SECTION I 



VEGETABLES FOR EXHIBITION 



AL vegetables required for show purposes must be 

 accorded special individual treatment, from the seed 

 to the matured plant a careful, painstaking, watchful 

 system of culture, entirely different from the general procedure. 

 The results depend almost entirely upon the skill and perse- 

 verance of the would-be exhibitor, and the attention he lavishes 

 upon his plants. It also depends upon the rules and require- 

 ments of the show authorities as to how the growth of the 

 produce is to be guided and controlled in order to bring forth the 

 style of vegetable in demand. As a general rule, a selection is 

 made from seeds offered by firms of repute, and these are sown 

 upon a choice bed of rich soil, a few being dropped at intervals 

 of several inches. In the case of long-rooted vegetables, a hole 

 is made with a long dibble the deeper and wider the better ; 

 this is filled with very rich, friable soil, upon which a few seeds 

 are sown. In every case, a careful examination of the seedlings 

 are made as soon as they are large enough for their character 

 and quality to be clearly observable ; one plant the strongest 

 and healthiest is chosen, all the others being pulled out. The 

 remaining plant will hereafter be regarded as a precious thing 

 something to be jealously guarded, zealously cultivated, and 

 judiciously fed, until the day approaches for its qualities to be 

 put to the test. There is also much art in sowing and planting 

 in order to have the exhibits ready by a certain date. 



PREPARING THE VEGETABLES FOR THE SHOW. I give a few 

 hints as to the preparation of the exhibits which may prove 

 useful to the amateur. Tap-roots, such as Beetroots, Carrots, 

 and Parsnips, are usually lifted several days before the show, 

 and, after a. thorough washing, may be either stored in dry 

 sand or finely-sifted ashes, or wrapped in clean white paper, 



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