Practical Notes On Vegetable Growing 



By N. Butterbach. 



The essentials for success in vegetable growing are : 

 proper irrigation, deep culture, heavy manuring and 

 seed with good germinating power. When you are 

 provided with these requirements you are well estab- 

 lished for a productive vegetable garden. In the cul- 

 tural notes I describe the treatment in growing which 

 I have found most satisfactory in my territory. Cli- 

 matic conditions may vary the date of plantings a 

 little. The North may find our planting time to be a 

 little early, while the South will find it late, but the 

 general treatment varies little. 



LETTUCE. 

 For the earliest lettuce sow seed in hotbeds or greenhouse mid- 

 dle of February, transplant in cold frame or light, airy house, 

 aud plant outdoors as soon as frost is out of the gi-ound a foot 

 apart. They want very rich soil and sufficient moisture, as the 

 quality of lettuce depends on crispness. and this can only be 

 obtained by quickness of growth. For later crops seed is sown 

 in rows and thinned out a foot apart. The earliest varieties are 

 Mignonette, Tennis Ball, Golden Queen and Boston Market, fol- 

 lowed by Salamander, Iceberg. New York, Big Boston, etc. This 

 last is the best for late fall planting. For winter lettuce to be 

 protected or in cold frames middle of September is about the best 

 time to sow. The transplanted plants always do better except in 

 warm weather, when it is better the plants remain where sown 

 and thinned out. The worst enemy of outdoor lettuce is the 

 green aphides. Rapid growth and change of soil is the best rem- 

 edy. Also syringe with aphine. 



CABBAGE. 

 Seed can be sown in September and transplanted in cold frames 

 when the plants are aliout five inches high. They ought to be 

 aired freely during winter and planted in the open as soon as 

 the frost is out of the ground. But in a private place where 

 greenhouses are handy it is hardly worth while to go to this 

 trouble. Early Jersey Wakefield is generally used for this pur- 

 pose. If the seed is sown early in February the plants are ready 

 to be planted the latter part of March or the first part of April. 

 Cabbage demands heavy manuring and in addition a complete 

 fertilizer and a high culture. Cabbage likes new soil. The ene- 

 mies of cabbage are flea, beetle, cabbage worm and club root. For 

 cabbage worm use salt water or air slacked lime or pyrethrum. 

 For flea beetle, use aphine or wood ashes, plaster, lime, tobacco 

 dust, etc. For cabbage maggot use bisulphide of carbon in the 

 soil, but do not touch the roots. A solution of Vermine can also 

 be used. But when maggots appear it is time to change the loca- 

 tion. For club root lime is used or new location needed. For 

 early varieties use Jersey Wakefield and Charleston Wakefield. 

 See Early Summer and Succession, late or winter varieties. Au- 

 tumn King, late Flat Dutch, red variety. Red Dutch and Mam- 

 moth Rock Red, Savoy varieties. Netted Savoy and Drumhead 

 Savoy. 



CELERY. 

 Celery seed may be sown in open borders in the latter part 

 of March or early part of April. Or for early use in February in 

 greenhouse or frame and transplanted in flats. It is very slow to 

 germinate and moisture is essential for its germination. Celery 

 is naturally hardy and likes cool weather. The young plants 

 must be kept clear of weeds and watered if necessary. If a 

 growth of 7 to 8 inches has been made, the tops ought to be cut 

 back a couple of inches to strengtlien the roots and expose the 

 heart of the plant to the sun. If only a small quantity is needed 

 it will pay to transplant from the seed bed to an intermediate 

 bed before planting. The soil can not be made too rich, and a 

 heavy coat of man\ire should be jilowod under before planting, 

 also abundant water should be on hand. July is usually tha 

 month for fall and winter celery. The proper distance between 

 rows is 3% to 4 feet if the plants are lifted for winter storage, 

 otherwise they are planted in double rows from 10 to 12 inches 

 apart with 6 to 8 feet intervals between, so as to have all tha 

 soil needed for winter covering. Celery can also be planted in 

 closely set beds, say 6x8 inches. With a very rich soil and 

 abundant fertilizer and water supply celery can then be blanched 

 through the dense shade resulting from the rapid growth. Boards 

 are also used with this method. Celery should be constantly 

 cultivated. Loose soil ought to be packed around the spreading 

 leaves to encourage a compact growth. A light furrow thrown 

 up with a plow will bleach dwarf varieties such as White Plum, 

 Silver and Golden Self Blanching. For late winter varieties the 



spade and shovel ought to be used for banking. Celery is very 

 hardy, and a little frost won't injure it. Celery that has been 

 lifted from its place of growth is more liable to decay than that 

 with roots undisturbed. 



