so -that they do not shade the smaller kinds. The perennial crops, like -asparagus and rhubarb, are best placed at one end or side of the plot so -that they are not in the way when digging or plowing is being done. It -makes a better-looking plot if those vegetables which are planted the -same distance apart are grouped together. - -Plan to have the ground occupied for the whole season. Many vegetables -take a comparatively short time in which to mature, and these can be -removed when harvested and the ground occupied by another crop. Thus -peas can be followed by cauliflower or cabbage, early beets by beans, -lettuce by tomato, and so on. Find out the average number of -growing-days in your locality and consult the table in the Appendix -giving the number of days required to bring the various crops to -maturity. - -When planning for succession vegetables, have some regard to crop -rotation. That is to say, if the ground in the early part of the season -has been occupied by a leaf crop, follow it by a fruit crop, or _vice -versa_. Early cabbage followed by beans may be cited as an example. -Similarly, root crops may be followed by leaf crops, as early carrots -and fall spinach. - -Another important reason for crop rotation is that it lessens the danger -of loss from disease. Many of the fungous diseases of plants are carried -over from year to year in the soil. Some of them are able to live on -only one particular host plant, and if that crop is not grown in the -soil where the fungus is hibernating the disease ultimately dies out -through lack of food. - -The first thing to do in planning a vegetable-garden is to measure the -plot and transfer its outlines to scale on paper. Then, bearing in mind -the considerations just outlined in this chapter, decide on the kinds of -vegetables you wish to grow. Now the real fun of planning begins! The -desires of the grower as to quantities and variety of vegetables must be -scaled down so as to fit the plot. Take a ruler and draw lines across -your plan to represent the rows of vegetables. The distance between the -rows may be drawn to scale to correspond with the actual distance -between the rows on the ground,[1] or you may merely note the -theoretical distance between the lines. Write the name of the vegetable -on each line, with that of the succession crop, if any. It is a good -idea to mount your plan on stiff cardboard when finished, and to allow a -space either at the side or on the back for making notes to be taken -during the growing-season. These notes may consist of reminders that -such and such a crop is not suited in its present location, the time -occupied from seed-sowing to maturity, the desirability or otherwise of -certain vegetables, etc. - ------ - -[1] See Appendix, Table III. - - - - - VIII - SEEDS, SEED-SOWING, AND TRANSPLANTING - - -Most seeds, with the exception of carrot, onion, parsnip, and parsley, -will grow fairly satisfactorily even if they are more than one year old, -so that left-overs from the preceding year may be planted with good -results. Before using these left-over seeds, however, it is wise to test -their germinating power before committing them to the garden. To plant -seeds which will not germinate is a waste of time and labor. Testing the -viability of seeds is a simple and easy matter and very advisable if -there is any doubt. Count out fifty or one hundred seeds of the kind -that you wish to test and plant them in sand or earth in a cigar-box or -something similar. Place them in a fairly warm room (temperature about -60° Fahr.) and keep the soil moist. In a week or two take note of the -number which have sprouted, and this will give you the percentage of -good seeds and some idea of the quantity you will have to plant in order -to get a good stand. For instance, if only 50 per cent. of the seeds -germinate it means that it will be necessary to plant double the usual -number to make sure of having a sufficient number of plants. Another and -less messy way of testing seeds is to place them on a plate between -blotters or cloth, which must be kept moist, covering them with another -plate to prevent too rapid evaporation of moisture. Although they -adequately furnish the desired information, neither of these methods of -testing seeds gives an absolutely accurate indication of what will take -place when they are planted in the garden. Seeds out of doors are -exposed to a number of hazards that are not present under indoor -conditions. - -Before planting any seeds outdoors the soil must be in the proper -condition. It must not be so wet that it sticks to the tools used, the -surface must be finely pulverized with a rake, and all large stones -taken off. - -There are three ways of planting seeds outdoors—in drills, in hills, -and broadcast. The _drills_ consist of shallow trenches from one-half -inch to two inches deep, in which the seeds are sown. The young plants -are later thinned out so that they stand an equal distance apart. - -Seeds are said to be planted in _hills_ when they are sown in such a way -that the resultant plants are in groups of three or more standing the -same distance in the rows as the distance between the rows. - -_Broadcast_ sowing is when the seeds are scattered over the surface of -the ground and covered by raking them in, or by sprinkling soil over -them. - -A garden line should always be stretched across the plot as a guide when -making the drills. This insures straight rows, resulting in an enhanced -appearance of the garden and greater ease in subsequent cultivation. A -variety of tools can be used for making the drills or furrows. For those -seeds which require to be planted deeply,[2] a draw-hoe is a useful -tool, or, if this is not available, the corner of a rake will suffice. -The shallow drills can be made with a hoe or rake handle or with a -pointed stick. - -The seeds should be planted immediately after the drill is made, before -the soil dries up. Consult the table in the Appendix showing the -quantity of seed required to plant a row one hundred feet long, and -refrain from planting too thickly. Being too liberal with seeds at -planting-time is not only wasteful, but also involves a great deal of -extra labor later on when the young seedlings have to be thinned in -order to give them room for proper development. Sow the seeds as evenly -as possible and cover by raking the soil over them. The soil over the -seeds must be firmed. In the case of the larger seeds, such as peas and -beans, this can be done by walking along the row. The earth over the -smaller seeds is best compacted by means of the back of a hoe or rake. -This firming process is carried out in order that the earth may come in -close contact with the seeds, so that they may absorb the moisture -contained in it; also to establish capillary action with the soil below, -resulting in moisture being drawn up to the surface. - -There is a tendency among beginners to plant their seeds either on -raised ridges or, sometimes at the other extreme, in deep trenches. The -first method is liable to result in the plants suffering from drought, -and the latter in flooding, if it happens to be a wet season. There are -times when it is advisable to make use of these practices, as will be -described when the methods of cultivation are taken up in detail, but -speaking generally, level cultivation is best. - -After the seeds are planted we are enabled to sit back and have a -breathing-spell until the young plants appear, when it is necessary to -proceed with thinning and cultivating as described in the following -chapter. - -It is the common practice, in connection with some crops, not to plant -the seeds directly where they are to mature, but to sow them elsewhere -at first and to transplant the young plants to their permanent quarters -later. - -In the Northern states the growing-season is not sufficiently long to -get best results from such tropical plants as tomato, egg-plant and -pepper if the seeds are sown outside. A longer growing-season is -afforded to these plants by raising them in a greenhouse or hotbed, and -transplanting them to the garden when the earth has warmed up and danger -of frost is over. - -Cabbage is transplanted for the reason that if the seed was sown -directly in the field it would be necessary to plant much more seed than -was actually needed, and because the ground can be profitably occupied -with another crop while the young cabbage plants are reaching a sizable -condition. Early cabbage is also sown in a greenhouse or cold-frame in -order to hasten the time of maturity. - -Although it is possible to raise these transplanted crops with no other -facilities than those provided by the ordinary dwelling-house, it is not -worth while when only a few plants are required. Young plants of tomato, -egg-plant, pepper, and cabbage can be obtained at such a trifling -expense from seedsmen who make a business of raising them that it does -not pay to bother with raising them yourself. - -An eye should be given to weather conditions when transplanting. The -plants will feel the check less if a cloudy, humid day is chosen on -which to do the work. The soil should be moist, but not so wet as to be -sticky. The hole for the reception of the roots can conveniently be made -with a trowel. Make it large enough so that the roots may be spread out -and then press the earth gently but firmly around them. If the soil is -dry leave a shallow depression around the stem of each plant to -facilitate watering. Sufficient water should be applied to soak the -ground for a depth of six inches or more, and when it has drained away -from the surface, the depression may be filled with loose dry earth to -prevent the moisture escaping by evaporation. - -If for any reason it is necessary to do the work of transplanting on a -dry, sunny day, the young plants should be shaded. This can be -accomplished by covering them with inverted flower-pots, or with -newspapers weighted at the corners with stones to keep them from blowing -away, or a shingle or thin piece of board may be stuck in the ground on -the sunny side so that its shadow falls on the plant. - -In most cases, unless they are grown in earthen or paper pots, the root -system of the plants is injured in transplanting. In order to restore -the balance between root and shoot it is advisable, and customary, to -cut off part of the leaves. If the whole of the leaves are left on the -plant they wilt and sometimes die because the reduced number of roots is -unable to supply their demands for moisture. - ------ - -[2] See Appendix, Table III, for the depth to plant various seeds. - - - - - IX - HOEING AND THINNING - - -When the young plants appear above the ground it is time to commence -cultivating. This consists of breaking up and pulverizing the surface -crust. There are several reasons for doing this. It allows air to enter -the soil, which, it will be remembered, is a necessity for the roots of -plants and has an important bearing on the formation