250 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



for, makes strong, sturdy plants. At planting rake the 

 surface thoroughly again with a sharp, close-toothed rake 

 and either drill or sow seed broadcast. The drill is pre- 

 ferable but if broadcast lightly rake the seed in and either 

 roll or firm the soil thoroughly, as there is much seed lost 

 by neglecting this part. The seed-beds are generally made 

 from four to six feet wide, leaving room between each 

 bed to weed and clip them, which constitutes the after 

 care except to keep them moist. Keep as free from weeds 

 as possible, and when the plants get about three inches 

 high, clip the tops about half way down, and when they 

 get three or four inches high, if not ready to plant, clip 

 again, as the keeping of tops back makes the roots strong. 



Planting in the Field. The land should be thoroughly 

 cleaned of trash and given early and thorough prepara- 

 tion as will be described in the chapter on corn. In 

 Orange county planting in the early part of June brings 

 the crop for Thanksgiving and in July for the holidays 

 and later in the winter. Laying off for planting is done 

 by taking off all but the three inside discs of a disc har- 

 row, attaching a shovel plow in the middle and close be- 

 hind the harrow, and following this with a 5 or 6-foot 

 roller with a raised belt around the center, which runs in 

 the plow furrow and forms a compact trench about 6 

 inches deep. Four feet is the usual distance between the 

 trenches, and the plants are set 6 inches apart in the bot- 

 tom of the trench. 



A full crew of planters is ten men ; one to lay out the 

 furrows, one spacer or marker, who has an implement 

 which makes from four to twelve holes at a time, depend- 

 ing on size of tool used. There are also four planters and 

 four plant pullers. It is the duty of the first man to draw 

 the furrows as straight and as near equi-distant as possi- 

 ble, give general supervision of the planting and see that 

 the pullers use judgment in preparing the plants. Unless 

 the plants have been recently clipped in the bed, both tops 

 and roots need clipping when pulled, so as to leave the 

 main or taproot about two and one-half or three inches 



