C18 KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



at the North. Notwithstanding it had been in the market from Florida 

 since January, shipments of my own sold in New York at $6 per barrel, 

 containing G5 fruit. In the south of Florida egg-plants and tomatoes 

 may be grown at any time of the year. At Clear Water both mature 

 in becember. The only variety grown for market is the New York Ira- 

 ])roved Purple. 



Being a tropical plant, requiring 65"^ to 70° for germination, it must 

 be sown alone, under glass, in hot-beds. Only on the warmest soil will 

 cold frames suffice. About the middle of January is a good time to 

 NOW in hot-bed. The management under glass is the same as with other 

 tender x>lants, except that the egg-plant requires more warmth than 

 any others. 



This plant will endure drought better than any other culinary vegeta- 

 ble, and the sandiest part of the farm may be allotted to it, if thu soil 

 has a sufficiency of vegetable matter. In wet soil the fruit, or, more 

 ])roperly, berries, will not mature. It may be manured and grown in 

 hills 2i'by 4 feet apart or in the drill. Earth should be slightly drawn 

 to the stems during cultivation. 



To cut the tough stems a pair of strong nippers is the best instru- 

 ment. They should be allowed nearly to attain full growth, but still be 

 of a dark, glossy purple color before being cut, as small fruit are not 

 desired, and ought to weigh from 1 to 3 pounds. They should be care- 

 ully handled, so that the gloss may not be injured, each wrapped sepa- 

 rately in ]mper, and closely packed in crates, or double-headed, well- 

 ventilated barrels on\j. 



The writer first reported to the Department the two following insects 

 iis depredating upon the egg-plant: (1) The False Colorado Potato- 

 beetle {Doryphora juncta), and (2) the Tortoise-beetle {Cassida texana). 

 The former is sometimes damaging, but being readily seen may be 

 picked off'. 



Kale, Boeecole, or Sprouts {Brassica oleracea, var. sabelUoa). 



Kale is only grown at Norfolk for the Northern markets. It is the 

 hardiest of the brassica family, could be grown with safety, but the 

 price it commands is no inducement to cultivate it, the earliest ever 

 hardly exceeding $2.25 per barrel. 



The varieties used are the Green Curled Scotch and a local one, the 

 Blue Curled, the latter by far the most extensively. Being a member of 

 the same family it requires the same treatment as cabbage in every 

 res))ect. 



The latter vfiriety is sown from August 10 to September 15 in drills 

 30 inches apart, the plants being ultimately thinned to a stand of from 

 4 to 8 inches, requiring IJ pounds of seed to the acre. The Scotch 

 (hirled is sown in seed-beds early in August and transplanted at from 8 

 to 10 inches in the row. The crop is shipped tightly packed in well- 

 ventilated barrels during March. 



The same insects infect kale that damage cabbage at the same 

 locality. 



Lettuce {Laotuca sativa). 



Owing to the poor and wilted condition which transportation in- 

 volves, this is another vegetable not shipped from the extreme South, 

 nor to any great extent from Norfolk, it being grown in large quanti- 

 ties in hot-beds near Boston for the New York market. 



The varieties used at Norfolk are the White Cabbage and the Boston 

 Market or Tennis Ball, the former in open field, the latter under glass. 



