98 THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE. 



23 inches long, having two heads, each 12 inches square. 

 The price in Chicago market begins at six cents and 

 gets as low as one cent per pound." 



A Wisconsin Specialist. — In the region about the 

 great lakes are many rhubarb specialists, who devote 

 large areas to the crop, and ship much of the product 

 south and east to the large cities. The business of 

 winter forcing elsewhere described in this volume, has 

 reached great development in the section to which allu- 

 sion has been made. One of the most extensive growers 

 of the open-air crop is Mr. F. S. Thompson, of Wiscon- 

 sin, whose annual yield of 100 tons or more requires 

 10 to 15 acres devoted to the plant in various stages 

 of growth. His methods may be summarized as fol- 

 lows : — 



A black, sandy loam is preferred. If sod land is 

 used it is worked one season before setting to rhubarb. 

 In the spring the surface is heavily manured, then the 

 land is plowed deep and well harrowed, leveled with a 

 drag, rolled, and the rows marked. Ashes, bone meal, 

 or hen manure are sometimes added as an extra dressing 

 when available. Plants, usually obtained by division 

 of old roots, are set 4 x 4 or 4 x 5 feet, according to the 

 variety of rhubarb. Every ninth row is left unplanted 

 to allow a driveway for teams in tending and harvesting 

 the crop. Holes for planting are made with a spade. 

 Several shovelfuls of manure are put in with each 

 plant. The plants are set crowns level Avith the ground. 

 Stalks are not pulled from new beds until the third 

 season. 



During the season the cultivator is run often enough 

 to keep down the weeds. Late in the fall, any remain- 

 ing weeds are pulled up and carried away, also the leaves 

 and refuse, to prevent frost being held by them in the 



