DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 881 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



To obtain potatoes for the table early in the season it may be of interest to those 

 Who have not tried it out to take any of the early varieties and from the first to the 

 second week in March, spread out as many as convenient in the light, 'opposite a 

 window if possible, and allow them to sprout. Whole potatoes, not too large, should be 

 used for this purpose, care being taken to put them seed end up. Sprouting will gra- 

 dually commence and by the last week in April these can be planted, the sprouts by 

 this time being from half an inch to one inch in length, thick and green in colour, 

 very different to the slender white sprouts that ordinarily come on the potatoes in 

 the bin. ' 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Owing to the good fall of snow which did not melt until spring the soil was in 

 prime condition for sowing seeds. The garden was manured and ploughed in the fall 

 and in the spring a portion was again ploughed, the remainder being double disced. 

 The latter proved to be the better method as an even germination was obtained whereas 

 with the former an uneven gerniination resulted. 



Beets. — All varieties as in previous years did well, seven varieties being tested. 

 Four of these can be recommended for table use, namely : Black Red Ball, Crosby 

 Egyptian, Early Model, and New Meteor, the first named being the best, although small 

 comi3ared with other varieties and yielding only about half as well, but when cut the 

 flesh is a rich dark red throughout while the larger varieties being streaked with white 

 are less attractive for table use. 



Beans. — Eight varieties were under test, all yielding a heavy crop of pods. Owing 

 to the early frost no seed ripened this year. Varieties recommended are as follows : 

 Bountiful, Fordhook Favourite, Wardwell Kidney Wax for earliness, and for late 

 varieties Refugee or One Thousand to One. 



Celery. — All varieties made good growth before being taken inside, eight varieties 

 being under test. Among the best is White Plume, an exceptionally good variety which 

 yielded 48 pounds from a 15-foot row, the plants being 6 inches apart. Other good 

 varieties are Golden Self Blanching, French Success, Evans Triumph, and Noll 

 Magnificent. The seedlings were all started in a hotbed. 



In connection with the growing of celery a number of cultural experiments were 

 carried out. To determine the best method to use in blanching, tests, with boards, soft 

 pliable material, and earth, were made. The test with the boards gave best results. 

 A row 30 feet long was planted. When the plants were about one foot high, a board 

 12 inches wide was placed on each side of the row as close as possible to keep out the 

 light. This proved very satisfactory as the plants were of good size, solid and very 

 tender. The 30-foot row yielded 55 pounds. This method greatly reduces the cost of 

 production. 



Another row of celery of the same length and at the same period of growth was 

 treated in a similar manner with pliable material put on each side of the row and held 

 into place by pegs. The plants in this case were very weakly when dug, the outside 

 stalks having withered, leaving but, few stalks in the centre. The row yielded 37 

 pounds. 



The experiment with earth which was applied around th'C plants as necessary 

 proved to be the most costly method and the celery took longer to bleach by this 

 method than with the boards. The total yield was 72 pounds, being the heaviest 

 yielder of the three methods. 



Cahhage. — The cabbage gave splendid results this year, eight varieties being under 

 test, Early Paris Market and Copenhagen Market being the earliest. Twelve average 

 heads of the latter weighed 135 pounds. For a good main crop. Improved Amager 



Lethbridge. 



