260 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



Field Planting. Plow the field deeply early in the winter and 

 keep down weeds by shallow cultivation until planting time, when 

 danger of frost is past. The chile plant is very sensitive to cold. 

 May 1 is a good time for planting. Mark fields off in rows 4~/ 2 

 feet apart and set 2*/2 feet apart in rows. Should the weather be 

 dry and irrigation necessary plow a furrow beside each mark and 

 run water in these furrows before and after planting, and if the 

 weather be very hot two or three irrigations may be necessary to 

 start plants. Always allow 24 hours after irrigating before plants 

 are set, unless soil is very sandy. Then work may commence 

 sooner. 



When through with the irrigation furrows, plow back and 

 cultivate the land until level as before. Keep soil in good growing 

 condition always. When plants are 12 to 15 inches high use a 

 ridger (such as is used in raising levees for irrigation checks) with 

 plenty of space open behind and straddle each row, thus drawing 

 the earth to each side of plant and giving it support. Water may 

 be run down these rows at this time. As plants grow make the 

 ridge wider with a crowder run in between each row. This ridge 

 will keep plants from breaking down so readily when laden with 

 fruit, and when fruit strikes the ground it will not decay so readily 

 because the ridge will be dry. Do not make your first ridging too 

 high, and do not do the work too late ; if so, the first setting will be 

 greatly injured by pushing the earth against the fruit, thus leaving 

 no room for it to grow, and many pods will be curly and eaten by 

 bugs. 



Gathering and Curing. During September the fruit will be- 

 gin to ripen, the time of ripening depending upon the soil and the 

 care of the crop. In sandy soil the fruit will ripen quicker than 

 in deep sediment. If the plants lack moisture they will ripen much 

 faster, which looks well, but they should be kept green as long as 

 possible. It pays better in the end. 



The crop should be picked as each setting ripens ; go over the 

 field three or four times. A pod should be left on the vine until 

 of a dark red and it has lost its hardness, being somewhat pliable. 

 Have the crop gathered in large baskets, but they should be 

 hauled in boxes rather than sacks, as they are less liable to be 

 bruised, and a bruised pod is liable to decay unless dried at once. 

 If peppers are to be dried on strings, have them dumped on a table 

 or on the ground, as you prefer. Allow 24 to 48 hours for stems 



