PEPPERS 



283 



may be sown in hotbeds in very early spring, and one or two plant- 

 ings are made in the beds. After all danger of frost is over and the 

 cut-worms are gone, the plants may be transplanted to the garden 

 and put in rows about three feet apart and at nearly the same dis- 

 tance between the plants in the rows. Rich black soil is preferred. 

 Frequently the plants are badly affected with flea beetles, or 

 other leaf-eating insects. They should be dusted with tobacco 

 dust, or sprayed with arsenical poisons, the latter being more ef- 

 fective. Black Beauty and Improved Purple are two varieties 

 popular among market gardeners. 



FIG. 188. Sweet peppers are harvested in both the green and ripe condition. (New Jersey 



Station.) 



Peppers. (Fig. 188). This is another hot weather crop. The 

 plants are started in hotbeds in early spring and transplanted after 

 all danger of frost is over. The plants are set about two feet apart 

 in rows three feet apart. Very rich soil is preferred. It is almost 

 impossible to apply too much manure if enough moisture is present. 

 Clean culture should be practiced until danger of breaking over 

 the plants. 



Two kinds of <jrops are harvested from the same plant, the 

 green peppers and the ripe peppers. Some markets handle both 

 the green and the ripe peppers and consumers often use both kinds. 



The culture for the small hot pepper is similar to that of the 



