26 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, [1895. 



but as it becomes warmer it will use considerable. The only variety 

 that is wanted in the market here, is the white seed tennis ball, or 

 one of the strains of big Boston, during the winter. 



When it comes to summer or outdoor lettuce there is probably 

 nothing that gives as good satisfaction as the black seed tennis ball. 



During the summer lettuce grows quite readily, but owing to its 

 keeping so poorly, both in the field and in the market, it is not used 

 very extensively ; and then we have many summer vegetables that do 

 not last long that call for our attention. 



Cucumbers are another of the gardeners' standard early crops. 

 They are mostly grown in beds and houses, when the weather becomes 

 so warm the glass is no longer needed for growing lettuce, and as 

 they require more heat than most vegetables, are a desirable crop to 

 have under glass during hot weather. They will generally do fairly 

 well in a lettuce-house in early spring, but it is generally considered 

 that it is about as profitable, with sash particularly, not to start them 

 until the weather gets warm. While the later ones do not sell so high 

 there is generally a better crop. 



When not troubled with disease they will continue to bear nice 

 cucumbers a long time, but of late there has been much complaint, 

 both here and in the eastern part of the State. There seems to be 

 only one variety that is desirable to raise for market under glass 

 here, and that is the white spine, some strains of which are very 

 fine. They are also the standard variety for planting out in the 

 field where slicers are wanted, but are not good for pickles, as they 

 do not set so much fruit as some of the smaller varieties and are not 

 so good shaped when small. The standard variety for pickles for 

 this market is the Boston pickling, where the demand is mostly for 

 small and medium pickles. Pickles do best if planted after the 20th 

 of June, and are usually early enough if planted the first week in July. 



Cabbage is another of our vegetables that we have most of the 

 year, and that are in the market all the time. Early cabbage can 

 well be called a garden vegetable, but the later ones are more of a 

 farm crop. It is very probable that there are more cabbage raised 

 and sold than of any other vegetable, potatoes excepted, and in many 

 places they are considered a very profitable crop. 



Early cabbage has always seemed to me to be, as one of our largest 

 gardeners once told me they were with him, "The most uncertain 

 crop I grow." When they do well they are a very nice crop to 

 handle, as they are easy to keep free from weeds and leave the 

 ground in fine condition for a late crop. 



