3fosf Popular Varieties of Eggplant 91 



gin, it needs warm weather. The plants should not be 

 nearer than three feet when finally transplanted. Give 

 frequent, shallow cultivation. They should commence 

 supplying the table by the middle of June and continue 

 until frost. The fruit is in condition for use from the 

 time it attains the size of a goose -egg until grown. 



The name is derived from the White variety, which 

 resembles an eg^ when small. The Purple is, however, 

 the most popular and most generally grown both in the 

 garden and for market. New York Improved Purple is 

 a universal favorite, and well deserves its popularity. 

 Black Beauty, Spineless and Excelsior Tree are new 

 favorites, each claiming some special superiority. It will 

 be very difficult to supplant the New York Improved 

 Purple. No garden is complete without a few plants of 

 this delicious vegetable. It is especially adapted to the 

 South, and yet it is too often absent from southern 

 gardens. 



Notwithstanding the fact that this plant grows more 

 readily and fruits more abundantly in the South than 

 further north, most southern growers purchase seed from 

 northern seedsmen. Every southern gardener should 

 save his own seed. Ripeness is indicated by a change 

 from the glassy purple to a dingy yellow. The best 

 fruits from vigorous, productive plants should be selected. 

 Slice off the surplus flesh, leaving the interior where the 

 seeds are found. Slice this, place in vessels of water 

 and allow sufficient fermentation to soften the pulp. 

 Pass this through a coarse sieve to remove the larger 

 part, and the balance, with the seed, through a finer- 

 meshed sieve to separate the small particles from the 



