VEGETABLE GROWING. Ill 



Martynias. — The young seed pods of this plant are used for 

 pickling. The plants shoukl be fully three feet apart each way, 

 as they are of very spreading habit. 



Mushrooms. — This is a very peculiar crop, and one that is in 

 many respects quite difficult to grow. The best plan is as fol- 

 lows : — 



Take fresh horse manure and use only the finer portion of it, 

 shaking out all the straw and coarser part. Mix this with fresh 

 loam, one part of loam to two parts of manure, and turn every 

 day, to keep it from burning, until the fiery heat is nearly all out of 

 it. Prepare a bed, about four feet wide and as long as required ; 

 put in the mixture about eight inches in depth, making it very 

 solid as it is pat in. Let it remain in this condition until the tem- 

 perature of the mass has fallen to ninety degrees. Then make holes 

 two or three inches deep, at intervals of twelve inches each way, 

 into which put the spawn, using pieces about as large as a hen's 

 egg. Cover the spawn and let it remain for eight or ten da3's ; 

 then cover the whole bed with fine loam to the depth of two inches, 

 making it firm with the back of a shovel or spade. The bed must 

 be in a covered situation, and the prepared soil kept <:\vy from the 

 commencement ; and must be in a dark place with the temperature 

 at about fifty degrees. 



If everything is favorable, the mushrooms will appear in six or 

 eight weeks. As regards watering, every grower must use his own 

 judgment. 



MusKMELONS. — This crop differs materially in culture from the 

 watermelon, and must have land of good quality in order to suc- 

 ceed well, while the watermelon will produce a good crop, if pro- 

 perly treated, on land which most people would call poor. The 

 muskmelon will succeed best, other conditions being favorable, on 

 a recently turned soil. The best way is to turn the land over at the 

 proper time and then apply about five cords of manure broadcast, 

 using a spreader, if you have one. After harrowing thoroughly, 

 the ground should be marked off with furrows run six feet apart 

 each way. A shovelful of manure should be applied in each of 

 the hills ; which should be slightly raised, so that water will not 

 stand around the plants. Seven or eight seeds should be put into 

 a hill, so as to make due allowance for insects. After the plants 

 have got their fourth leaf well out and have obtained a good start, 

 they should be thinned to three in a hill. Cultivate both ways 



