vi Preface 



growing of temperate vegetables in the cool season has 

 not been carried to the extent to which it is capable. 

 With a sufficient demand, good crops of many of the 

 improved temperate vegetables can be raised even in 

 the intertropical regions, either in the lowlands in the 

 cool season, or preferably at elevations of a few thou- 

 sand feet. 



The directions in this book are based mainly on 

 Florida practice, but the publications of the United 

 States Experiment Stations, and of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, together with the horti- 

 cultural literature of the tropical countries, have been 

 laid under contribution. 



The fertilizer formulas given in the book are such 

 as have been successful in certain cases, but must be 

 regarded as tentative only. A vegetable-grower, by 

 trying different mixtures on his own soil and crop, may 

 improve the formulas which the experience of others 

 gives him as a starting point. Exact or definite for- 

 mulas are to be regarded only as guides or suggestions, 

 and never as prescriptions. There is so much yet to 

 be done in the application of knowledge to the growing 

 of vegetables, that a useful book on this subject must 

 still consist mainly of results based on experience. 



Farmers' Bulletins of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture are sent free on application to the Sec- 

 retary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Other pub- 

 lications of the Department of Agriculture, for which 

 a low price is charged, are obtainable from the Super- 

 intendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, 

 Washington, D.C. 



The Bulletins of the State Experiment Stations are 