of plant food. It -keeps down the weeds, and, most important of all, it helps to conserve -the moisture in the soil. - -All who have had anything to do with the cultivation of the soil will -have noticed that when its surface is stirred up after a rain it quickly -dries out. It will also have been noticed that, if any one has walked -over this soil just after it has been stirred up, the soil in the -footprints remains moist. Why is this? It is simply that capillary -action has been broken by the loosening of the surface, and the -soil-water rises to the loosened soil and no farther. On the other hand, -capillary action has been restored in those places where the soil has -been compacted by walking on it, and the surface here is moist because -moisture is continually being supplied from the store below. This -moisture just as continually evaporates during dry weather and is lost -as far as the plant roots are concerned. - -Breaking up the surface soil provides a dust mulch or soil blanket which -shades the moist soil below from the sun’s rays, and in a large measure -prevents evaporation. Therefore, after every rain, just as soon as the -soil has dried out sufficiently so that it does not stick to the tool -used, the surface should be cultivated. - -Various tools are used for this purpose. When working close to young -plants the small hand weeders are useful. Between the rows a hoe should -be used. These are of three types. The _scuffle-hoe_, which is pushed -through the soil just underneath the surface, the operator walking -backward. This is a handy tool for small gardens if the soil is not too -hard, and its use gives the advantage of it not being necessary to walk -on the loosened soil. - -The ordinary _draw-hoe_ is used with a chopping motion and the operator -walks forward over the loosened soil. It is a good tool for getting rid -of weeds, and is better than the preceding for use in hard or stony -ground. - -There are many forms of _wheel-hoes_ which enable the work of -cultivating to be done very expeditiously. They are pushed forward with -a jerky motion, one step at a time, pulling the implement toward you -before making the forward thrust, thus gaining momentum before the teeth -enter the ground. Do not attempt to push a wheel-hoe in the same way -that you would a perambulator—it’s too hard work. - -To water or not to water is sometimes a debatable point in -vegetable-growing. There is this much to be said about the application -of water to the garden. If thorough cultivation has been properly -attended to there will be much less need of watering, and when it is -decided that watering is necessary, let it be thorough, so that the soil -is soaked to a depth of a foot or so. Then as soon as the soil has dried -out somewhat, stir up the surface so that the moisture is not lost by -evaporation. The best way to apply water is by means of a sprinkler, -throwing a fine spray, which can be left operating for two or three -hours. This insures a proper wetting of the soil without washing away -any of the loose soil on the surface. The next best thing is to use a -hose. The watering-pot is of little use except in a very small garden, -because one gets tired of toting water before the plants have been given -nearly enough. - -In order to obtain good crops it is necessary to allow the plants -sufficient room to attain their full development. They must have space -in the earth for their roots to ramify in search of food, and room above -to spread their leaves to the air and sunshine. A number of seeds, -including beet, carrot, corn, lettuce, onion, parsnip, radish, spinach, -and Swiss chard, are sown in such a way (in order to insure a good -stand) that when they germinate the young plants stand too close -together. These have to be thinned out.[3] This operation should be -carried out as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle. Choose -a cloudy day when the soil is fairly moist, and pull out the weak, -spindly plants, leaving the strong, healthy ones. - ------ - -[3] See Appendix, Table III, for distance these plants should stand -apart. - - - - - X - STAKING AND TYING - - -Some of our vegetable crops need supports of some kind to obtain best -results from them. Peas, and beans of some varieties, and tomatoes are -of this nature. - -The dwarf peas, which need no supports, are the best for the small -garden, but if the taller kinds, which are more productive, are grown it -is necessary to supply them with something on which to climb. Twiggy -brush-wood is the best for the purpose, as the pea tendrils attach -themselves readily to this. The bases of the branches should be -sharpened with a knife and then stuck firmly into the ground on either -side of the row when the peas are a few inches high. Chicken netting -stretched along the row and supported on strong stakes is also suitable. - -Pole beans climb by means of twining, and poles from six to eight feet -high and about two inches in diameter are usually supplied for them. -These poles are inserted in the ground by first making a hole with a -crowbar. Another method of supporting beans is by means of V-shaped -frames about six feet high and three feet wide at the bottom. They can -be made of light lumber, such as three by one or two by two inch rough -pine. These are spaced from eight to ten feet apart and connected by -thin strips of lumber along the top and along the bases. Strings are -fastened on one of the base strips, carried over the top and fastened to -the base strip on the other side. These strings should be from six to -nine inches apart. The beans are planted so that there is one bean-plant -to each string. - -Tomatoes may be left to grow naturally, in which case they sprawl over -the ground and much fruit is spoiled by coming in contact with the -earth, or they may be staked. If grown to a single stem each plant will -need a stout stake to which it may be attached by tying with pieces of -cloth or tape about an inch wide. If twine were used it would probably -cut into and injure the soft stems. Another way of supporting tomatoes -is to allow all the shoots to grow at will, but to prevent them from -falling on the ground by placing around each plant three or four stakes -connected with barrel hoops or with twine. - - - - - XI - INSECT ENEMIES - - -To be successful in controlling insect pests, preventive or remedial -measures must be applied early. If spraying is deferred until insects -infest the plants in large numbers, great difficulty is experienced in -getting rid of them. It is emphatically much easier to kill a few -insects than a whole host. If they are once allowed to obtain the upper -hand, the crop will be so much injured that it frequently will not pay -to attempt to save it. - -The important point that must be grasped in connection with the control -of insect pests is that they may, from the point of view of the -gardener, be divided into two groups—“biting” insects and “sucking” -insects. - -The biting insects _eat_ the leaves, roots, or stems of the plants -attacked, and their presence is usually obvious even to a casual -observer. - -The sucking insects obtain their food, not by eating the leaves, but by -inserting their “beaks” into the plant tissue and sucking its juices. -Since it is not feasible to poison the sap of plants to kill the -insects, the best method is to spray them with what are known as -“contact” insecticides. These must be applied in such a way that they -actually come in contact with the insects. Soap solutions, kerosene -emulsion, and nicotine are the principal contact sprays. - -Sometimes, instead of using sprays it is more convenient to use dry -insecticides in the form of powder. This is particularly the case when a -spray-pump is unavailable or the water supply not close at hand. - -No matter in what form these insecticides are applied, the operation -must be done thoroughly or little benefit will result. The contact -sprays should be applied with force in such a way that every insect is -covered. To apply the stomach poisons a fine, mist-like spray should be -used which will coat the leaves with a thin film of poison. If too much -is applied there is a tendency for the mixture to run into globules, -which concentrates the poison at the tip of the leaves. This may result -in injury to the plants and is not effective in coating the whole of the -leaves. - -The feeding habits of some insects make it almost impossible to control -them by spraying; so traps, poison bait, hand picking, repellents, or -screening the plants to prevent access of insects are resorted to. These -measures are fully described in connection with the insects against -which they are used. Following are some of the more important insect -pests. - -Beets.—_Flea-beetles_ (small, very active insects, as indicated by -their name), _blister-beetles_, and various caterpillars, which eat the -leaves, attack beets. Lead arsenate[4] should be applied as soon as the -injury is noticed. - ------ - -[4] Various spray formulas will be found at end of chapter. - -Cabbage.—Probably the worst insect pest of this crop is the -_cabbage-worm_, a green caterpillar which hatches from eggs laid on the -leaves by the common white butterflies, which may be seen flitting about -the garden from early spring until fall. Spraying the plants with -arsenate of lead to which a “sticker” has been added to make it adhere -to the leaves is a standard remedy. Cabbage is also attacked by -flea-beetles and caterpillars of various kinds, which are controlled by -the same methods adopted for the cabbage-worm. - -Cauliflower.—Same pests as cabbage. - -Corn.—The _corn earworm_ is one of the worst of the pests attacking -corn. This is a caterpillar which at first feeds on the “silk” and later -penetrates the ear and eats the kernels. It is very difficult to control -this insect. Lead arsenate sprayed or dusted on the silk as soon as it -appears is a partial remedy. - -Cucumber.—The _striped cucumber-beetle_ is about a fourth of an inch in -length, yellow in color, with three black stripes on the wing covers. It -eats the leaves of the young plants and if unchecked ruins the chances -of obtaining a crop. One of the best ways of dealing with this insect is -to prevent it from gaining access to the plants by the use of -cheese-cloth or wire mosquito-netting screens. These can be made by -tacking the material used over bottomless boxes, not so high as to shade -the plants, but of sufficient width and length to give them room to -grow. Another method is to place two or three short sticks in the center -of the hill and over these spread a “tent” of cheese-cloth, holding down -the edges with stones and earth. Tobacco dust sprinkled plentifully over -and around the plants acts as a repellent. - -The _twelve-spotted cucumber-beetle_ may be controlled by the same -measures and by spraying with lead arsenate. - -Egg-plant is subject to the same pests as the potato. - -Kale and Kohlrabi are attacked by the same insects that attack cabbage. - -Muskmelon is subject to the same insects as the cucumber. - -Onion.