SPINACH SPRAYING 207 



early spring vegetable, being in great demand as greens. 

 The earliest crop that finds its way to market is gathered 

 from seed sown in September or October, often pro- 

 tected by frames or other means through the severe winter, 

 and cut soon after growth starts in early spring. Even as 

 far north as New York Spinach may stand over winter with- 

 out protection. Spinach is forced by placing sash over 

 the frames in February and March, protecting the young 

 leaves from severe freezing by mats or straw thrown over 

 the frames. Seed may be sown in early spring for a succes- 

 sion ; later in the season seed of the New Zealand Summer 

 Spinach- may be sown, and this will grow through the heat 

 of the summer and yield a fine quality of leaves. The seed 

 of this kind being very hard, should be scalded and 

 allowed to soak a few hours before sowing. This seed is 

 usually sown in hills about three feet apart, sowing four to 

 six seed in each hill. The spring and winter Spinach should 

 be sown in drills 12 to 14 inches apart, one ounce being suf- 

 ficient for 100 feet of drill. Remember that common 

 Spinach is a cool-weather (fall and spring) crop. 



Spraying. Of late years Spraying has come to 

 be one of the most important of all horticultural operations. 

 Most kinds of injurious fungi and insects can be combated 

 by a water spray in which various poisons or injurious sub- 

 stances are contained. There are two general classes of 

 Spraying material : first, fungicides, or those which are 

 used for the control of fungi or plant diseases ; second, in- 

 secticides, or those which are used for the control of in- 

 sect enemies. 



The fungicides usually contain copper or sulfur, or both. 

 The most popular and generally useful fungicide is the 

 Bordeaux mixture (which see). It should be borne in mind 

 that most injurious fungi work on the interior of the leaf or 

 stem, and only the spore-bearing parts come to the surface. 

 It is therefore very important that Spraying with fungicides 

 be done very early in order to prevent the fungus from get- 



