THE GENESEE FARMER. 



153 



" They were taken out of their winter quarters yester- 

 day. The canes are strong, and the buds large and 

 healthy. Bending them down in this way, and putting a 

 little soil on them, is the only way to make sure of a good 

 crop of raspberries. The winter has been so mild that it 

 was unnecessary this year, but this could not be known 

 beforehand." 



"The blackberries were left uncovered. They were 

 trained to straight sticks last year, but this year, as you 

 see, we are arching them over — tying two hills together 

 across the rows, and leaving the stakes to train the young 

 shoots to, so that they will be out of the way." 



"Yes. The plan first recommended was to train them 



VvmV^WX^A' 





thin out. Onions and carrots, especially the Early Short- 

 horn, can be thinned out after they are large enough to eat. 

 In fact, these young carrots are more delicate than when 

 older and larger." 



"Oh, of course, always sow in drills. Who that has 

 once had to weed onion beds would sow broadcast? It is 

 less labor, and the hoeing benefits the crop. Nothing like 

 the hoe. It weeds and waters and manures all at the 

 same operation." 



" The potato was by no means popular when first in- 

 troduced, and its botanical brother, the tomato, as Buist 

 says, was 'almost detested' in this ' country thirty-five 

 years ago. Ten years later, it was the great panacea for 

 all the ills that flesh is heir to, and the patent 

 medicine men advertised all sorts of 'extracts 

 of Tomato.' Now it occupies as much ground 

 as the cabbage, and is found in every garden 

 throughout the United States. Everybody 

 likes it. It is good in all forms, in all seasons, 

 raw or roasted, stuffed or stewed, canned or 

 pickled, in summer or winter. It can be 

 raised so easily and produces so abundantly 

 that its culture has been recommended to far- 

 mers as a crop for their milch cows." 



"Start them in a hot-bed and prick them 

 out into a cold frame, wheu an inch or two 

 high. This will give you early and stocky 

 plants." 



" One of the most successful tomato grow- 

 ers in this city tells me that he finds the plants 

 which spring up from self-sown seed produce 

 almost as early a crop as those raised in a hot- 

 bed. He prefers a warm, light, sandy soil, not 

 too rich. If too rich, they are apt to run all 

 to vines, but this may be prevented by pinch- 

 ing them in thoroughly." 



LAWTON BLACKBERRIES TRAINED ON WIRES. 



to a couple of wires stretched along the rows and fastened 

 to posts at each end." 



"As you say, it is perhaps true that most gardeners sow 

 peas too thick, yet for an early crop I like thick seeding. 

 It seems to be a well established fact that thick seeding 

 is favorable to early maturity. The plants being thick on 

 the ground are ehecked somewhat in their growth, and 

 thrown into premature fruitfulness, just as dwarfing a 

 pear or apple will make it bear earlier. I have just sown 

 a quart of Daniel O'Rourke in a row seventy feet long. 

 The usual allowance is one quart for a row one hundred 

 feet long. The English rule, I believe, is thirty peas for 

 each lineal foot, for the early dwarf kinds; and for the 

 late marrowfats, only twelve peas to the foot." 



"I have heard of planting peas in hills three to five 

 feet apart, and poling them like beans, and the plan 

 strikes me favorably. They would get plenty of light 

 and air. Five or six peas in each hill is enough." 



"I believe in plenty of seed for all crops. You may 

 calculate that 25 per cent, will not germinate, and 25 per 

 cent, be killed after it has germinated, and another 25 per 

 cent, of the plants be killed after they are up, by cold 

 rains, winds, etc. ! Sow enough to insure a crop and then 



" Salsify, or vegetable oyster, is getting to 

 be quite popular — as it deserves to be. At this season of 

 the year nothing is nicer, when properly cooked. Like 

 the parsnep, it can remain in the ground all winter. Cul- 

 tivate as you do carrots." 



" This ground where the celery was last year, is just 

 the ground for beets — rich and deep. Sow a few radish 

 seeds along the rows. They will mark the rows and ena- 

 ble you to hoe before the weeds get the upper hand. 

 The radishes will be ready to pull before the beets need 

 thinning." 



"For a winter crop, sow the blood beet about the last 

 of May." 



"Buist says, 'those who can plant corn can plant Lima 

 beans.' True enough; but it is one thing to plant and 

 another to reap the fruit. Lima beans are planted in hills 

 like corn, and some seasons require no more care. But 

 often the first sowing perishes, and you must replant, 

 and then the crop is apt to be late and poor. Make a 

 good hill of warm, rich earth ; work it over till it is as 

 fine as an ash heap. Plant eight or ten seeds in each hill. 

 If three grow, it is enough. If more, thin out. The 

 poles should be twelve feet high, and it is better to stick 



