THE SEEDS OF VICTORY INSURE THE FRUITS OF PEACE 13 



SWEET POTATOES 



Sweet potatoes are grown mostly in the 

 Southern States or where there is warm, 

 sandy soil, and are not especially recom- 

 mended for the home garden. If space 

 permits a few plants may be grown. 



If you wish to grow your own plants 

 start a hotbed about six weeks before apple- 

 blossom time. Place 5 or 6 inches of sand 

 over the manure in the hotbed and lay 

 down small, healthy sweet pota- 

 toes, close together but not touch- 

 ing. Cover them with one or two 

 inches of sand ; water occasionally 

 to keep slightly moist. Sprouts 

 will soon begin to grow and 

 immediately send out roots into 

 the sand. When these sprouts 

 are four or more inches long they 

 may be pulled from the potatoes 

 and are rooted and ready to be 

 planted. They need not be pulled, 

 however, until time to plant them 

 in the garden, when all danger of 

 frost is past. They should be set 

 14 inches apart in rows 36 to 60 

 inches apart. If only a few plants 

 are wanted they should be pur- 

 chased from a seedsman, as the 

 trouble involved in growing them 

 in small quantities is too great to 

 make it worth while. 



On land which is not thorougly 

 drained the plants should be set 

 on ridges -and these should be 

 made broad, as narrow ridges 

 will dry out too rapidly. The 

 ridges should be maintained during 

 the entire growing season. 



Sweet potatoes should be dug 

 when the soil is dry and the 

 weather bright, before there is 

 danger of hard frosts. A spading 

 fork may be used in digging them. 

 Guard against bruising or injuring 

 them in digging and handling. 

 Let the roots lie out to dry for two 

 or three hours after digging. 



Asparagus 



Fig. 16 Lima bean vine 

 on pole. 



Use strong plants two years old, 

 which may be purchased from seedsmen. Set 

 them 18 inches apart, in rows 3 feet apart. 

 The rows should be 8 to 10 inches deep, with 

 width of 6 to 8 inches at bottom. After 

 spreading out roots cover crowns with 2 

 inches of soil. With the growth of the 

 shoots gradually fill in with earth until 

 level with surface. Careful cultivation is 

 required during the season. A small bed 

 heavily manured will furnish plants for 

 2 or 3 persons. 



Beans 



Beans form a staple crop which may be 

 raised in almost every climate. They need a 

 rich soil which holds moisture, but is well 

 drained. Frequent shallow cultivation must 

 be given and they must be kept growing with- 



out a check until harvested. Never cultivate 

 while moisture is on vines. 



Beans are susceptible to cold and for sure 

 results they should not be planted until 

 danger of frost is past. So little trouble is in- 

 volved in bean planting, however, that it is a 

 good plan to take a chance on making the first 

 planting as soon as the ground is reasonably 

 warm. If the first planting should be killed 

 by frost there is a good chance that the second 

 will come up and that it will 

 mature early. In this way a crop 

 will be assured early enough 

 to make it worth while to take the 

 small risk involved in the possible 

 loss of the early planting. 



Dry shell beans are planted and 

 treated the same as string beans 

 are planted and treated. The 

 beans are allowed to mature in the 

 pods. They should be thoroughly 

 dried, shelled and stored as directed 

 for storage of seed on page 32. 



String and lima beans are grown 

 alike. There are two sorts of each 

 low bush vines and bean vines 

 that climb poles. Pole beans are 

 best for small gardens. 



Plant beans and bush limas 1 

 inch deep, 4 to 6 inches apart in 

 rows. 



Make successive plantings every 

 ten days until hot weather. In 

 late summer make successive 

 plantings of string beans until 

 eight weeks before the usual time 

 of first frost. 



Plant pole beans and pole 

 limas in hills 1 inch deep, 4 seeds 

 to hill, hills 3 feet apart. Thin to 

 2 plants to the hill. Before plant- 

 ing fix firmly in each hill a pole 5 

 to 6 feet long. If desired have 

 two rows of hills and slant the 

 poles so that each set of 4 may 

 be tied together at the top like an 

 Indian teepee. This prevents the 

 poles from falling, but reduces the 

 yield of the vines. 



Help the vines to start twining 

 around the poles from right to left. 

 Note: Plant lima beans with the "eyes" 

 of the seed downward. 



Beets 



Sow seed rather thickly in row, using 1 oz. 

 to 50 feet, but thin the young plants by 

 pulling until the survivors are 4 inches apart. 

 The pulled plants make fine greens for cook- 

 ing or canning. 



Brussels Sprouts 



Grown like cabbage. 



Cabbage 



Set plants from indoor seed boxes or 

 pots 15 inches apart in rows, the rows be- 

 ing 30 inches apart. Between these rows 



