POPULAR VARIETIES OF GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



215> 



PEPPERS. 



There are perennial slirubb\'' or woody peppers, and very beantiful plants 

 they are when seen growing in their tropical homes. What we cultivate is an 



annual species from India. The pod 

 or fruit is in demand in every kitch- 

 en, and very large quantities are 

 grown to supply our large cities and 

 the manufacturers of pickles, and it 

 is used somewhat freely in medicine.. 

 Sow the seeds early, under glass, if 

 possible, and transplant only when 

 the weather has become steadily 

 mild. If no hot-bed is to be had^ 

 prepare a seed-bed in a warm place 

 in the garden, and sow, in the middle 

 and northern states, in May, and 

 transplant when the plants are about 

 three inches in height. As usually 

 only a few plants are needed, it is 

 well to sow the seeds where the plants are to remain, and thin them out to 

 about a foot apart. The fruit is often used green, but will be ripe in Septem- 

 ber. There are several varieties, ranging in height from one to three feet, 

 while the fruit varies from the Little Cayenne to the great French Monstrous, 

 six inches in length. Fig. 1 shows Long Red ; 2, Cayenne; 3, Tomato-formed ; 

 4, Monstrous, or Grossum. The Large Bell, and several other large sorts, dif- 

 fer little from the Tomato-formed, but larger. The Sweet Mountain, or Mam- 

 moth, is very large, mild, with thick flesh, and is pickled stuffed like mangoes. 

 The engraving shows Cayenne of natural size; all others are very much 

 reduced. 



PUMPKINS. 



The Pumpkin is now but little used, except for agricultural purposes, the 

 squashes being so much sweeter and drier, and 

 finer grained. No good gardener, we think, would 

 tolerate a pumpkin in the garden, nor would any 

 sensible cook allow one in the kitchen. Those 

 monster kinds that we see occasionally at our 

 fairs are the worst of all. The farmer, however, 

 finds the pumpkin a very serviceable addition to 

 his fall feed, and probably as long as maize is 

 grown in America the golden pumpkin will gild 

 our corn fields in the beautiful Indian summer 

 days of autumn. After all, a good many will think what we say of the pump- 

 kin all nonsense, and perhaps it is. We shall not certainly disagree about so 

 small a matter as a pumpkin, and some persons will always defend the good, 

 old-fashioned pumpkin pie against all innovations. 



PEAS. 



The pea is very hardy, and will endure a great amount of cold, either in or 

 above the ground; and as we all want "green peas" as early as possible in the 

 season, they should be put in as early as the soil can be got ready, — the sooner 

 the better. Peas are divided by seedsmen and gardeners into three classes. 