—_Thrips_ is a tiny insect which infests onions, sucks the sap -from the leaves, and causes them to assume a silvery appearance. Most -vegetables are subject to its attack. It can be controlled by using a -contact spray, such as nicotine solution or kerosene emulsion. - -Potato.—The most troublesome insect pest of the potato is the -well-known _Colorado potato-beetle_. This may be controlled by picking -the insects from the plant by hand, or by dusting the leaves with Paris -green which has been diluted by mixing it with fifty times its bulk of -air-slaked lime. Spraying the plants with lead arsenate is even more -effective. - -The _flea-beetle_ eats small holes in the leaves, making them appear as -if they had been riddled with shot. The spray treatment adopted for the -_Colorado beetle_ will also take care of them. - -_Blister-beetles_ are slender insects varied in color which attack -potatoes and many other vegetables. Lead arsenate is the best remedy. - -Pumpkin is likely to be affected with the same pests as cucumber and -squash. - -Squash.—This crop is subject to the same pests as cucumber. The -_squash-bug_, or _stink-bug_ (which also attacks cucumbers and melons), -is grayish-brown in color and about three-fourths of an inch long. It -exhales a very offensive odor which makes hand picking, one of the most -effective means of controlling it, an extremely unpleasant task. The -measures adopted against the _cucumber-beetles_ are also effective in -controlling this pest. Other remedies that may be tried are the -collection and destruction of the conspicuous eggs which are to be found -in masses on the under sides of the leaves, and trapping the adults by -placing shingles on the ground around the plants. The insects will -congregate under these and can then be destroyed by stepping on them. - -Tomato.—The _tomato-worm_, the larva of a Sphinx-moth, sometimes -occasions much damage. Hand picking is a good remedy, or the plants may -be sprayed with lead arsenate. If the latter course is followed, care -must be taken to clean the tomatoes thoroughly before eating them. The -tomato is also subject to the same insect pests as the potato. - -Watermelon is attacked by the same insects that infest cucumbers. - -Practically all vegetable crops are subject to attack by the following -insects: - -_Aphis_, or Plant Lice.—These occur in both small and large species in -a great variety of color. They injure the plants by sucking their -juices, and frequently cause the leaves to become curled and deformed. -Usually these insects are to be found on the soft growing tips of the -plants or on the under sides of the leaves. Prompt application of -remedial measures is necessary. The green-colored forms are usually the -easiest to kill, and a simple soap solution is generally effective. The -black _aphids_ are more tenacious of life, and a stronger insecticide -must be used, such as nicotine solution or kerosene emulsion. - -Cutworms are the larvæ of several species of moths. They are especially -partial to beans, cabbage, corn, onions, and tomatoes. They are usually -dark-colored, greasy-looking caterpillars which spend most of their -time, when they are not eating, just underneath the surface of the -ground. They cut off the plants by eating through the stems. Several -different measures should be in operation at the same time to rid a -garden of _cutworms_. One of the most effective is the use of poisoned -bait, but this is not advisable when live stock have access to the -garden. The bait should be strewed liberally close to the plants. -Shingles or thin boards may be placed on the surface of the soil. The -_cutworms_ will congregate under these and can then be killed by any -means that suggests itself. Hunting for them at night, when they are -feeding, with a lantern or flashlight, is another method of reducing -their numbers. - -Two very important soil pests are _white grubs_ and _wireworms_. They -attack potatoes and the roots of many garden crops. The former are -large, clumsy, white grubs, the larvæ of the June beetle. _Wireworms_ -are long, slender, shining grubs, which may be of any color from light -yellow to dark brown. They are the larvæ of click-beetles. It is very -difficult to control these pests. Frequent, deep tilling of the soil is -probably the best remedy. If chickens are allowed access to the garden -plot when it is being plowed or spaded they will eat a great many of -them. _Wireworms_ may be trapped by attracting them to buried pieces of -carrot or potato. These traps must be examined every morning and the -insects congregated on them killed. - -Following are the formulas for the various insecticides recommended. - - - STOMACH POISONS FOR BITING INSECTS - - _Lead-arsenate Solution_ - - 1 oz. lead arsenate (paste) to 1 gal. of water - or - ½ oz. lead arsenate (dry) to 1 gal. of water - -This can also be obtained as a fine powder for dusting upon the plants. -This method is less economical of material. - - _Paris Green_ - - ½ oz. Paris green } - and } to 3 gal. of water - 1½ oz. lime } - -When using Paris green as a powder it is advisable to dilute it with -from twenty-five to fifty times its bulk of air-slaked lime. This acts -as a carrier and renders it possible to distribute the poison more -economically and effectively. It is inadvisable to use these poisons, -Paris green and arsenate of lead, on heading cabbages or vegetables that -are shortly to be eaten, as there is some danger of poisoning the -consumers. - - _Pyrethrum Powder_ - - 1 oz. pyrethrum to 2 gal. of water - -Can also be applied as a powder. It is a good insecticide for use on -vegetables that are shortly to be eaten, as there is no danger of -poisoning human beings by its use. Can also be used as a contact spray. - - _Hellebore Powder_ - - 2 oz. hellebore to 1 gal. of water - -The hellebore should first be boiled in water and then diluted to make -one gallon. It is very similar in its action to pyrethrum. - - - CONTACT INSECTICIDES FOR SUCKING INSECTS - - _Soap Solution_ - - 2 oz. laundry soap to 1 gal. of - water - - _Nicotine Solution_ - - ½ oz. 40% nicotine } - and } to 3 gal. of water - 1 oz. soap } - -The soap is added to this solution to assist in spreading the mixture -and to make it come in close contact with the insects. - - _Resin Fish-oil Soap_ - -Is recommended by U. S. Department of Agriculture to be added to contact -sprays and fungicides, to act as a “sticker” when they are to be used on -crops with smooth leaves to which the spray will not stick. - -Use two ounces to three gallons of spray mixture. - - - POISON BAIT FOR CUTWORMS - - 3 lbs. wheat bran - 2 oz. white arsenic or powdered - lead arsenate - ½ pint cheap molasses - -Mix all together and add enough water to make a mash that will stick -together. This is very poisonous and extreme care must be exercised in -its use. - - - - - XII - PLANT DISEASES - - -Most of our vegetable crops are subject to attack by fungus or bacterial -parasites which cause disease. Preventive measures are the most -important in combating ills of this nature. These may consist of -providing unfavorable soil conditions for the disease, as in the case of -cabbage clubroot, or disinfection of the “seed” as practised for the -control of scab of potatoes. Other measures are: the application of -protective sprays, which kill the spores of disease organisms when they -germinate; rotation of crops; planting disease-resistant varieties; and -the avoidance of material carrying spores of disease, such as manure -containing parts of diseased plants. - -_Bordeaux mixture_ is the standard fungicide. The formula which calls -for four ounces lump lime, four ounces copper sulphate (bluestone) and -three gallons of water is the one most commonly used. - -It is made by dissolving four ounces of bluestone in an earthenware or -wooden vessel in one and one-half gallons of water. The lime is slaked -in another vessel by adding water gradually until it forms a mixture of -a milky consistency. Add more water to make one and one-half gallons and -strain through cheese-cloth. After it has been strained it should be -thoroughly mixed with the copper-sulphate solution and used immediately. -Bordeaux mixture made in this way will not keep, but should be applied -the same day. Stock solutions of copper sulphate and lime will keep -indefinitely if they are not mixed together. - -_Liver of sulphur (potassium sulphide)_ is valuable for spraying plants -affected with mildew. Use one ounce dissolved in three gallons of water. -This solution discolors paint. - -The following are some of the common diseases affecting vegetable crops: - -Beans are attacked by _anthracnose_. It causes dark-colored, sunken -spots to appear on the leaves, stems, and pods. It frequently penetrates -to the seeds. Infected seeds should never be planted. It pays to look -over all beans that are to be used for seed and destroy all that are -discolored. Never work among the bean-plants when they are wet, as the -disease, if it is present, is easily spread by this means. - -_Beets_ are subject to a _leaf-spot_. This causes small, round, dead -spots to appear on the leaves. Bordeaux mixture applied as soon as the -spots appear and at intervals of one or two weeks will check this -disease. - -Cabbage.—_Clubroot_ is a disease which causes the roots of cabbage, -cauliflower, kohlrabi, and allied plants to become swollen and deformed, -and prevents them from functioning properly. If it is not noticed at -transplanting-time the first indication of its presence is the sudden -wilting of the plants. All affected plants should be destroyed. The -seedbed and that part of the garden where the cabbages are to be planted -should be limed two or three months before planting. Use between fifty -and sixty pounds of air-slaked lime on a plot twenty by twenty feet, and -thoroughly mix it with the soil. - -Corn.—_Corn smut_ usually appears as swellings, covered with a silvery -membrane, on the tassels or ears. These break open later and disclose -the masses of dark-colored spores. The swellings should be cut off and -destroyed before they burst. - -Cucumber.—_Anthracnose, angular leafspot_, and _downy mildew_ are -diseases attacking the leaves of cucumbers which can be controlled to -some extent by frequent spraying with Bordeaux mixture. This should be -applied as soon as the diseases are noticed and repeated at intervals of -one or two weeks. - -Peas are affected by a _mildew_ which shows itself on the leaves and -pods as a whitish mold. The plants should be dusted with powdered -sulphur, or sprayed with potassium-sulphide solution to which resin -fish-oil soap has been added to make it stick to the leaves. - -Potato.