VEGETABLE GROWERS TALK. 



3'7 



Manufacturers' Association and see that 

 our interests are protected along these hnes. 

 Owing to our geographical position our 

 neighbors to the south have the advantage, 

 as their early stuff always brings a price 

 sufficient to enable them to pay the present 

 manipulated low tariff, and by the time we 

 can compete in their markets the price is 

 such that we cannot afford to pay the duty, 

 consequently we are not working on an 

 equitable basis. 



AN IMPROVED GREENHOUSE. 



" With the old system of greenhouses, or- 

 dinarily in use, I found that the getting in 

 and out of the soil, which has to be changed 

 so often owing to the different crops being 

 moved out either to hardening houses or 

 the fields, took too much labor, as the 

 stuff had to be carried or wheeled in and 

 out through the ends. This led me to ex- 

 periment, with the result that I have so 

 changed my greenhouse that I can now 

 drive a team along the side and 

 shovel the soil right into the beds. When 

 removing the plants the same saving of 

 labor is effected. This kind of greenhouse 

 cuts the labor to about one fourth. The 

 side sashes create a current of air in con- 



nection with the top ventilators and make it 

 possible to work inside on a hot day nearly 

 as comfortably as in the open. I also find 

 that the more thorough ventilation thus se- 

 cured produces far better plants than under 

 ordinary conditions. 



" In the earlier stages we have tomatoes 

 and cucumber seedlings in the house to- 

 gether, and as they advance in growth 

 gradually work them out into the smaller 

 and cooler houses under cotton and glass. 

 The smaller houses are mostly covered with 

 glass that can be opened easily on suitable 

 days for hardening off the plants previous 

 to setting them out in the field. Glass be- 

 ing rather expensive we aim to keep the 

 benches in the house steadily in use. As 

 soon as the plants are large enough and are 

 removed from the large house we plant out 

 cucumber or other plants in the greenhouse 

 to produce a crop for the market. 



" I had a visit recently from Mr. Robt. 

 H. King, engineer for the King Construc- 

 tion Co., of Toronto, who was much inter- 

 ested in my plant and buildings. Mr. King 

 was especially pleased with the ventilating 

 sash as used on the sides of the larger green- 

 house, which he considered is a new idea." 



SPINACH BEFORE TOMATOES 



t< T GENERxA.LLY run spinach on the 



A ground intended for tomatoes," 

 said Mr. Wm. Waller, of Bartonville, to 

 The Canadian Horticulturist recently. 

 " For an early spring crop I sow the seed 

 in the latter part of x^ugust or early in Sep- 

 tember. This gives a crop of spinach ready 

 for market by the last of April. In this 

 way I get two crops off the same ground in 

 one season. 



" The spinach seed is sown in drills about 

 14 inches apart. By the time frost comes 

 the plants are about in the fourth leaf. 

 They should be protected during winter by 

 a covering of straw, old tomato vines or a 



similar covering that is not too heavy but 

 still holds the snow well. It should be 

 planted on high dry soil, because wherever 

 water lies it would be winter killed. A 

 heavy sand loam suits best. When the 

 covering is removed in the spring it comes 

 on rapidly with the first warm weather. 



" There is also a spring spinach," said 

 Mr. Waller, " which can be sown in the 

 spring as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground. If kept well cultivated this crop 

 is ready by May 24. Most of this vege- 

 table grown here finds ready sale on our 

 local market, but sometimes it is profitable 

 to ship it to Montreal or some other city." 



