THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 237 



ally, closing and covering at night. We cannot 

 safely set in the ground before May 20. It is better 

 to wait if the winds are cold. 



" Ground that has been spread with stable manure 

 and plowed and harrowed is best for the early fruit. 

 Dig the holes deep; stir in a handful of potato 

 phosphate. Soak the plants well with water, loosen 

 from the pots and drop them carefully into the hills ; 

 cover to first leaves. Keep well hilled up for the 

 first few weeks. For later picking plant Chalk's 

 Early Jewel or Acme." 



" Last season," writes John E. Vail of Decatur 

 county, Iowa, " I grew some beautiful tomatoes 

 under a cheesecloth frame covering about 3 feet 

 square by 4 feet high, the sticks projecting so as to 

 permit driving a short distance into the earth. The 

 size of the fruit w^as very uniform, and when speci- 

 men baskets were packed they would rival those 

 of the seed catalogs. The best and most uniform 

 variety was Chalk's Early Jewel. Maule's Magnif- 

 icent was the largest and showiest, but varied more 

 in size." 



TURNIP 



There are two classes of turnips popularly grown 

 in this country — the purple and the yellow. The 

 former is more popular as an early variety than the 

 latter, which is of finer flavor, and is the leading 

 fall and winter kind. Both crops are essentially cold 

 weather plants, and, therefore, cannot be expected 

 to do best in summer. The seed is sown, therefore, 

 in early spring, or about midsummer so that best 

 growth can be made during cold weather. 



Friable, rich, sandy loam is best for both crops. 

 Preferably, the land should have been in sod the 



