176 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



VEGETABLE GARDENING IN MAY AND JUNE. 



J. VINCENT EAILEV. NEWPORT. 



Mav and June are very busy months for the gardener in Min- 

 nesota, as most of the out-door planting and transplanting is 

 done during these two months, and when the soil becomes warm 

 enough to receive the vegetable seeds, the weeds begin to grow and 

 cultivation is necessary. 



I have always found these not only the busiest months but the 

 most important months to the gardener, since the different kinds 

 of vegetables have to be planted at the proper time to secure the 

 best results, and, where earliness is desired, the man who is even 

 a day late, after the proper time for planting, may lose many dollars, 

 for when the early vegetables begin to come to market the price 

 falls very fast after the first day or two. 



Then we have the insect pests and the fungous diseases to fight, 

 for as warmth comes into the soil and air these pests are not slow 

 to make their appearance. They must be fought at the right time 

 and wifh diligence and hard work, or the harvest will be small. 



The first day of May often finds us with most of our hardy vege- 

 tables, such as radishes, onions, beets and other vegetables which 

 will stand frost, planted and growing, and often the more ad- 

 venturous gardener will have his sweet corn, melons, cucumbers 

 and other tender plants started in the open, although in this part of 

 Minnesota it is not considered safe to plant these kinds of vege- 

 tables till tlie tenth of May. 



Great care must be taken in the preparation of the soil for all 

 garden crops, for much expense in weedmg and after cultivation 

 mav be saved by thorough preparation of the soil. Where hand- 

 weeded crops, such as onions, are raised, it is always best to pre- 

 pare the soil the year before by raising a cleaning crop, such as 

 cabbage or other vegetables of like nature, that will, with proper 

 cultivation, clean the land of all weed seeds. If manure is applied, 

 rotted manure should be used, as it is less liable to have weed 

 seeds in it, but where cabbage is used as a cleaning crop it may 

 be manured heavily, thus making the soil rich enough for the after 

 crops. 



To go into details of the planting and caring of the different 

 kinds of vegetables, or the ways and means of fighting the weeds 

 and insects or fungous pests would take too much time — but I should 

 be pleased to answer any questions so far as I am acquainted with 

 the subject. 



