41(5 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



it generally pays to grow strong seedlings which will 

 mature peppers at the earliest possible date. 



571. Fertilizing. Rotten stable manures may be used 

 advantageously, especially in rather thin soil. Excessive 

 amounts of nitrogen should be avoided, although it is 

 important to supply the plants with an abundance of 

 available nitrogen early in the season. The mineral ele- 

 ments are needed to encourage fruiting. From 600 to 

 i ,000 pounds to the acre of a 4-8-10 fertilizer will pro- 

 duce satisfactory results in most soils. 



572. Planting. The plants should not be set in the 

 open ground until the weather is settled and there is no 

 further danger of frost. Fifteen to 18 inches between 

 the plants in the row will furnish sufficient space for 

 most varieties, and there should be about 30 inches be- 

 tween rows if the crop is to be cultivated with horse 

 implements. Ridging is practiced to some extent to help 

 support the plants when heavily laden with fruit. 



573. Harvesting and marketing. Peppers will remain 

 on the plants after they have reached maturity, with no 

 danger of deterioration, much longer than eggplants or 

 tomatoes. They may be sold green or after they have 

 turned red. Baskets of various sizes and styles are used 

 in packing. Hampers of the bushel and half-barrel type 

 (Figure 48, b) are in common use. The crop is also 

 packed in barrels and in six-basket carriers (Figure 48, 

 a). Receipts and profits have a wide range, but the net 

 returns should not be less than $100 an acre. Often they 

 are larger. 



PUMPKIN (Cucurbita) 



574. Culture. For cultural directions, see Squash 

 (page 427) and Watermelon (page 467). Sweet 

 pumpkins are sometimes grown on a small scale for com- 

 mercial purposes. 



