120 



THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



An outdoor crop may be raised in a favorable season. 

 Plant when frosts are past, in hills, three to five 

 seeds to a hill, and thin to one. Give the best of cul- 

 tivation. 



Fertilizing should 

 be done before set- 

 ting out (see under 

 Soil) with a single 

 application of nitro- 

 gen or liquid ma- 

 nure, after setting. 



Culture. Pre- 

 serve the surface- 

 mulch by constant 

 cultivation, until 

 the plants cover 



Fig. 60. Eggplant. A round type. the ground. When 



three or four fruits are set to each vine, pinch off the 

 end, and also any subsequent blossoms, in order to 

 produce the finest fruits. 



Pick the fruit as needed up to the time when it is 

 almost ripe. The young fruits are edible; if they are 

 used, several may be allowed to set to a vine. Very 

 ripe fruits are unsatisfactory. 



Diseases. The chief are a blight- fungus and a leaf- 

 blight, for each of which destroy affected plants and 

 practice rotation; for the latter, destroy insects that 

 can carry infection, and spray with Bordeaux until the 



