April. 1916. 



THE 



CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



»7 



Sowing Vegetables 



John Gall, Inglewood, Ont. 



HE importance of buying seed of a 

 good strain cannot be overesti- 

 uialed. No matter how high the 

 price may seem, if it be known to the 

 purchaser to be of the best, better to 

 have it than run the risk of losing the 

 crop or having a measly-looking return 

 for labor and trouble expended through 

 the purchasing of cheap seed. 



Vegetables may be divided into two 

 groups — the cool season and the warm 

 season vegetables. The cool season 

 vegetables do best at a low temperature 

 and may be started in the open in the 

 beginning of May, or even earlier, ac- 

 cording to the condition of the ground, 

 which must always be in a fit condition 

 before any attempt should be made to 

 work it up. The following include the 

 chief cool season crops: Peas, carrots, 

 beets, parsnips, radish, turnips, cab- 

 bage, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, pars- 

 ley, celery and onions. 



The warm season vegetables include : 

 Tomatoes, egg plant, cucumbers, 

 melons, beans, peppers and corn. Seed 

 of these should not be sown until after 

 the middle of May, or until the ground 

 has warmed up. "Warm season vege- 

 tables require warm soil and a southern 

 exposure, whereas the cool season vege- 

 tables require a northern situation. If 

 very early vegetables are wanted, the 

 southern exposure is necessary. 



The soil best suited to beans is that 

 which is rather light than otherwise, al- 

 ways provided that it is thoroughly en- 

 riched by manure. The seed should be 

 sown about the middle of May for an 

 early crop, the best variety being Early 

 Red Valentine (green pod). Golden 

 Wax (golden pod). Successional sow- 



ings may be made about every two 

 weeks until the middle of July. 



The seed for beets should be sown as 

 early as the ground becomes fit to work 

 in spring for an early crop, and about 

 the beginning of June for winter use. 

 Any good soil will grow good beets. 

 Sow in rows one foot apart. Egyptian 

 Turnip (early), Detroit Half Long 

 Blood (late). 



Sow carrots in rows fourteen inches 

 apart in the beginning of May. These 

 should be grown in deep, thoroughly 

 prepared soil of loose, open texture, to 

 admit of even root development. Cul- 

 tivation should be kept up during the 

 season to continue an even growth. 

 Danvers Half Long is the best to 

 obtain. 



Cauliflowers require a cool, rich 

 loam, a northern exposure being most 

 suitable. The growth of this plant 

 should never be checked. For early 

 cauliflower, start seed about *he end 

 of March, and it will be ready for the 

 open ground at the beginning of May. 

 Sow seed for late varieties in early 

 May and transplant about the end of 

 June to rows thirty inches apart and 

 twenty between the plants. Variety : 

 Erfurt. 



Any good soil will grow cabbage. A 

 warm, sandy loam is most suitable for 

 early varieties, a northern exposure 

 being best for the late cabbage. Start 

 seed and handle the same as for cauli- 

 flower. Jersey Wakefield (early), Au- 

 tumn King (late). 



Celery may be blanched by standing 

 boards, ten to twelve inches wide, on 

 their edge at each side of the row close 



up to the plant . Variety : Paris Golden 

 Yellow. 



A warm, friable, rich soil should be 

 chosen for corn. The seed is sown in 

 hills three feet apart each way and 

 four plants allowed to grow to the hill. 

 Sow about the middle of May for both 

 early and late varieties. Golden Ban- 

 tam (early), Country Gentleman (latej. 



Sow cucumbers in hills made in rows 

 six feet apart and four feet apart in 

 the row. This should be done in the 

 beginning of June. Allow four plants 

 to develop to each hill. Variety : White 

 Spine. 



Lettuce oan be grown on any good 

 garden soil. Sow in the open ground 

 as soon as it is fit to be worked. Thin 

 out to six inches apart in rows of one 

 foot. Successional sowings may be 

 made every ten days or so up to the 

 beginning of June. Sow in August for 

 a late crop on well-prepared soil. 

 Variety: Unrivalled. 



Onions do best on a very rich loam. 

 Sow in rows on the level ground, twelve 

 inches apart, as early in the spring as 

 possible. Varieties: Mammoth Silver 

 King and Yellow Globe Danvers. 



Boy.s at work r,r<..p.irinp for de I.Htabl,. veKelable.s. at ti.e Iri .sh Hoy.s' Home, He.spoler, Ont 



April Garden Reminders 



Canna and Caladium bulbs must be 

 started at once, if they were not at- 

 tended to earlier. 



Plant sweet peas as soon as the 

 ground can be worked. A long row Ib 

 best. Chicken wire makes a good sup- 

 port. 



Always unpack nursery stock as soon 

 as it is received and learn whether it 

 is in good condition or not. It may 

 then be heeled in till ready to plant. 



Look after worn spots on the lavsTi. 

 Manure them well and spade deeply. 

 Rake and sow grass seed. 



Some of the Schizanthus hybrids are 

 striking flowers. They may be used as 

 cut-flowers, and always attract atten- 

 tion. 



Give boys and girls plots of land for 

 gardens of their own. They will take 

 more interest in things that are their 

 ovm and perhaps this interest will 

 spread. 



Rosa Rugosa bushes should be cut 

 back to within 18 inches or two feet of 

 the ground each year. This keeps the 

 plant smaller and prevents it from be- 

 coming rough and unsightly. 



If nursery stock is received in a dry 

 condition, thoroughly wet the plants 

 and either heel them in or put them in 

 a cool, moist cellar for a few days. 



A good lawn is secured by sowing a 

 thoroughly well prepared, rich soil 

 with 42 pounds of pure Kentucky blue 

 grass, 5 pounds solid redtop and 3 

 pounds of white clover per acre. Sow 

 as soon as the land can be Well pre- 

 pared, rake the seed in well, and roll 

 lightly. 



