BOOK OF THE HOME GARDEN 



until the tops turn brown if you want them large. 

 Pull the whole plant up when the tops are brown 

 and fallen over, and leave them in the sun a N few 

 hours to dry off, then store away in a dark, cool, 

 dry place. 



Carrots are best eaten when young. Test them 

 as you do radishes and beets, and pull the whole 

 plant up. If they come up hard and break, use 

 your garden fork to loosen the soil. 



Cabbages are tested the same as lettuce only the 

 heads grow much harder. When they are as hard 

 as bullets either cut the plant at the root or twist 

 it root and all until it comes out of the soil. If 

 necessary loosen the soil with your garden fork. 

 The outside or loose leaves are not used but can be 

 fed to the chickens or put into your compost heap. 



Muskmelons are always sweetest when allowed 

 to ripen on the vine. Melons that we buy at the 

 stores have generally come long distances by train 

 and so are picked before they are ripe. You want 

 to have all the sweetness the sun and warmth can 

 give you, so test them this way : Raise the melon off 

 the ground and gently bend at the stem. If the 

 stem parts company with the melon easily, you 

 will know it is ripe. You can also tell by the odor. 

 Always cool melons before you eat them, or pick 



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