—Two important diseases affecting potatoes are _scab_ and _late -blight_. The former is a disease which lives in the soil and is also -carried over on infected potatoes. It shows itself as scabby spots on -the tubers. Seed potatoes can be disinfected by soaking them, before -they are cut, for two hours in a solution of one part Formalin to two -hundred and forty parts water. This treatment will not prevent scab if -the soil is already infected. An alkaline soil favors the growth of this -disease. - -_Late blight_ appears late in the season and causes the leaves to -blacken, become watery, and decay, often accompanied with an offensive -odor. The disease also penetrates the tubers and renders them unfit for -storage purposes. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture is practised as a -preventive measure. It should be applied when the plants are six inches -high, and repeated at intervals of about ten days until the crop is -mature. Crops can be obtained without spraying, but Bordeaux mixture may -be considered as a form of insurance. Lead arsenate may be added to the -Bordeaux mixture if potato-beetles are present. - -Tomato.—_Tomato leaf-spot_ is a disease which causes dark-brown spots -to appear on the leaves. The areas attacked shrivel and die. Spray with -Bordeaux mixture. - -It is just as important to apply remedial or preventive measures early -in the case of diseases as it is in controlling insect pests. Fine -mist-like sprays should be used as recommended for applying stomach -poisons, and for the same reason. - - - - - XIII - THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES IN DETAIL - - -This chapter is devoted to hints on the cultivation of the more -important vegetables, together with some mention of varieties suited for -“war-garden” planting. - -Artichoke, Jerusalem.—This has about the same food value as the potato, -but, unfortunately, it is a rather tasteless product. Proper cooking, -with the addition of sauces and condiments, will make it palatable. It -is a tall, coarse-growing plant belonging to the sunflower family. If -you have an out-of-the-way spot in your garden where nothing else will -grow, try a few artichokes. It needs sunshine, but is not particular as -to soil. It should be planted in the spring on ground that has had a -dressing of barn-yard manure spaded in. Plant the tubers a foot apart in -rows two feet apart. The plant is a perennial, and likely to become a -troublesome weed unless restricted to one corner of the garden. - -Beans.—This group comprises some of the most important of garden -vegetables. - -The various types of beans differ greatly in their requirements, and -there is scarcely any kind of soil or climate that will support -vegetation, where beans of one kind or another cannot be grown. - -Most of the beans are very susceptible to cold and must not be planted -until the soil has warmed up and all danger of frost is past. There is -one kind, however, belonging to a different genus than the common beans, -which is not harmed by frost and which requires a long, cool season to -develop properly. This is the broad, or Windsor, bean. A rich clay loam -is best suited to this plant, and the seeds must be planted just as soon -as the ground is in condition to be worked on in the spring. Plant them -in rows two feet apart, and three inches apart in the rows. - -The ordinary garden beans can be divided into two groups—the pole -beans, which can be subdivided into those of the string and Lima types; -and the bush beans, comprising string-beans, green and wax podded, -green-shell beans, dry-shell beans, and Limas. - -The pole beans, especially the Limas, are very susceptible to cold and -cannot be planted outdoors in the vicinity of New York until toward the -end of May, and not until June if it happens to be a cool season. They -require a light, fertile soil for their best development. Seeds can be -planted in hills three feet apart each way, placing three or four seeds -in each hill. Poles must be provided for them to climb on and these -should be in place before the seeds are planted. They can also be -planted and trained on a trellis, as described in Chapter X. - -Bush beans of the string type are less affected by cold than the -preceding, but are not very hardy in this respect. They may be planted -as soon as danger of frost is past if the ground is not too cold and -wet. The distance between the rows should be about eighteen inches, the -plants standing from three to four inches apart in the rows. Bush beans -will grow in a variety of soils ranging from those of a sandy nature to -clay loams, but they grow best in sandy loam. Shell beans of the -Improved Navy type (pea-beans) are especially adapted for planting in -sandy soils. - -Bush Lima beans require the same kind of soil as the pole beans, and -should be planted at the same time. Make the rows two feet apart, with -the plants from six to nine inches apart in the row. - -The following are good varieties. Of the dwarf, wax-podded kinds -_Rust-proof Golden Wax_ and _Burpee’s Kidney_ are desirable. - -_Bountiful_, a flat-podded type, and _Valentine_, a round-podded kind, -are good examples of dwarf, green snap-beans. - -In the pole beans we have _Golden Carmine_ and _Golden Cluster_, both -wax-pods, and _Kentucky Wonder_, an excellent, green snap-bean and also -suitable for providing dry-shell beans. - -Of beans that are grown for their seeds the following may be noted: -_Dwarf Horticultural_ (can also be used as a snap-bean), _Improved -Navy_, and _White Marrow_. - -The Limas are represented by two forms, the dwarf and the climbing -kinds. Good dwarf Limas are _Burpee’s Improved_, and _Fordhook_. For -planting in the Northern states, _Leviathan_, which is a quick-maturing -variety, is very suitable. This and _King of the Garden_, a very -productive kind, are pole, or climbing, Limas. - -Beets are one of the hardy vegetables which can be planted as soon as -the ground has been prepared in the spring. There are two distinct kinds -of beets—those which have a globular or flat root, and those with a -long, tapering root. The latter are of slower growth than the round -kinds, and are very suitable for winter storage, but their cultivation -should not be attempted unless the soil is deep and of a sandy nature. -The globe beets are the best for the home gardener. For the first -planting a quick-maturing kind, such as _Crosby’s Egyptian_, should be -chosen. For later plantings _Detroit Dark Red_ is suitable, and this is -a good variety to plant toward the end of June or early July to form -roots suitable for winter storage. Beets can be planted in rows from -twelve to eighteen inches apart. After the seedlings have reached a -height of two or three inches they should be thinned out to stand four -inches apart in the row. If desired, these thinnings may be taken up -carefully, so as not to break the roots, and transplanted in another -part of the garden. Another plan is to defer thinning until the plants -are from four to six inches in height, and then use the thinnings as -“greens.” Beets will grow in almost any soil, but the best crops are -produced on sandy loams. - -Cabbage may be grown as an early crop, to mature around June or July, or -as a late crop, to mature in the fall. - -The early crop is usually produced from seeds sown in a greenhouse or -hotbed in February or early March, the young plants being set out in -April. They require plenty of room for development and should be planted -so as to stand from eighteen inches to two feet apart in the rows, the -rows being two and one-half to three feet apart. _Early Jersey -Wakefield_ is the variety commonly grown for an early crop. - -Seeds for the late crop can be sown in May. If sown outdoors, a plot of -rich, sandy soil (a square yard will produce an ample supply of -seedlings for most home gardens) should be chosen. If the plot has been -limed a short time previous it is an advantage, as an alkaline soil -lessens the liability to club root, a disease which prevents proper -development of the cabbage. The resultant seedlings should be set out in -July. As late cabbages are stronger growers and form larger heads than -the early kinds, they should be given more room—three feet between the -rows and two feet apart in the rows. A standard variety for late -planting is _Flat Dutch_. - -Cabbages will succeed in a variety of soils, but to get best results -heavy applications of decayed stable manure should be incorporated with -the soil before planting. Surface dressings of nitrate of soda are also -beneficial. - -Carrot.—This crop can be planted any time after the ground is in -condition in the spring up to July, which is a suitable time to sow -seeds for the crop designed for winter storage. The quick-maturing -kinds, such as _Early Scarlet Horn_, should be sown first, choosing the -warmest position in the garden. These will be ready for use in a short -time, when they may be harvested and the ground used for another crop. -For later crops _Danver’s Half-long_ may be used. Carrot seed should be -sown in rows a foot or fifteen inches apart and one-half inch deep. The -early varieties should be thinned to stand about two inches apart, while -the main crop needs about four inches between each plant. Some people -defer the thinning of their carrots until they are of sufficient size -for the table. “Baby” carrots are one of the most delicious of -vegetables when they are properly cooked, far preferable to the roots -that have been allowed to mature. While this plan has great advantages, -the carrots left behind do not attain so great a size as would be the -case if thinning had been attended to earlier. - -A deep, well-cultivated soil is the best for this crop. In heavy soils -that have not been deeply worked, the short-rooted kinds, such as -_Ox-heart_, should be planted. - -Cauliflower.—The cultivation of cauliflower is substantially the same -as that of cabbage. It is a cool-weather crop, and not much success is -likely to be obtained if attempts are made to mature it during hot -weather. For this reason it is either planted early, or as late as -possible consistent with the prospects of maturing the crop. It requires -a light, rich soil. When the heads begin to form, it is advisable to -bend the outside leaves over and fasten them in such a way that the head -is shaded from the sun. Cauliflower is emphatically not a crop for the -novice. - -Celery.