68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND LIST OF 

 VEGETABLES FOR FARMERS' GARDENS. 



Mr. President and Members of the State Horticultural Society: 



We only propose to recommend such work for a Farmer's Kitchen 

 Garden as anyone can have, and do without hot-beds, or any of the 

 appliances of the market gardener. 



Presuming that the ground is in good tilth, next spring select 

 a spot well drained and with a southern exposure and plant, as soon 

 as the ground can be worked, radishes and lettuce and follow the 

 radishes at intervals of ten days. At the same time plant the earli- 

 est pea. It is probably best to plant, for earliest, one of the small, 

 smooth peas, say Landuth's Extra Early, and follow it in a few days 

 with American Wonder, and these again with one of the later 

 wrinkled peas, although two plantings of American Wonder are good 

 with us. If now a bed of asparagus has been started before, one is 

 pretty well fixed until June. Beets (Early Egyptian) and onion 

 sets and salsify can go into the ground as soon as the ground will 

 work easily. Cabbage and tomato plants can be had in the market 

 of the professional gardener, better and cheaper than the farmer can 

 raise them. The former must be planted early and the latter need 

 not go into the ground until about May 10. Do not plant too much 

 of any one kind, as it is far better to have a regular succession, than 

 a superabundance for a short time, and then nothing. Bush beans 

 and sweetcorn come on later, — little is gained by very early planting 

 of these, as a slight frost will set them back sadly. Lima beans, we 

 cannot do without, and are among the last things to be planted. 

 Do not allow more than three plants to grow in one hill, otherwise 

 you will have more vines than beans. 



As fast as a crop of any kind is harvested, clear the ground and 

 put in a late crop, — turnips can be grown after peas and require but 

 little attention. In spite of all our improvements, a good deal of 

 the work must be done by hand. The amount to be done is so 

 small that it will not pay to use a horse. A good deal of the work 

 can be done at odd times, with no damage to the main work, if one 

 will only watch and improve the spare moments. Cucumbers and 

 melons can be started two weeks earlier than usual, by making a 

 miniature hot-bed, without frame or glass, thus: dig a hole one foot 

 square, eighteen inches deep, and fill with fresh stable manure, and 

 sift over it three inches of soil, and then form a little pit with a six- 

 inch pot banking the earth around it, remove the pot and plant 

 seeds in the bottom of the pit and cover with a thin board, a piece 

 of tin, or better yet, with a piece of window-glass. 



Cultivation, will do wonders, and must be frequent; while the 

 planlfc are small, do not let weeds show themselves at all. Rhubarb 



