114 AKNTJAIi REPORT 



three of them from the land in each season, and if you do your 

 work well, when the season is over your land is almost as naked 

 and barren of vegetation as the desert of Sahara. No land can 

 stand such a drain as this, for any length of time. Hence the 

 necessity of manure and plenty of it, not less than 300 loads for 

 the ten acres. 



Now we come to the selection of seeds. This to me is about the 

 most perplexing job of the 3'ear. We want the best and are willing 

 to pay a good price for the best; but how are we to know. About 

 New Year's the new catalogues begin to come to hand, with their 

 list of seeds both old and new. The number and names of the 

 varieties of beans, peas, radishes, potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, 

 beets, carrots, turnips, etc., is absolutely bewildering, 



When you come to put in your strawberry plants the case is, if 

 possible, still worse. After many years of guessing and trying one 

 new thing after another, I have adopted the following plan as about 

 the best: There are certain varieties of almost all kinds that are 

 known to be good and reliable. I select my supply from those, 

 and then try some of the most promising of the new varieties very 

 carefully and in a small way. Suppose I name a list of tlie most 

 prominent of such as have done the best with me. Of asparagus, 

 Conover's Colossal, Beets, for early, Early Egyptian and the 

 Early Bassano. For main crop, the Blood Turnip. For beans, 

 after trying many varieties I am now growing the German Golden 

 Wax almost exclusively. I grow no pole beans except a few 

 Limas for my own use. For carrots, the Short Horn. Cabbage, 

 first early, the Jersey Wakefield; second, the Fottler, though for a 

 few years past this variety has rotted badly, and we are now trying 

 to find a substitute tor it. Thus far the Newark Flat Dutch has 

 come the nearest of any to supplying its place, and at the same 

 time giving us something reliable for our late setting. Where you 

 have rich land, and plenty of time, the old Premium Flat Dutch 

 is an excellent variety; but it requires nearly the whole of our short 

 season to mature its crop, and that is a serious objection to it. 

 It also throws out an immense mass of leaves, and of course 

 requires more room than some of the quick-growing varieties. 

 For cauliflower, the Early Erfert is as good as any that I have 

 ever tried. Celery, Henderson's and the Boston Market are both 

 good. Cucumbers, the Early Frame and the White Spine. Sweet 

 corn. If the Early Minnesota, Crosby's Early, and the Stowell's 

 Evergreen are all planted at the same time, they will come on in 

 the order named and give a regular supply through the season. 



