GARDEN VEGETABLES. 55 



about Ma}' 25, sowing the second crop of beets the same day. 

 The first crop of beets was harvested the 29 th of June. On the 

 10th of July, the first crop of beets being off and the second grow- 

 ing, he plowed for and planted the third crop of beets between the 

 rows of the second. 



Mr. Rawson understood from this that Mr. Tapley got only two 

 crops of beets — two half crops and one whole one, and Mr. Tap- 

 ley agreed that it did not show successive crops out of the same 

 rows, but still thought the ground had yielded three full crops 

 of beets b}' the method of successive plantings in alternate rows. 



Mr. Faxon remarked that he had described in his paper only 

 such methods of culture as might be commonly practised. He 

 had given advice suited to amateurs, rather than that drawn from 

 the experience of the most expert professionals. He had sought 

 to avoid leading the less experienced gardeners into failures and 

 disappointments. 



Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott thought that new ideas ought to be 

 brought home to the average farmer. He will seldom accord 

 to his family garden the conditions essential to success, as regards 

 soil, fertilizers, convenience of location, etc. The need of liberal 

 and judicious fertilization is far from being generally understood. 

 Tlie quality of soil ordinarily called good is poor. Some country' 

 neighbors of hers once spoke of land that had not been manured 

 for twent}' j'ears as good land, only needing " another warming 

 up " like that they remembered it once had. It was evident they 

 had no thought of an annual treatment of the kind as expedient. 



She concurred with the essayist in what he had said of the 

 crimson celeries, but those who buy and sell in the market appear 

 to value, more than actual quality, the mere name and reputation of 

 the "Boston Market" kind. The variety bearing this name, 

 whether in celery or peas, is always a prime favorite. She would 

 like to hear from any one present how to insure success in grow- 

 ing cauliflowers. 



Mr. Rawson replied that the best cultivators do well if they 

 succeed with cauliflowers three times out of four. There was one 

 season, about five 3ears ago, when every one succeeded, and since 

 then scarcely any one has. This result, he thought, was not 

 from any fault in the seed ; it was probably due to lack of moist- 

 ure. Any prolonged period of drought, even eight or ten days, 

 unrelieved by artificial watering, is very detrimental to this crop. 



