68 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



January, 



in his previous postal reforms, the friends of the 

 association may be assured of ^ood worls to be 

 done. But the society calls for active aid from 

 those who are to be benefited by the proposed 

 reforms— and who is not? The kind of help 

 wanted is : First, for every person interested to 

 write a personal letter to both his Representative 

 and Senators in Congress to support these 

 measures. Sccxind, they must circulate petitions 

 to Congress, agitate the matter in meetings and 

 in the press. This is a work in which all should 

 engage. Our readers who will apply at this 

 ofBce will be furnished with petition blanks and 

 forms of letters to Congressmen gratis. It is 

 wisely designed to have the needed pressure come 

 upon the congressman direct from their con- 

 stituents, and we especially want the tens of 

 thousands of readers of Popular Gardeniny and 

 Fruit Orounngt'i speak out strong in the matter. 

 The blanks are ready at this office; send for them, 

 and get to work at once, the earlier the better. 

 Third, money is needed for expenses. About 

 $2,500 is required for printing, postage, clerk 

 hire etc., to place the matter effectively before 

 the parties interested. Some parties will sub- 

 scribe directly to the Association's funds and it is 

 hoped that all 

 who can will lib- 

 erally foUowthis 

 example. The 

 main reliance 

 for funds is upon 

 membership 

 fees. It is hoped 

 that all nursery- 

 men, seedsmen 

 and florists wiU 

 help the cau.se 

 by joining the 

 Association and 

 sending their 

 membership fee 

 of five dollars to 

 the Secretary of 

 theUnited States 

 Postal Improve- 

 ment Associa- 

 tion, Springfield, 

 Mass., for which 

 a certificate will 

 be issued to each. 

 Every dollar will 

 be properly ac- 

 counted for. Let 

 there be prompt 

 attention to this 

 work on the part 

 of all interested 

 persons from 

 ocean to ocean, and such will be the pressure on 

 Congress that relief should come speedily. 



into the open ground. They require a very rich, 

 deep and rather heavy soil. They should be set 

 out in rows two feet and a half apart, and the 

 plants two feet apart in the rows. The ground 

 should be frequently hoed, preventing the ap- 

 pearance of weeds and grass. By the middle of 

 June the heads wlU begin to form. If the weather 

 is very warm the heads sometimes " button," or 

 run to seed. By bending some of the large 

 leaves over the young heads, to shade them 

 from the sun, buttoning may be prevented. 



For a fall crop the seed should be sown about 

 the 1st of May, and transplanted into the garden 

 or field early in July, setting them the same dis- 

 tance apart, and cultivating them in the same 

 way as the spring crop. With moist, cool weather 

 in September and October the Broccoli will head 

 when planted on good soil. Besides the regular 

 quantity of barnyard manure, an application, at 

 the first hoeing, of three or four hundred pounds 

 to the acre of Peruvian guano will be found a 

 good investment in growing Broccoli for profit. 



There are only two varieties that are grown for 

 market to any extent: 



White Cape.— This is the most popular kind of 

 Broccoli, and looks very much nke Cauliflower, 



■^' 



A HEAD OF WHITE CAPE BBOCCOLI. 



The Culture of Broccoli. 



Broccoli is a variety of the Cabbage species 

 having, in the type, the young infloresence con- 

 densed into a fleshy edible head, as shown in the 

 left hand flgure above. In this respect it re- 

 sembles the Cauliflower. It differs from that 

 variety by heading earlier in the season, as also 

 by the edible part being of a somewhat different 

 texture from that of the fonner. 



One variety of Broccoli has the branching 

 form of growth shown in the right hand figure. 

 This is called the Asparagus or Sprouting Broc- 

 coli. It is considerably esteemed in France 

 and other European countries, but we are not 

 aware of its being cultivated in this country. 



To gi"OW Broccoli successfully it is necessary to 

 have rich soil of a good depth, in an open situa- 

 tion, where the plants can have an abundance of 

 sun and air to keep them sturdy. The greatest 

 hindrance to its culture in America is its liability 

 to suffer from early droughts, for a severe dry 

 spell of three or four weeks duration may destroy 

 the whole crop. When the crop does succeed it 

 pays to those who raise it for market a handsome 

 profit. In the New York market Quinn tells us 

 that well-formed heads seldom bring less than 

 from twelve to fifteen dollars per hundred, and 

 always in brisk demand. The market is never 

 over-stocked with Broccoli. 



For early summer use the seed of the Broccoli 

 may be sown in the open ground about the 1st to 

 the 10th of September, and pricked out into cold 

 frames in the latter part of October. Before cold 

 weather these frames should be covered with 

 sash, and the young plants receive the same 

 treatment as that recommended for Early Cab- 

 bages. Early in April they may be transplanted 



the only difference being that the heads are a 

 creamy instead of a pure white. 



Purple Cape differs only in color from the 

 White Cape. In other respects it is very similar; 

 and when the plants are strong and healthy they 

 are of first quality, fully equal to any other sort. 



Notes on New Vegetables. 



BT A MASSACHUSETTS GROWER. 



A most important principle of Nature is 

 reproduction: the producing of new varieties. 

