ri?C Kitcl?^!) (grapd^o- 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



I 



HERE is something about every vegetable that makes one 

 think when it comes that it is more desirable than any of its 

 predecessors, and I always feel so when I commence to gather 

 that most delicious fruit, the cantaloupe melon. This is one 

 of the musk-melon family and is too well known to need any 

 lengthy description. It should not be planted until the ground 

 is warm, as it is almost as tender as the squash. Plant in 

 hills and thin out to two or three plants in each hill. When 

 the plants have made four leaves the ends of the main shoots should be pinched 

 off, which will cause the lateral branches to put forth sooner than otherwise ; 

 this will strengthen the growth of the vines and the fruit will come earlier to 

 maturity. The Arlington, Montreal and Hackensack are three as good canta- 

 loupe melons as grow. About fifteen hills will give a good supply. 



Water-melons are cultivated the same as musk-melons, but are not grown in 

 this section with equal success, as our seasons are not long enough to bring 

 them to that perfection which this vegetable reaches further south. Mountain 

 Sweet, Vick's Early, and Phinney's Early Oval are good sorts. It will not take 

 much room to try a few hills, and so if our watermelons are not successful it 

 need prove no great loss. 



The squash is one of our tender annuals and until all danger from frost is 

 past it should not be planted, as, aside from the tender nature of the plant, the 

 seed is liable to rot in damp, cool weather. Make the hills eight or nine feet 

 apart and thoroughly manure them. Place seven or eight seeds in each hill so 

 as to have plenty for the bugs, but as soon as the plants are well up thin out to 

 three plants in each hill. The bush varieties, such as Summer Crookneck and 

 White Bush Scallop, can be planted nearer together, say six feet apart each way. 

 Press the seeds down firmly before covering and cover early-planted ones an 

 inch deep and late ones two inches deep. Fine plaster is about as good an 

 article as has yet been found for driving away the bugs Plant Early Summer 

 Crookneck and White Bush Scallops for summer use ; Boston Marrow for fall, 

 and Hubbard, Essex Hybrid and American Turban for winter. Be s^ure and 

 gather the crop before it is nipped by the frost if you wish your squashes to keep 

 well. A dozen hills of the summer kind will be enough, but (juite a quantity of 

 the fall and winter sorts should be planted. 



Tomato plants should be set out in rows about June i. Their cultivation 

 is very simple. Set them six to eight feet apart, make the ground very rich and 

 keep them free from weeds. Just before frost take up the vines with all the 

 earth that can be made to adhere to the roots and place them in the cellar, and 

 the tomatoes which have not been picked and are fully grown will ripen. I have 



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