84 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1896. 



know as it had any special mission in the world, but it came at a time 

 of year when people were "hankerin" for something "yaller." So 

 with the plant, it comes at a time when people are hankering for some- 

 thing to use vinegar on. In the family garden the question of earliness 

 is not as important a factor as in the market garden, where a day or 

 two makes a great difference in the price, but certain rules apply 

 equally in both cases. All of the most hardy vegetables will not only 

 be earlier, but will produce better crops by early planting. It is a 

 mistake to say there is nothing gained by putting seed into the ground 

 until it has got warm. Spinach, lettuce, onions and peas all germinate 

 at a low temperature and all do the best while the ground is moist and 

 comparatively cool, and should all 1)e planted as soon as the ground is 

 dry enough to work ; none of them are injured by freezing after they 

 break ground. In the family garden a wider range of varieties may 

 be indulged in than in the market garden, though in many cases the 

 best for market will also be found best for home use. In spinach, 

 the round, thick leaf has proved the most satisfactory with me. In 

 the last few years there has been considerable trouble with spinach 

 ruuning to seed early ; it would be better to pay an extra price for 

 selected seed than to take any chances with the common qualit>\ In 

 lettuce, the Black Seed Tennis Ball is as good as there is ; to this might 

 be added the Hanson, Boston Curled and Imperial Head ; the latter is a 

 bronze lettuce and is of very fine quality. The Boston Curled is very 

 attractive to the eye, but for table use a little will go a good ways. 

 Of onions, the Yellow Globe Danvers is a standard sort, but the 

 Cracker is preferred by many for family use. The potato and the top 

 onions are excellent varieties and mature much earlier than those from 

 seed. For spring and early summer use, the small onions of the pre- 

 vious season's growth may be set out as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground, and in a few weeks will be fit to pull. The small onion sets 

 put out at the same time will succeed these and keep up the supply till 

 those from seed are ready. 



Of the early peas there is but little choice, all of them Ijeing about 

 the same thing under different names. I have found the Alaska the 

 most satisfactory. These, differ from the other early peas in that the 

 dry peas are green instead of yellow and the pods are a brighter green, 

 resembling more closely the later varieties. The early varieties, 

 though not as nice as the' later ones, will be found very good if used 

 when about three-quarters grown, but if allowed to get full grown you 

 will not be in a hurry for the second mess, unless you are very fond 

 of peas. For a second early, McLean's Advancer takes the lead ; they 



