IN THE EVERGLADES 61 



grown too thickly in the seed bed, each plant can be raised with 

 a quantity of earth, as they have a strong tendency to collect a 

 solid bunch of earth if they are carefully removed. Particular 

 stress should be laid upon the importance of this, and for this 

 reason the bed should be well watered not only the evening 

 previous to their removal from the same, but also copious applica- 

 tions of water should be given in- the morning before taking 

 them up. If they are well firmed in moist soil very few plants 

 will be lost in transplanting. However, if the soil should be at 

 all dry or the weather unusually warm, they must be well watered 

 upon being transplanted. Great care must be taken not to plant 

 them too deep, and while they can be planted slightly deeper 

 than they stood in the seed bed originally, they must be planted 

 shallower at all times than the tomato. 



The land upon which they are to be set out should receive, 

 about a week or ten days previous to the planting, an application 

 of 500 or 600 pounds of vegetable fertilizer and this should be 

 thoroughly worked in the rows. Planting, however, can be done 

 immediately after a rain, being, of course, careful to again render 

 thoroughly fine and loosen the soil directly before setting out. 

 Applications of fertilizer should be given about two weeks apart 

 throughout the growing season, which in this country would be 

 from September I until May 15 following. In fact, I have sold 

 peppers profitably as late as June 20, depending largely upon the 

 seasons in the North. 



It is customary to give a liberal application of fertilizer, say 

 500 or 600 pounds, after each picking, and this should be kept 

 up regardless of prices, which are likely to fluctuate considerably 

 throughout the season. I have frequently seen them sell as low 

 as $1.00 per one-half barrel up to as high as $6.00 for the same 

 crate, inside of thirty days. It is, therefore, advisable to keep up 

 steady applications of fertilizers, as they will stop bearing at once 

 should this process cease. The wise grower will therefore apply 

 fertilizer regularly, whereas his more ignorant competitor will 

 often cease putting on fertilizer should the price become very low, 

 and the man who is up to his business will gain by having a heavy 



