204 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



they are a good vegetable. Spinach is often sown in the 

 spring between early peas, cabbage, potatoes or other slow 

 growing crops. For earliest spring use, seed of the hardiest 

 kinds should be sown in this section the latter part of August. 

 The plants should grow well and attain a good size during 

 the cool weather of autumn, and on the approach of winter 

 they should be covered with about two inches of straw, hay 

 or similar material. When thus treated the crop generally 

 comes through the winter in this section without injury and 

 after making a little growth in the spring is marketable. It. 

 is harvested by cutting the plants off at the top of the ground. 

 For this purpose a short push hoe is run under the plants. 

 They are then freed from dead leaves and after being washed 

 are ready for marketing. Spinach requires a very rich soil 

 and plenty of well rotted manure. To secure the best results 

 from early spring sowings, it will pay those raising it for mar- 

 ket, to use nitrate of soda on the land in small quantities, say, 

 two applications at the rate of seventy-five pounds per acre at 

 intervals of two weeks after the crop has started. This ma- 

 terial has a wonderful effect on early leaf crops. Where 

 nitrate of soda is not used, hen manure is very desirable. 

 The effect of nitrate of soda in this crop is very marked and 

 often results in more than doubling its size. Spinach gener- 

 ally is very free from insects and fungous diseases. 



Varieties. There are a number of varieties of spinach dif- 

 fering in earliness, hardiness and in the time they remain in 

 edible condition, as well as in many minor matters. Among 

 the best are the following: 



Long Standing. An excellent sort for spring and sum- 

 mer sowing, since it stands longer than any other sort before 

 going to seed. 



Prickly, or Winter. A prickly seeded variety that is very 

 popular. It will withstand very severe weather without seri- 

 ous injury if lightly protected by hay or straw and is. prob- 

 ably, the best sort for autumn planting in this section. 



Bloomsdale. A fine, hardy sort with long, curled 

 leaves of excellent quality. Very hardy. 



TOMATO. [Lycopersicum esculentum.) 

 Native of South America. — Perennial, but generally treated 