MELONS. 

 Melons need a fertile, warm soil, with plenty of humus. Hot- 

 bed or compost soil is very suitable. It takes 100 days from the 

 day of planting until the time of ripening. Watermelons take 

 30 to 40 days more. Three to four years old seed set earlier and 

 better than new seed. For early melons seed sown in a hotbed 

 or greenhouse will advance the plants from two to three weeks. 

 They are sown in pots or on pieces of sod and transplanted in 

 the open ground in May. Well rotted manure in the hills is very 

 beneficial. From 7 to 10 seeds are planted in a hill and later 

 thinned out to three plants. The hills ought to be not less than 

 4x6 feet apart. After the plants attain the height of 6 inches 

 they ought to be cut back to two eyes or leaves, and after the 

 side branches attain 14 to 16 inches they can be reduced to about 

 a foot to encourage branching. After the setting of fruit, the 

 branch is pinched two leaves above the fruit, and continue to 

 pinch in tlie same way until the fruit is ripe. Pinching will 

 liasten the maturity and also increase the size of fruit. If the 

 gi-een or black fly appears, the plants ought to be syringed with 

 aphine. 



CUCUMBERS. 

 Cucumbers need the same treatment as melons, except for the 

 pinching, and four plants in a hill instead of three. The striped 

 beetle is the worst enemy of the cucumber, also green fly. Paris 

 green is used for beetles and aphine for green fly. 



PEPPER. 

 Peppers are shown in March under glass or in the open ground 

 in May. They demand warm weather, but they are of easy cul- 

 ture. If sown under glass they are treated the same as egg 

 jdants and planted in rows 2x3 feet. 



TOMATOES. 

 Tomatoes may be sown in March in greenhouse or frame and 

 treated the same as peppers. They may also be sown in open 

 ground in May for late. Potted plants are planted out in May 

 4 .\ 4 feet and trellises or stakes provided for them. 



PEAS. 

 Peas ought to be sown as soon as the ground can be worked 

 in spring in rows 2^^ feet apart for the dwarf varieties and 3 to 

 4 feet for the taller or brush varieties. They are planted in suc- 

 cession from March to June and for late crop in August. 



BEANS. 

 Beans are tieatcd similar to peas, only they are not as hardy. 

 The first planting is made in May, and a planting every two 

 weeks until September. 



RADISH. 



To grow good and tender radish depends on high fertile soil, 

 sufficient moisture and good culture, as they ought to be grown 

 quickly. They can be grown between rows of lettuce, beets, 

 onions or any other crop, as they mature in six weeks. Frame 

 radish are sown 6 inches apart and 9 inches in the open. A 

 great favorite is French Breakfast. Early white tipped scarlet 

 Turnip and white tipped Rocket are also in great demand. Others 

 are Giant Crimson Turnip, round dark Red Scarlet Turnips, etc. 

 Summer and autumn varieties require from 7 to 8 weeks to 

 mature, as Giant White. Stuttgart, White Summer Turnips, Char- 

 tier, etc. Winter varieties ought to be planted in the middle of 

 August. Such as long Black Spanish, Wliite Chinese, Rose China, 

 Winter, etc. To protect the leaves from insects, soot, wood ashes 

 or air slaked lime can be used. Watering will help to stimulate 

 the growth. 



CAULIFLOWER. 



Cauliflower like rich soil and a great deal of moisture. The 

 soil ought not to be warm, but at least a foot of top soil is 

 required. They need light and sun, but not too strong a sun- 

 light. A place where it will get the morning sun is very well 

 adapted. In dry weather they need to be watered frequently 

 Manure water will be a great help, in fact there is nothing better. 

 Constant cultivation is necessary to prevent any check dvn-ing 

 its period of growth. It is a good idea to tie the leaves with 

 a string over the fleshy flower buds to preserve their ivory white- 

 ness. For early planting the seed, ought to be sown not later 

 than the middle of February in a hotbed or greenhouse. The 

 young plants must be transplanted in an airy house or cold 