 For the last 10 or 1.5 years she has been un- 

 usually prolific in giving to ns improved 

 garden vegetables. For years I have made 

 buying and testing many of the new novelties 

 offered a specialty, thereby determining the 

 merits they possess over the older kinds. 



Early Cabbages.— Emiy Wakefield. This, as 

 first early, leads all others and is more widely 

 grown than any other. Although an old variety 

 it has been so increased in size from the original 

 type that the new select strains are much pro- 

 cured by market gardeners. Very reliable in 

 heading and fine in quality. 



Henderson '.1 Summer. This is a larger Cabbage 

 than the Wakefield, and has for some years ranked 

 in the estimation of market gardeners as next to 

 that variety in earliness, and as producing a 

 much heavier crop. Very reliable to head and 

 handling well in marketing. Quality good. 



Early Peerless. One of the latest introductions 

 of the early varieties. It is a cross between 

 Early Wakefield and the Improved Brunswick. 

 Larger than Hendereon, earlier, sure to head, 

 and remains longer without cracking than any 

 other known variety. Quality unsurpassed by 

 any other kind, remarkably sweet and tender. 



All Se<w!on.s. This is a still newer variety than 

 the preceding. It is a large growing Cabbage, 



head thick and soUd, very tender and good flavor. 

 An excellent second early variety. 



TFarner's Sto?ic Mamn. A later variety than 

 either of the preceding kinds. As a Cabbage for 

 extensive field culture and reliability for making 

 large, solid heads and keeping qualities for 

 winter marketing, this ranks as No. 1. QuaUty 

 fine grain, tender, and sweet. 



Detul Head. An improvement on that old and 

 well-known variety " Fottler's Brunswick." It 

 has a larger, deeper and more solid head than the 

 old type, and one of the most desirable for fall. 

 Early Peas.— Krs( and BcM. This variety has 

 been before the pubUc for a number of years, 

 and in our trials during that time has, as its name 

 implies, sustained the high claims made in its 

 favor. It is a smooth, white Pea, very produc- 

 tive, fine flavor, and matures in two pickings. 

 Alaska. This is claimed as the earliest variety 

 in the world. In trials the past two years it has 

 proved very early, but not as vigorous in habit 

 of growth as Fii-st and Best. A bluish Pea in 

 color, sweet, and ot fine flavor. 



BJws' American Wonder. Truly a remarkably 

 dwarf variety. Produced by crossing Champion 

 of England and Little Gem varieties. A Pea of 

 surpassing rich- 

 ness of flavor, 

 very dwarf in 

 habit of growth, 

 but producing 

 immense crops 

 of large, well 

 flUed pods. This 

 variety seems 

 better adapted 

 for family gar- 

 dens than other. 

 Ho r sf or d's 

 Market Garden 

 Pea. Inourtrials 

 of this variety 

 for the two past 

 years it has 

 pro ved the heav- 

 iest yielder of 

 any. Pods of 

 good size, peas 

 of sweet and rich 

 flavor, vine \ig- 

 orous and very 

 healthy. A deci- 

 ded acquisition. 

 Strategem. This 

 is a remarkably 

 large wrinkled 

 Pea of vigorous 

 growth, pods 

 large and well 

 filled with Peas of delicious flavor. Of aU varie- 

 ties of recent introduction this takes the lead. 

 Its only fault, rather tender about coming up. 

 A variety of great merit. 



Telephone. This, like the preceding variety, is 

 a large \'igorous growing Pea. Pod is very large, 

 five to six inches in length. Peas very tender and 

 unsurpassed in flavor. Every garden should try it. 

 Pride of the Market. Another novelty in Peas, 

 and highly esteemed by all who have tried it. 

 Grow about two feet high, branching laterally, 

 very productive. Peas large and fine flavored. 

 Early Beets, A very profitable crop in the 

 vicinity of large cities, and market gardeners 

 have sharp competition to get the first earliest. 

 Early Eclipse. Ever since its first introduction 

 this variety has taken the lead as the best early 

 kind. It possesses the fine qualities demanded 

 as a table beet in a greater degree than any of 

 the old varieties. Very rapid in growth of small 

 top, deep blood color, flue grain, very sweet. 



Early Bastiaus. A much prized variety with 

 market gardeners as a bunching beet. One im- 

 portant characteristic of this is that the beets 

 will gi'ow much thicker in the rows than other 

 kinds, allowing the seed to be sown thicker, and 

 the Beets to be pulled through the season, still 

 having a fair stand in the fall. Very sweet and 

 tender, but not as dark red as the Eclipse. 



Edmonds. This variety has not been promin- 

 ently before the public until within a few years. 

 Since it has become more widely known, its fine 

 table qualities, deep crimson red color, and sweet, 

 tender flesh, and the fact of its always growing 

 snuioth and handsome, make it eagerly sought 

 for by every market gardener who knows of its 

 supcrioiity ab<n-e the older varieties. 



Early Potatoes. Hampden Beauty. This va- 

 riety is one of the more recent introductions 

 among the soi-ts suitable for early market, 

 and has not been as extensively tested as 



ASPARAGUS OR BRANCHINQ BROCCOLI. 