—There are two distinct kinds of celery—the so-called -“self-blanching” varieties, and the green-leaf kinds. The former are the -earliest to mature, but are not to be compared for flavor and tenderness -with the latter. - -Seed of the early kinds, of which _White Plume_ is an example, is sown -in February in a greenhouse or hotbed. The young plants should be -transplanted once or twice, either in shallow boxes filled with earth or -in the open ground, before the plants are set out where they are to -mature, in May or June. Celery naturally forms a long “tap root” with -few fibers. The object of the successive transplantings is to check this -“tap root” and promote the formation of a mass of fibrous feeding-roots. -The plants are placed in single or double rows thirty inches or three -feet apart, and from four to six inches apart in the rows. When they -attain sufficient size they are blanched by placing boards, a foot wide -and as long as can conveniently be handled, on either side of the row. -Other methods of blanching are by slipping a drain-pipe over each plant -or by wrapping around them a collar made of stout paper and tying it in -place with twine. - -Seed of late celery is sown about the same time as the early kinds, or a -few weeks later, and the procedure is the same up until planting-time, -which is early in July. Late celery is of stronger growth than the early -varieties and needs more room for its development. The plants should be -set in rows three and a half to four feet apart, and six inches apart in -the rows. In some sections it is customary to dig a trench six inches or -more deep and plant the celery in this. By this means watering is -facilitated, and it is easier to blanch the celery later on. This method -is not advisable when the good soil is shallow, as it results in the -roots being placed in the infertile subsoil. Blanching of late celery is -usually effected by mounding the stalks with earth dug from between the -rows. Two persons can most advantageously perform this operation, one -holding the stalks together so that the soil does not fall into the -heart, the other mounding up the soil and patting it into position with -the back of a spade. - -It is not worth while to attempt to grow celery unless a rich, moist -soil is available. - -Good varieties of “self-blanching” celery are _White Plume_ and _Golden -Self-blanching_. Among the best of the “green-leaf” kinds are _Giant -Pascal_ and _Winter Queen_. The latter variety has a splendid flavor and -keeps well into the winter. - -Chard.—One of the easiest to grow and most productive of the pot herbs -is Swiss chard, “silver beet” or “leaf beet” as it is sometimes called. -The seeds should be sown in rows about eighteen inches apart. When the -plants are about four inches high they can be thinned so as to stand six -inches apart and the thinnings used as “greens.” Later on alternate -plants should be taken out, so that finally each plant is a foot away -from the next. After this stage is arrived at the chard should be picked -by pulling off the outside leaves. - -There are two varieties listed in the catalogues. One, _Lucullus_, has -crumpled leaves and very broad, thick, white midribs. This is the -variety that should be grown when it is desired to cook and serve the -midribs separately, after the fashion of asparagus. - -Swiss chard is a form of beet which does not produce edible roots. -Nitrate of soda, as recommended for kohlrabi, is an excellent fertilizer -for this crop. - -Corn, the most delectable of all vegetables, should receive the -attention of all home gardeners who have sufficient room and a fairly -rich soil. This is a vegetable the flavor of which rapidly deteriorates -after the ears have been removed from the plant; therefore the store -article can never be as good as the home-grown kind. - -The hill and drill methods of planting each have their vehement -advocates. Good crops can be obtained either way, but the drill method -is probably best for the small garden. The seeds are planted in drills -two inches deep, dropping two or three seeds at every foot. When they -germinate, all but the strongest plant should be pulled up from each -group. The rows can be two and a half feet apart for the small-growing -kinds like _Golden Bantam_, and three feet for the larger varieties such -as _Stowell’s Evergreen_. - -When the hill system of cultivation is adopted, five or six seeds are -planted in spaces two and a half or three feet apart each way. The young -plants are thinned out to stand three or four to a hill. - -Corn needs to be frequently hoed to get best results. - -Several methods may be adopted in order to insure a succession of corn -for the table. A quick-maturing variety may be planted at intervals of -three weeks up to the middle of July, or, early, midseason, and late -varieties may be planted at the same time in May or June. - -The removal of the side shoots which appear in the axils of the leaves -at the base of the plant should be attended to. This is known as -“suckering.” It causes the vigor of the plant to be concentrated in the -production of ears instead of being frittered away on side shoots or -“suckers” which will never amount to anything. - -Corn should not be planted until the soil has warmed up and danger of -frost is past. It is permissible, however, to take a chance with a few -rows by sowing early, in the hope that they will come through all -right—say about the end of April or beginning of May in those sections -which possess a climate similar to that of New York. - -Cucumbers are a crop that requires a fair amount of room for proper -development. They should be planted in hills five feet apart each way, -with four or five plants in each hill; or in rows five feet apart, with -the plants standing about one foot apart in the rows. The seeds should -not be planted outdoors until all danger of frost is past. An early crop -can be obtained by raising the plants in a greenhouse by sowing the -seeds early in berry-boxes and transplanting outdoors when the weather -is warm enough. It is a good plan, when planting outdoors, to sow the -seeds rather thickly, about ten seeds to a hill, so as to get a good -stand and lessen the risk of losing the plants by insect attacks. - -The soil most suitable for cucumbers is a sandy loam that has been well -enriched with decayed stable manure. They will succeed admirably on -newly broken sod land. - -The best cucumbers for outdoor planting are those belonging to the -“white spine” type, of which _Davis Perfect_ is a good example. For -supplying small cucumbers for pickling, _Fordhook Pickling_ is one of -the best varieties to grow. - -Egg-plant is a tropical plant which will not mature its fruits in the -Northern states unless its season of growth is lengthened by starting -the plants in a greenhouse or hotbed. It is very susceptible to cold and -it is scarcely safe to set the young plants outdoors until June in the -latitude of New York. Egg-plant requires a sunny position and a warm, -light, fertile soil. It can be planted in rows two and a half to three -feet apart, two feet being allowed between the plants in the rows. -_Black Beauty_ is a standard variety. _Early Long Purple_ is a -quick-maturing kind. - -Kale.—The cultivation of kale is practically that of late cabbage. It -is an extremely hardy vegetable and will stand a great deal of frost. - -Kohlrabi is another member of the cabbage group. It is desirable to -mature it quickly, as slow-grown plants are woody and inedible. This -quick growth is effected by planting in rich soil and by giving -top-dressings of nitrate of soda at the rate of one ounce to ten feet of -row. The swollen stems should be eaten when they are about two inches in -diameter. _Early Vienna_, either white or purple top, is a good variety. -The seeds may be sown in the spring just as soon as the ground can be -worked, in rows from fifteen to eighteen inches apart. When the young -plants are large enough they are thinned to stand six inches apart in -the rows; if so desired, the thinnings may be used as “greens.” - -Lettuce, the most important salad crop, requires a rich, sandy soil. It -is seldom that it will “head” properly in city backyards, because of -unsuitable soil and other adverse conditions. Lettuce is a cool-weather -crop, and during the hot days of summer the greatest difficulty is -experienced in growing it. There are several different types. The -loose-leaf kinds, those that do not form a head, are the easiest to -grow. The other forms are the Romaine, or Cos, which makes a columnar -head, and the ordinary kind, or cabbage lettuce. - -The seeds should be planted shallowly in rows a foot or eighteen inches -apart, and afterward the young plants must be thinned to stand ten or -twelve inches apart in the row. A row twenty feet long is enough to -plant at one sowing. Other plantings should be made at intervals of two -or three weeks, so as to provide a succession. During hot weather the -plants are benefited by being shaded with cheese-cloth screens. These -can be conveniently made by tacking cheese-cloth on lath frames of -suitable size, which should be supported on stakes driven into the -ground. - -Quick growth is essential to obtain crisp, well-flavored lettuce. This -can partially be brought about by the use of nitrate of soda, as -recommended for kohlrabi. Avoid getting any of the nitrate on the leaves -of the plants, as it will burn them. - -Good varieties of lettuce are _May King_ and _Hanson_, belonging to the -cabbage-head type; _Grand Rapids_, a loose-leaf variety; and _Paris -White Cos_. - -In cities sparrows are frequently troublesome to growers of lettuce, as -they are fond of picking off the leaves of the young plants. Protection -is effected by stretching several strands of strong thread a few inches -above the rows. The sparrows become very suspicious of an arrangement of -this kind, and it is usually efficacious in keeping them away from the -plants. - -Muskmelon.—The cultivation of this crop is very much like that of -cucumber. Muskmelons are rather more susceptible to cold than the -latter, and in consequence the soil and air must be warm before they are -planted. The soil must be well drained or they will not succeed. When -they have to be planted on land that is cold and poorly drained it is a -good plan to plant them on ridges or mounds, about two feet across, -raised six inches or so above the general level. This assists the soil -in warming up and insures better drainage. A layer of decayed manure -about three inches thick, buried in the hills where the plants are to -grow, greatly helps this crop and others of a similar nature, such as -cucumbers, squash, and pumpkin. Frequent cultivation of the surface soil -is necessary to stimulate growth, keep down weeds, and conserve -moisture, when the plants are young. Good varieties of muskmelon are -_Emerald Gem_, a small or salmon-fleshed form, and _Rocky Ford_ and -_Hackensack_, which are of medium size with green flesh. - -Okra.—The cultivation of okra is very similar to that of corn, although -otherwise they have nothing else in common. It succeeds best in a sandy, -well-fertilized loam. - -Onion.