134 TRAP'S ACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Few crops pay better in this eonntry than early cabbages when 

 riglitly nianao-ed. A Large portion of the hind in Illinois and adjoin- 

 ing States will produce a good crop of cabbage if highly manured 

 and properly cultivated. Twelve thousand good heads of the early 

 varieties may be grown on one acre, which, if sold at five ce]its each, 

 make a return of six hundred dollars. If you only do half this, 

 three hundred dollars will repay you for all the labor and manure 

 you are likely to expend, and leave a handsome profit. But it is 

 useless to attempt the growing of early cabbage on poor or medium 

 land. Early Wakefield, if true to name, and Winningstadt are my 

 choice for early; Henderson's Early Summer and Brunswick for 

 second early. 



Cucumbers, if grown under glass so as to get them in market 

 early, have always paid, but few, excepting professional gardeners, 

 care to undertake the somewhat delicate operation. The growing of 

 cucumbers, like children, require great care until they can run alone. 

 When the season is favorable they may be profitably grown in 

 open ground providing they are started under glass the last week in 

 March or as soon thereafter as the weather will permit. My method 

 for growing them in this locality is to take quart berry boxes, fill 

 them with rich mellow soil, plant six or eight seeds near the surface 

 in each box. Then place the boxes close together in mild liot-beds 

 under glass in a somewhat protected location, filling all vacancies 

 between boxes with soil or sand. Then cover the whole with fine 

 sand half an inch deep so the bed will have a smooth level surface 

 when finished. Water sufficient to keep damp. As soon as plants 

 are up give plenty of air on mild days; if you neglect this they will 

 run up spindling. When they get the first rough leaf thin out to 

 four plaiits. When they get the second rough leaf they will soon 

 begin to make a shoot in the middle; pinch that out and take sash 

 ofE all clear, mild days, replacing not later than five in the evening. 

 Let them stand in this bed until cucumbers sown in open ground 

 come up, which will be about the first of May. Then having your 

 hill previously prepared in rich land suitable to their growth, trans- 

 fer a box and contents to each hill, opening it at the corners, which 

 will be easily done as they will be getting tender. This gives the 

 root a chance to spread more rapidly. They should now be hilled 

 up to first leaf with mellow soil. As soon as they start to grow 

 after being transferred to new quarters, thin each hill to three plants 

 and keep the ground well stirred. Cucumbers, bush squash, and 

 melons may be had a month sooner if grown by this method than 

 those sown in open ground. Early White Spine are best suited for 

 early growing. 



I think I have said enough upon this subject, although much 

 more might be said, and I regret that I cannot be with you at your 

 annual meeting, as home affairs demand my constant attention. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



Uppee Alton, Dec. 3, 1883. G. W. TINDALL. 



