256 PRIZE GARDENING 



kept garden. One man can do more with it in two 

 hours than he can in a whole day with the old- 

 fashioned kind.— [E. S. Phelps. 



Grozving and Shozving Vegetables. — There can be 

 no general rule regarding the proper size of vegetables 

 or fruits for exhibition, but the present custom of 

 exhibiting vegetables of a smaller size than formerly 

 is a great improvement. This applies particularly to 

 such vegetables as potatoes, beets, carrots and parsnips, 

 as the tendency of these is to grow too large ; but with 

 such as salsify and horse-radish, the larger they are 

 (providing they are fairly smooth) the better. To 

 have any of these roots in good condition to exhibit, 

 they should be matured, or nearly so, and to get the 

 plumpness and color which is desirable they should 

 have an abundance of potash. 



The tendency to give prizes to extra large speci- 

 mens of potatoes is not encouraged at this time, and, 

 as the exhibitors are after prizes, if the judges rec- 

 ognize only medium-sized, smooth specimens, those 

 will soon be the kind exhibited. I have raised potatoes 

 of fair quality and smoothness on very heavily manured 

 market garden land, but they are not a crop that 

 responds to heavy manuring. 



To grow the best and handsomest potatoes pos- 

 sible, I would use no manure the year the potatoes are 

 planted, but from one thousand to two thousand pounds 

 good fertilizer per acre, about one-half broadcast and 

 one-half in the drill, thoroughly mixed, using large 

 seed cut to two-eye pieces, and planted early in May 

 in drills eighteen to twenty-two inches by thirty to 

 forty-two inches apart, the latter distances for the late 

 varieties. Give thorough cultivation and plenty of 

 paris green and bordeaux mixture, and you should 

 have potatoes of the best quality. 