—There are two ways of producing a crop of onions—from “sets” -and from seed. “Sets” are small onions produced by sowing seed very -thickly in rather poor soil and allowing the plants to mature as they -stand. This results in a crop of small bulbs which are stored over the -winter and sold the following spring as onion “sets.” There are two -methods of raising onions from seed. The plants may be obtained by -sowing the seed in a greenhouse in February, transplanting the seedlings -to the open ground in April. The procedure most commonly followed, -however, is to plant the seeds in rows a foot apart, in the position -where they are to mature, as early as possible in the spring. When the -young plants appear they are thinned to four inches apart. If the -seedlings are left until they are the thickness of a lead-pencil they -may be pulled and used as a salad in the form of bunch onions. - -A crop can be produced earlier by the use of “sets.” These are planted -in furrows two inches deep, spacing them two inches apart. The soil is -then drawn over them and firmed. After some growth has been made, -alternate plants may be pulled out and used as salad, leaving the -remainder to mature. - -Thorough preparation of the soil is essential to achieve success in -growing onions. It should be dug up as deeply as possible, thoroughly -pulverized, and afterward compacted by rolling with a garden roller or -by tramping. Onions succeed best on soil which is fairly retentive of -moisture and rich in nitrogen. Top-dressings of hen or sheep manure, or -of nitrate of soda, are beneficial to this crop. Remember what has been -said previously with regard to taking care not to apply too much of any -of these fertilizers. Weeding is a very important operation in -connection with onion-growing, and some of it, when the weeds are close -to or in the rows, has to be done by hand. If the weeds are allowed to -obtain a headway the crop will suffer greatly in consequence. - -In wet seasons, and when planted in rich, retentive soils, the bulbs -sometimes fail to mature at the proper time. When they show signs of -growing too late in the fall, it is customary to go over the plot and -break over the tops. This can be done by dragging a board over the -onion-bed, or, if the plot is a small one, it may be done by hand. This -process arrests growth and causes the bulbs to mature so that they are -suitable for winter storage. Immature bulbs will not keep properly. - -Standard varieties of onion are _Yellow Danvers_ and _Southport Globe_, -which can be obtained in red, white, and yellow forms. _Prize-taker_ is -a very large, mild onion which succeeds best when started in a -greenhouse. - -Parsley succeeds best in a clay loam soil that has been well fertilized -with stable manure. The seeds are slow to germinate and it is frequently -four or five weeks before the young plants show themselves above the -ground. Growth may be hastened by soaking the seeds in tepid water for -twenty-four hours before sowing them. They should be planted in rows a -foot apart and the young plants thinned to stand six inches apart. -_Champion Moss Curled_ is a good variety. - -Parsnip.—A long season is required for the development of large roots. -The seeds should be sown in April in rows from fifteen to eighteen -inches apart, afterward thinning the seedlings so that they stand six -inches apart. The seeds are slow in germinating and it is a good plan to -sow a few seeds of radish in the drill with them. The radishes germinate -quickly and serve to break the surface crust and to mark the row so that -cultivation may be performed close to the row without disturbing the -parsnip seeds. The radishes are mature and can be pulled and used for -the table by the time the parsnips have appeared above the ground. - -A deep, loamy soil is most suited for the production of parsnips. In a -shallow soil the roots are likely to be stunted and misshapen. The -following method of producing extra-large and well-shaped roots is -sometimes used by exhibitors of vegetables. Holes about two feet deep -and three inches in diameter at the top are made in the ground with a -crowbar at intervals of about nine inches. These holes are filled with -sifted fertile earth, and three or four seeds planted in each. When the -seedlings appear, all but the strongest are pulled out. This method is -only to be recommended when it is desired to walk off with the prize for -the best parsnips at the county fair or the town vegetable show. _Hollow -Crown_ is a good variety. - -Peas are essentially a cool-weather crop, and they especially resent -hot, dry conditions at the root. For this reason the seeds should be -planted just as soon as the ground is workable in the spring. The dwarf -varieties can be planted in double rows about six inches apart, leaving -a space of eighteen inches or two feet between each double row. The tall -varieties, which need support of some kind, may be planted in the same -way, but a space varying from three to five feet must be allowed between -the rows, according to the height of the variety planted. The taller the -variety, the greater is the necessity for ample space between the rows. - -It is said to be possible to produce a crop of peas in the fall by -sowing the seeds in August, but the writer has never seen much success -attained with a crop at this season; at any rate, not in the vicinity of -New York. For a late crop of peas it is advisable to dig a trench from -six to eight inches deep and sow the seeds in this, covering them with -two inches of soil, as usual. Water them thoroughly if the weather is -dry. As the plants grow the earth should be gradually drawn into the -trench until it is filled up to the surrounding level. This system is -adopted so that the roots may be well down in the earth and thus -protected from the hot rays of the sun. This is also a good method to -adopt for late spring plantings of peas. - -A fairly fertile, loamy soil, well drained, but of a retentive nature, -is most suited to peas. - -_First of All_, thirty inches high, is a good variety of the -smooth-seeded type of pea. This type does not possess such a good flavor -as the wrinkled-seeded kinds, but the seeds are not likely to rot if -planted in cold, wet soil. _Nott’s Excelsior_ is an excellent dwarf -variety of the wrinkled-seed type. Of the tall kinds, _Alderman_, five -feet in height, _Gradus_, thirty inches, and _Champion of England_, five -feet, are to be recommended. - -Peppers require very much the same conditions as tomatoes and egg-plant, -except that they may be planted somewhat closer together. The rows -should be from eighteen inches to two feet apart, with the plants spaced -from one to two feet apart in the rows. _Bull Nose_ and _Chinese Giant_ -are good examples of the mild, sweet kinds, with _Golden Queen_ to give -color variation in the salad made from them. _Long Red Cayenne_ and _Red -Chili_ should be chosen if the peppery varieties are desired. - -Potato.—The largest crops of potatoes are produced in cool, moist, -climates such as are found in Great Britain, parts of Europe, and, in -the United States, in Maine and Michigan. - -The soils best suited for potatoes are fertile, rather sandy loams which -should be fairly retentive of moisture. A soil of this nature which has -been heavily fertilized with barn-yard manure the preceding year may be -considered ideal for potato culture. The use of barn-yard manure, -particularly if it is fresh, is inadvisable if the soil contains a good -proportion of humus and is in good physical condition. It is claimed -that the practice of using barn-yard manure the current season causes -the crop to be more susceptible to attacks of potato scab. Many of the -largest growers of potatoes refrain from fertilizing directly with -barn-yard manure, but rely instead on the use of commercial fertilizers. -These may be applied broadcast over the field in the spring, after the -soil has been plowed, and harrowed in. If only a small quantity of -fertilizer is available, it is preferable to apply it by spreading it in -the furrows, but thoroughly mixing it in the soil before the potatoes -are planted. The fertilizer obtainable from most seedsmen under the name -of “potato manure” can safely be used in the furrows at the rate of five -pounds to a plot of four hundred square feet. - -“Seed” potatoes should consist of medium-sized tubers, Northern grown, -and free from disease. Although whole potatoes may be planted, the usual -practice is to cut them into pieces, each piece containing two or three -“eyes,” or buds. When cutting the potatoes for sets make each piece as -“chunky” as possible so that there is a good-sized piece of potato for -the “eyes” to draw upon for their food supply until they have formed a -root system of their own. - -There are two methods of planting potatoes—in hills and in furrows or -rows. In the hill system of planting, the plants are spaced from two to -three feet apart either way, the distance being dependent on the vigor -of the variety. When planted in furrows the rows are spaced from two to -three feet apart and the sets placed from twelve to eighteen inches -apart in the rows. The early varieties may be planted about four inches -deep, and the late varieties about six inches. - -When the shoots appear above the ground the surface soil should be -cultivated to conserve moisture and to keep down weeds. Later in the -season when the tubers are being formed it is customary to hill them up -with earth so as to cover the tubers and prevent “greening,” and also to -assist in keeping the roots cool. - -The potato is particularly susceptible to environmental conditions. A -variety that may be an excellent cropper in one section may be an utter -failure in another. It is thus difficult to recommend any particular -variety. The best plan for those who are to attempt the cultivation of -potatoes is to make inquiry in the neighborhood with a view to finding -the variety that is most successful in that locality. - -The following are standard varieties that are widely grown: early -varieties—_Irish Cobbler_, _Early Rose_, _Early Ohio_; main-crop -varieties—_Carman No. 1_, _Green Mountain_, and _Rural New-Yorker_. - -Pumpkins will succeed under practically the same conditions as outlined -for cucumber and melon. They are also subject to the same insect pests. -This crop is frequently grown in the corn-patch, in hills about eight -feet apart each way, planting five or six seeds to a hill. - -Radishes are only palatable when they have been grown very quickly. If -they are slow in coming to maturity the product is pithy and worthless. - -A light, rich soil is most suited to the production of radishes. The -seeds should be sown in rows nine inches or a foot apart and the -seedlings thinned to about two inches. It does not pay to transplant -radishes. Five or six feet of row is sufficient to plant at one time, -securing a succession by planting other batches at intervals of about -ten days. Radishes are usually not in great demand during the summer -months, as the home grower has been surfeited by his spring crop. Those -who are so fond of radishes that they want them throughout the whole -season should plant _White Strasburg_ or _Icicle_ to mature during the -hot weather, and _Cardinal Globe_, _Round Red Forcing_, or _French -Breakfast_ for an early crop. - -_Winter radishes_, which form very large roots and may be stored by the -same methods adopted for beets and carrots, are usually sown about the -end of July or beginning of August. They need more space in which to -mature—about eighteen inches between the rows and six inches in the -rows. - -Rutabaga.