168 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1892. 



the quality is unsurpassed. In addition to these the Imperial 

 Head, Deer's Tongue, and others of the brown or purple 

 lettuce will be found very fine for the amateur, but the color 

 hurts them for market. 



In starting; Cucumbers for o^rowth under glass the seed should 

 be sown broadcast on fresh, strong heat that will bring the 

 plants up in two or three days, then keep the bed aired freely 

 to make the plants strong and stocky, and when the second set 

 of leaves begin to break out, transplant them into pots or old 

 strawberry baskets, always choosing a still sunny day. Keep 

 them well aired to prevent them getting spindling, and when 

 the second crop of lettuce is out set them in the fruiting bed, 

 one hill of not over three vines to each sash, give them plenty 

 of water and as much heat as possible without burning ; if the 

 vines get scorched they never get wholly over it. 



The Tomato is one of the most popular and desirable of the 

 summer vegetables and will well repay the best of care. In 

 growing the plants in the beds and the subsequent care in the 

 field, the seed should be sown on good strong heat, March 20. 

 Transplant twice, the first time two inches apart each way 

 on fresh heat, the second time five inches apart on a very 

 little heat ; when they are well rooted and growing, air 

 them freely in fine weather, to prevent their growing too 

 fast, take the glass off ten days or two weeks before setting 

 them in the field, covering them with shutters at night if there 

 is danger of frost. When set in the field the rows should 

 be five feet apart, and the plants four or four and a half feet 

 apart. The soil should be a warm sandy loam, highly ma- 

 nured the fall before. If manured with green manure in the 

 spring it causes too rank a growth of vines and late imperfect 

 fruit; use phosphate or hen manure compost in the hill. A 

 side-hill sloping to the east or south is better than a level piece. 



Cabbages are a very important crop and the early crop must 

 be started under glass by sowing the seed on old heat the last 

 week in February or the first week in March, and transplanting 

 them two and a half inches apart in fine rich soil without heat ; 

 there should be some manure under the soil to keep it light and 

 warm, but not enough to make heat under them ; ventilate them 



