578 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



erally, cultivates thoroughly, uses the best seed and sets strong 

 plants. His annual yields are large and the highest prices are 

 secured. 



Another example of a grower who secures the largest returns 

 is M. L. Kuetenik, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Ruetenik is a grower 

 of lettuce under glass, but cultivates several acres ot celery from 

 which gross receipts are usually about |i,200 per acre. His methods 

 are radically different from those used by most growers. Golden 

 Self-Blanching is sown in the greenhouse about the first of March. 

 Spraying with Bordeaux mixture are made at intervals of ten days 

 until the plants are set in the open ground. The plants are set at 

 intervals of six inches in rows two feet apart. No manure is applied 

 before transplanting. Thorough and frequent tillage is given until 

 the plants are six or seven inches high when manure is used as a 

 top dressing at the rate of forty tons per acre. No further tillage 

 is given the plantation. All water is applied by sprinkling. The 

 method has proved entirely successful. 



Hull Brothers, Waymart, Pa., are celery specialists. They plant 

 annually only three acres of land, but returns from this small acre- 

 age are larger than from many farms of one hundred acres or more. 

 Two things are especiall}' striking about the farming of Hull Broth- 

 ers. First, the use of an unusually large amount of commercial ferti- 

 lizer; second, close planting. Over eight tons of fertilizer were 

 applied this last year on three acres. The fertilizer cost over $100 

 per acre. The soil is a black muck, naturally acid, and as commer- 

 cial fertilizers are used extensively this firm finds it necessary to 

 apply lime to prevent the soil from becoming very sour. Early 

 celery is grown more extensively on this farm than late celery. The 

 rows are three feet apart and plants four or five inches in the row. 

 With such high feeding, Hull Brothers are of the opinion that 

 ckise planting has little influence on the size of plants. The crop 

 is blanched by means of boards. Blanching begins early in August 

 and is continued until the crop is sold. Twelve inch boards are 

 placed on each side of the rows and held in place by means of 

 strong wire hooks. The boards when not in use are stored carefully 

 to protect from the weather and to prevent warping. When boards 

 are used, about ten days are required to blanch the celery ready 

 for market. 



There is no better example of specialized gardening than on the 

 Patapsco Neck, near Baltimore, Md. I attended a Farmers' Insti- 

 tute in this section a few years ago, and had the pleasure of meet- 

 ing many aggressive growers. They understood all the details con- 

 nected with the special crops receiving tbeir attention. 



I have described various methods employed in market garden- 

 ing, but the fundamental principles are essentially the same in every 

 case. Growers everywhere find it necessary to use modern methods 

 of tillage. Large crops are seldom grown without the use of liberal 

 quantities of fertilizers. The soil must not become depleted in 

 vegetable matter, and, therefore, stable manure and green crops 

 are used extensively in all sections. Good seed must be employed to 

 secure the best results and more attention is being given every year 

 to this important factor. 