—See Turnip. - -Salsify or _Vegetable Oyster_ is a vegetable that is coming into more -general use. Seeds are sown early in the spring on deeply broken ground -in rows fifteen inches apart, and the plants thinned to three inches. -The roots are dug in the fall and stored like beets, or they may be left -in the ground and dug when required for use, if the weather permits. - -Spinach is a cool-weather crop that requires a light soil heavily -manured with decayed stable manure for best results. The seeds should be -planted in very early spring or in September, in rows fifteen inches -apart, and the plants thinned to stand four inches apart. Nitrate of -soda as recommended for kohlrabi is good for this crop. - -Spinach (New Zealand).—Although called spinach, this is an entirely -different plant and belongs to another family. It luxuriates during hot -weather and will supply the table plentifully with “greens” throughout -the summer. Seeds should be planted during April or May in rows two feet -apart, the plants later being thinned to one foot. When the plants -attain a foot in height picking may begin, using the tender shoot-tips, -or leaves, as required. The thinnings, of course, are also available for -cooking. - -Squash.—Cultivate the same as cucumber. The bush varieties should be -planted four feet apart each way, and the vining kinds from six to eight -feet. - -There are several different types of squash. The summer kinds are -represented by the _Pattypan_ and _Crookneck_ types, and the winter -varieties by the _Hubbard_. - -They are subject to much the same insect pests and diseases as the -cucumber and muskmelon. - -Sweet Potatoes are not very well adapted for Northern gardens, although -they are grown to a considerable extent in parts of New Jersey. - -They succeed best in a rich, sandy soil. The “sets” are usually planted -on slightly raised, broad ridges about four feet apart. They are spaced -from twelve to eighteen inches apart along the ridges. - -The production of “sets” is usually effected by placing small potatoes -in a hotbed and covering them with sand. This causes them to sprout, and -when the shoots are six or eight inches in length they are pulled off -with roots attached and planted as described. - -_Yellow Jersey_ is a good variety for Northern planting. - -Swiss Chard.—See under Chard. - -Tomato.—This plant adapts itself to a great variety of soils, and will -succeed almost anywhere if it receives warmth and sunshine. - -It is seldom worth while for any one without greenhouse facilities, -unless he wishes to have the experience, to raise tomatoes from seed. -Young plants can be obtained at a low cost at planting-time from -seedsmen who have every convenience for raising them cheaply. - -The distance apart between the plants when they are set out in the -garden depends on the method of training adopted. The truck farmers and -market gardeners seldom go to the trouble of staking their plants. They -are simply set out in the field three or four feet apart each way and -allowed to grow naturally. This results in the spoiling of some of the -fruit through coming in contact with the soil. - -The home gardener can usually afford the time and trouble required to -stake his tomatoes, and receives his reward in the shape of more fruit -of better quality. - -One method of training is to set out the plants a foot apart in rows -three feet apart. If this scheme is adopted each plant must be supplied -with a stout stake to which it is tied, and the plant must be restricted -to a single stem. This last is effected by pinching out the side shoots -with thumb and finger as soon as they are formed. Avoid taking off the -flowering shoots or you will have no fruit. - -Another method is to set the plants three feet by two feet, and support -them as described in Chapter X. In this case it is advisable to prune -out the thin, spindly shoots which frequently congregate in the centers -of the plants. This causes the vigor of the plant to be concentrated in -the strong, fruiting shoots, admits light and air, resulting in better -ripened tomatoes. - -They can also be trained on the south side of the house, supporting them -with tape or cloth passed around the shoots and fastened to the wall -with tacks. - -Favorite tomatoes are _Chalk’s Early Jewel_ for an early crop, _Stone_ -and _Ponderosa_ for main crop. In small gardens _Dwarf Stone_ can be -used to advantage. - -Turnip is a hardy crop well suited for early spring or late fall -cultivation. For the early crop such varieties as _Snowball_ or _Early -White Milan_ should be planted. The seed may be sown as soon as the -ground is prepared in the spring, in rows a foot apart. When they are -large enough the young plants must be thinned out to stand about four -inches apart. - -_Yellow Globe_, _Golden Ball_, or the white strap-leaf kinds may be sown -for fall use. They are cultivated in the same way as the preceding -except that the seeds are sown in July or August. - -_Rutabaga turnips_ grow much larger than the preceding, require more -room, and a longer period for development. They can be sown in May or -June in rows two feet apart, and the young plants thinned out to stand -about ten inches apart in the rows. Treated in this way, they will form -large roots suitable for winter storage. - -Turnips succeed best in a loamy soil in which there has been -incorporated a liberal supply of well-decayed stable manure. - -Watermelon.—These plants succeed under much the same conditions, and -need the same treatment as muskmelon. They are rampant growers and the -hills should be spaced about eight feet apart each way. They are, -therefore, not adapted for cultivation in very small gardens. - -The striped cucumber-beetle is also partial to watermelon. - -For planting in Northern gardens, quick-maturing varieties such as -_Cole’s Early_ and _Fordhook_ should be planted. - - - - - XIV - HARVESTING AND STORING - - -The flavor and tenderness of many vegetables depend in a large measure -on their being harvested at the proper time. The picking of string-beans -should be early, constant, and methodical, partly because old beans are -stringy and unpalatable and partly because, if picking is neglected and -the plants allowed to form seed, production ceases. Peas should always -be picked just as soon as the pods are well filled, before the seeds -commence to harden. Their flavor deteriorates if they are picked more -than an hour or two before they are needed for the table. The same -remarks apply to sweet corn. There is an old saying that “the pot should -be boiling before the ears are picked from the plant.” - -Great care should be taken in harvesting beets. If the roots are bruised -or broken, or if the leaves are cut off too close to the root, the color -of the beets, one of their greatest attractions, will be lost in -cooking. The crispness of salad plants—celery, lettuce, radish, and -onion—is enhanced if they are gathered early in the morning and stood -in water in a shady, cool place until they are required for use. Such -crops as Brussells sprouts, kale, celery, and parsnips are considered to -be improved in flavor after they have been slightly frozen. The fruits -of tomato, watermelon, and muskmelon should be allowed to ripen on the -plants. Muskmelons are ripe when the fruit parts readily from the stem -on being lifted in the hand. - -Proper harvesting is a prime necessity if vegetables are to be -successfully stored for winter use. Bruised, broken or diseased -vegetables should always be rejected, as decay is almost certain to take -place when they are stored, and this is likely to spread to the sound -vegetables. - -A cellar with an earthen floor, well ventilated and frost-proof, in -which a temperature of from 40° to 45° Fahr. can be maintained, forms a -splendid storage-place for potatoes, the majority of the root crops, and -some of the leaf vegetables. If there is a furnace in the cellar which -raises the temperature too much, the coolness required may be obtained -by partitioning off part of the cellar, preferably in a corner -containing a window, so that ventilation may be secured. - -Quite a number of vegetables can be successfully stored in the open by -burying them in pits or trenches and covering with straw, salt hay, and -earth. Some of the disadvantages of this method are the inaccessibility -of the vegetables when the weather is severe, and the difficulty of -looking them over occasionally so that diseased and decayed specimens -may be removed. When storing vegetables in this way it is important that -the whole of the covering should not be put on at one time, as this -endangers the whole pile of vegetables through the possibility of -heating. - - - _Root, Tuber, and Bulb Crops_ - -Artichoke (Jerusalem).—The tubers of this plant are unaffected by frost -and may be allowed to remain in the ground all winter. In those sections -where the frost penetrates the ground deeply a supply sufficient for use -during the winter should be dug in the fall and stored in sand in a cool -cellar. - -Parsnip, Horseradish, and Salsify may be treated in the same way as the -preceding. - -Beets should be carefully dug up after the first frost and handled -gently to avoid breaking or bruising them. Cut off the leaves about an -inch above the roots and pack them with moist sand or earth in boxes in -a cool cellar. Covering the roots in this way maintains their freshness -and prevents shriveling. - -Carrots.