182 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



fourth, that they do not skip rows or 

 parts of them ; hfth, that there is no 

 wrestling in the patch. When the stand 

 has four full quarts, they are brought 

 out to where the packing is done, in 

 the shade of one or more trees ; then 

 give them a check for the full stand, 

 and an empty stand tilled with baskets 

 to fill again, and so on till the day is 

 over. I have large printed checks, 

 which I give in exchange for smaller 

 checks if desired. 



I pay no one money on account, or 

 in full, until the last picking is over, 

 except in case of sickness or other good 

 cause. By adopting this method my 

 hands continue their work until the 

 last picking is over. When pay day 

 comes all are informed of it, all come, 

 and when vve are through with the last 

 picking, all hands collect in the shade 

 and are paid off in full, after which I 

 give them a treat of cider, lemonade 

 and cakes, all have a good time, and 

 go away happier than many worth their 

 millions. 



DANDELION CULTURE. 



It is but a few years since the cultiva- 

 tion of this vegetable was undertaken 

 but it is making friends so rapidly that 

 although the amount grown annually 

 is already very large, the supply is not 

 equal to the demand. It is used prin- 

 cipally as a salad, and as such it occu- 

 pies a place of its own, being different 

 in taste from anything else. 



The main point in its successful cul- 

 tivation is to have it in market early in 

 the season. To meet this early demand, 

 it is grown on benches in the green- 

 house, using all available means to 

 bring it to a marketable state as early 

 in January as possible. From this time 

 till the first of May, when outdoor 

 grown plants and other greens become 

 marketable, there is a steady demand 

 for forced Dandelion. 



The seed of the Broad-leaved or 

 Improved Dandelion, which is the 

 variety principally grown, is planted in 

 rich soil in rows one foot apart as early 

 in the spring as the ground will permit. 

 The plants, as soon as large enough, are 

 hoed and tended — not thinned — and 

 kept free of weeds all the season. 

 About the first of September the tops 

 are hoed off" lightly, after which the 

 roots throw up a few green leaves 

 "sufficient to mark the rows. Just 

 before the ground freezes the roots are 

 plowed out, taken up and brought to a 

 pit or " winter house," where they are 

 stored by setting them thickly in the 

 ground as they grow in the field. The 

 temperature here rarely above 60°, and 

 sometimes the ground freezes around 

 the roots ; there is suflS.cient light to 

 green the tops a little. 



From here they are transferred to 

 the benches of the greenhouse, in 

 quantities as required. I set out some 

 every week, so as to keep the supply 

 constant and uniform. After planting 

 in the benches they grow rapidly, and 

 are ready to harvest in four weeks from 

 the setting. They are placed in rows 

 five inches apart, and about as thick as 

 they will stand in the row. The soil 

 is mixed with plenty of fine horse 

 manure, and a liberal dressing of wood 

 ashes in addition. 



When ready for use, the plants ax-e 

 in full bud, with leaves six or seven 

 inches long. They are prepared for 

 market by pulling up the roots, cutting 

 them off, and picking off all dead 

 leaves ; tying them in bunches weigh- 

 ing eight ounces ; and finally washing 

 them. By this plan they are handled 

 without loss or shrinkage. 



The usual price is one dollar per 

 dozen bunches ; and as I have never 

 .been able to raise enough, I am contem- 

 plating the building of a separate house 

 for raising Dandelions on a larger 

 scale. A space 3X6 feet will yield 



