CHAPTER XV 



SUCCESS WITH SPECIALTIES 



While the prize gardens usually contained a full 

 assortment of vegetables, and often of fruit and flowers 

 also, the description in many cases showed that the 

 gardener was more or less of a specialist with some 

 one or two crops. He had grown these leading crops 

 with distinct success and was thoroughly at home 

 in relating the details of their management. Many 

 of these special descriptions are included in the general 

 garden accounts in other chapters, the others are 

 grouped together here under the various crop headings. 



Potatoes in Nezv Jersey. — In northern and central 

 New Jersey white potatoes are a staple crop, and the 

 methods are labor-saving and businesslike. They are 

 well described by A. Engle Haines, a Burlington 

 county grower. A rotation followed brings potatoes on 

 same ground once in five years, corn being the preced- 

 ing crop. After husking in November, New York 

 horse manure of best quality is spread on rye, which 

 is sown to plow down, at the rate of twelve tons per 

 acre. Plowing is commenced about April i. 



The seed is purchased in Aroostook county, 

 Maine. Fertilizer is applied at the rate of one thousand 

 pounds per acre, in rows two feet nine inches apart. 

 Rows of this width are desirable on account of vines 

 covering ground entirely before hot weather. Ferti- 

 lizer should not have less than ten per cent potash. 



The seed is cut, as far as possible, to one eye, and 

 plaster put on immediately. Cutting should be done 