—In the fall large numbers of fibrous roots are produced on the -sides of the large tap-root. These roots spoil the symmetry of the -carrots and impair their flavor. The crop should therefore be harvested -before these fibrous roots form. Observation of the roots is the only -way of determining the proper time to dig them up. In other respects -they are stored the same as beets. - -Potatoes for winter use should be dug on a dry day as soon as possible -after the tops have died down. Leave them lying on the surface of the -ground for a few hours, so that they may dry properly. (It is -inadvisable to allow them to be exposed to the light for too long a -period, as it will cause the tubers to become green and unfit for use.) -They can then be gathered up and placed in boxes or barrels in a cool, -frost-proof cellar, but not exposed to the light. All diseased or -injured tubers should be laid aside for immediate use, provided they are -not too far gone, in which case they may be boiled and fed to pigs or -chickens, or destroyed by burning, so as to avoid the possibility of -spreading disease. - -Potatoes may also be stored outdoors in sections where the winters are -not too severe. A high-lying sandy piece of ground should be chosen on -which to make the “pit.” Dig out the soil for a depth of about six -inches and line the excavation with three inches of straw. Place the -potatoes in a pile on this and cover with a similar thickness of straw -or hay. Place over this a layer of earth three inches thick to prevent -the straw from blowing away. Gradually increase the covering as the -weather becomes more severe, until a thickness of a foot or eighteen -inches is reached. A layer of manure over this is advisable in very cold -climates. If the pile is a large one it is important that ventilation -should be provided for. This may be accomplished by sticking a stovepipe -into the center of the pile and allowing the top to project above the -covering of earth, or by allowing a tuft of the straw that forms the -first covering to extend in the same manner. This vent-hole must be -covered with a board, a piece of oilcloth, or something similar to -prevent rain from entering. - -Other vegetables that may be stored in this way are _beets, carrots, -turnips, salsify_, and _parsnips_. - -Rutabagas and Turnips require to be dug up before severe frost. They can -be stored the same way as potatoes. - -Sweet Potatoes are very difficult to store over the winter. The loss -through decay in storage is enormous every year, even though proper -facilities are obtainable. They need a warm, dry room and a constant -temperature. The less they are handled after being stored the better. -The best advice for those who have raised a crop of this vegetable is to -avoid loss by eating them as quickly as possible. - -Onions should be properly “cured” before they are stored. This is -accomplished by harvesting them during dry, settled weather, and -allowing them to lie in windrows two or three days before bringing them -indoors. They should then be placed in a cool, airy room in slatted -crates, so that air has free access to them. If wet weather is prevalent -at harvesting-time they may be “cured” by placing them in a single layer -under cover until they are thoroughly dry. The dead leaves and loose -scales should be pulled off before storing them. - - - _Leaf Crops_ - -Cabbages can be stored by digging them up with some soil attached to the -roots, and packing them close together on the floor of a cool cellar. -Treated in this way, they are a rather “smelly” vegetable, and, unless -the cellar is tightly shut off from the rest of the house, likely to -cause some unpleasantness. They can be stored outside in the way -recommended for potatoes by placing them head downward in a trench or -pit. - -Cauliflower.—It is possible to preserve cauliflower, for a short time -only, by digging them with roots attached and suspending them head -downward in a cool, moist cellar. - -Celery can be dug in the fall and packed closely in boxes in an upright -position in a cool cellar. The more roots and soil adhering to the -plants the better the chance of success. When the soil dries out it must -be watered, but be very careful not to get any water on the leaves or -leaf-stalks. Another way of caring for celery is to dig a trench deep -enough to accommodate the plants when they are placed upright. Pack them -as tightly as possible in this and cover with boards to keep out rain. -In severe weather it will be necessary to put on an additional covering -of straw and earth. - -Parsley.—In sections where the winter is not too severe parsley may be -kept green through the greater part of the winter by covering the patch -with a bottomless box, with a pane of glass for covering the top. The -box should be banked with manure or leaves, and the glass covered with -straw in very cold weather. Parsley can also be dug up, placed in -plant-pots, making the soil firm about the roots, and kept in a cool, -sunny room. - - - _Seed or Fruit Crops_ - -Beans.—Dry-shell beans should be allowed to stay on the plants until -the pods dry up and become yellow. They may then be gathered, and -shelled when convenient. If they are infested with weevils they should -be dry baked in a temperature of about 145° Fahr. Care must be taken not -to allow the temperature to rise above this figure, or the beans will be -roasted and spoiled. Fumigating with carbon disulphide is also an -efficacious expedient, but somewhat dangerous because of the explosive -properties of the fumigant. - -Pumpkin and Winter Squash can be stored in a warm, dry room. It is -advisable to turn over the fruits selected for storing two weeks or so -before they are harvested, so that the side that has been lying on the -ground may have its rind hardened by exposure to sun and air. - - * * * * * - -Although concerned primarily with “war gardens,” the methods advocated -can be used by all vegetable growers who practise intensive cultivation. -The fundamental principles of soil management also apply equally to -flower-gardens. - -The writer has found in his experience that good crops can be raised, on -what would be usually considered poor soil, by men and women who know -little of horticultural practices. Larger crops could have been produced -had they known more of the art of growing vegetables. It is to help such -people that this book has been written, from information gained during -twenty years of professional experience. - -It is the earnest hope of the author that the crops raised by “war -gardeners” will be of such a size as to cause this last chapter to be -the one that is most consulted. - - - - - APPENDIX - - - Table I - -Approximate quantities of vegetables obtainable from a row fifty feet -long. This table is based on actual yields obtained from a plot of -moderate fertility by using standard varieties of vegetables. - - Beets 40 bunches (5 in a - bunch) - Bush beans (pods) 27 quarts - Cabbage 25 heads - Carrots 45 pounds - Cauliflower 25 heads - Corn 100 ears - Egg-plant 100 fruits - Lettuce 50 heads - Onions 20 pounds - Parsnips 40 pounds - Peas (pods) 20 quarts - Potatoes 5 pecks - Tomatoes 240 pounds - - - Table II - -Approximate number of days from seed-sowing to first picking of crops. -Variation is caused by temperature and character of variety—early, -midseason, or late. - - Beans (bush) 45 to 65 days - Beans (pole) 60 ” 80 ” - Beets 60 ” 80 ” - Cabbage (early) 95 ” 120 ” - Cabbage (late) 100 ” 130 ” - Carrots 75 ” 110 ” - Cauliflower 100 ” 130 ” - Celery 125 ” 150 ” - [5]Chard 60 ” 80 ” - Corn (sweet) 60 ” 100 ” - [5]Cucumber 60 ” 80 ” - [5]Egg-plant 125 ” 160 ” - Kale 100 ” 120 ” - Kohlrabi 60 ” 80 ” - Lettuce 65 ” 100 ” - [5]Muskmelon 115 ” 140 ” - [5]Okra 90 ” 100 ” - [5]Onion (seed) 130 ” 150 ” - [5]Onion (sets) 90 ” 120 ” - If “sets” are planted for use as - bunch onions they are ready in - about 40 days. - [5]Parsley 90 to 100 days - Parsnips 125 ” 150 ” - Peas 45 ” 80 ” - [5]Peppers 120 ” 150 ” - Potato (Irish) 80 ” 140 ” - Potato (sweet) 100 ” 130 ” - Pumpkin 100 ” 130 ” - Radish 25 ” 50 ” - Salsify 125 ” 150 ” - Spinach 30 ” 60 ” - [5]Spinach New Zealand 60 ” 70 ” - [5]Squash (summer) 60 ” 80 ” - Squash (winter) 125 ” 130 ” - [5]Tomato 100 ” 125 ” - Turnip 60 ” 80 ” - -[5] Continue to bear until frost. - - - Table III - -Showing the correct depth to plant seeds and the amount of space -required by the plants in and between rows. - - Depth to Distance Distance between - plant between rows plants in the rows -Bean (pole) 2 in. 3-4 ft. 3-4 ft. if in hills, 9 - ins. if in rows. -Bean (dwarf) 2 in. 15-18 in. 3-6 in. -Bean (dwarf Lima) 2 in. 2-2½ ft. 6-10 in. -Beet 1 in. 15-18 in. 4 in. -Cabbage (early) ¼ in. 2-3 ft. 1½-2 ft. -Cabbage (late) ¼ in. 3 ft. 2 ft. -Carrot ½ in. 15-18 in. 4 in. -Celery 1/8 in. 2½-5 ft. 4-6 in. -Chard 1 in. 15-18 in. 6-12 in. -Corn 2 in. 2½-3 ft. 2½-3 ft. if in hills, - 1 ft. if in rows. -Cucumber 1 in. 4-5 ft. 15 in. -Egg-plant ¼ in. 2½-3 ft. 2 ft. -Kale ¼ in. 18-24 in. 8-10 in. -Kohlrabi ¼ in. 15-18 in. 6 in. -Lettuce ¼ in. 1 ft. 9-12 in. -Muskmelon 1 in. 6 ft. 18 in. -Okra 1 in. 3 ft. 2 ft. -Onion (seed) 1 in. 1 ft. 4 in. -Onion (sets) 2 in. 1 ft. 2 in. -Parsley ½ in. 1 ft. 6-9 in. -Parsnip 1 in. 15-18 in. 6 in. -Peas (dwarf) 2 in. 18-24 in. 2 in. -Peas (tall) 2 in. 4-6 ft. 3 in. -Peppers ¼ in. 2 ft. 12-18 in. -Potato 4-6 in. 2½-3 ft. 12-18 in. -Radish ½ in. 9-12 in. 2 in. -Salsify 1 in. 15-18 in. 2 in. -Spinach 1 in. 12-15 in. 4 in. -Spinach New Zealand 1 in. 2 ft. 1 ft. -Squash (bush) 1 in. 3-4 ft. 3-4 ft. -Squash (vine) 1 in 7-10 ft. 7-10 ft. -Swiss Chard _see_ Chard. -Tomato ½ in. 3 ft. 1 ft. if trained to - single stem, 2-3 feet - if allowed to grow - naturally. -Turnip ½ in. 15-18 in. 6 in. - - - Table IV - -Quantity of seeds required to plant a row one hundred feet long, and -time of planting. - - Time to plant Quantity - required - Bean (pole) Late May or early June ½ pint - Bean (dwarf) May 10 to August 1 pint - [6]Beet April to August 2 oz. - [6]Cabbage (early) Feb. indoors; plants set out 1 pkt. - in March or April - Cabbage late) May; plants set out in June or 1 pkt. - July - [6]Carrot April to July 1 oz. - Cauliflower (early) Treat like Cabbage 1 pkt. - Cauliflower (late) Treat like Cabbage 1 pkt. - Celery March indoors; plants set out 1 pkt. - in June or July - [6]Chard April 1 oz. - Corn May 10 to July 10 ½ pint - Cucumber Late May or early June ½ oz. - Egg-plant March indoors; plants set out 1 pkt. - early in June - Kale, _see_ Cabbage (late). - Kohlrabi April to August ¼ oz. - [6]Lettuce April to August ½ oz. - Muskmelon Early June ½ oz. - Okra May or June 2 oz. - Onion (seed) April and May 1 oz. - Onion (sets) March 15 to May 15 1 quart - [6]Parsley April ¼ oz. - [6]Parsnip April ½ oz. - [6]Peas March 15 to May and August 1 1 quart - to 20 - Peppers March indoors; plants set out 1 pkt. - in late May or early June - [6]Potato April to June 1 peck - [6]Radish March to September 1 oz. - [6]Salsify April 1 oz. - [6]Spinach March and September 1 oz. - Squash Late May or early June ½ oz. - [6]Swiss Chard, _see_ Chard. - Tomato March indoors; plants set out 1 pkt. - in late May or early June - Turnip April, July and August ½ oz. - -[6] Are hardy vegetables, and will stand slight frost. Should be planted -as soon as the ground can be worked. Dates given are approximate and -apply in the vicinity of New York. Other localities should take into -consideration the effects of elevation and latitude. - - - THE END - - * * * * * - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -A few obvious punctuation and typesetting errors have been corrected -without note. Chemicals mentioned for insect control should not be used -in modern day gardens since they are not considered to be safe. - -[End of _War Gardens_ by Montague Free] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of War Gardens, by Montague Free - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR GARDENS *** - -***** This file should be named 63013-0.txt or 63013-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/0/1/63013/ - -Produced by Mardi Desjardins & the online Distributed -Proofreaders Canada team at https://www.pgdpcanada.net, -from page images generously made available by the University -of Wisconsin Digital Collection. - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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