Proceedixgs of the Farmees' Club. 481 



extremely difficult in this neighborliood to obtain even plants enough 

 for a fanrily supply. 



Mr. S. Edwards Todd. — In reply to this inquiry, I would state 

 that, on account of the extreme tenderness of the young egg plants, 

 it is sometimes difficult to secure even a limited supply of prime 

 plants. If the seed be planted very early in the growing season, the 

 young plants are liable to be chilled, so that they never recover from 

 the injury. The young plants are quite as delicate and tender as 

 spears of" Indian corn; and unless the seed and growing plants are 

 properly managed at the outset, every effort to raise a large crop 

 will fail. If the seed has boen saved with proper care, and is really 

 good, one ounce will produce from three to foui- thousand plants. 

 Like all other tender plants, the egg plant requires the advantages of 

 steady and permanent heat, from the time of planting the seed until 

 the period of cold and chilling weather has passed. The chief diffi- 

 culty in growing eggplants is planting the seed too earlj' in the 

 o-rovi-ino; season. Seeds of the egg plant are often so-vrn in March; 

 but in many instances, if the tender plants can be protected and kept 

 alive until May or June, vdien they can be put owt into the open 

 ground, plants that have sprung from seed sown in April will be 

 quite as forward in June, and will yield more fruit than those which 

 were planted in Mtirch. Very much will depend on the variety. 

 The '• I^ow York Improved " eggplant will give better satisfaction, 

 I believe, among the market gardeners than any other variety. 

 Twenty da^-s before the weather will be sufficiently Avarm to put the 

 "plants out in open ground, let a hot-bed be prepared for the seed.. 

 Let much care be exercised in the management of the hot-bed dur- 

 ing cold nights, that the very young plants may not become chilled. 

 "Wlien only a few plants are desired the better way is to plant the 

 seed in pots, which should be kept in a vrarm room until it is time to 

 transplant them. Egg plants require a rich soil, warm weather, and. 

 clean cultivation. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn. — Mr. Todd differs somewhat in opinion from the 

 market gardeners. The first requisite in raising egg plants is to get 

 good seed at the outset, and after this comes the proper management 

 of the hot-bed in starting the plants. In this latitude we never put 

 them into the hot-bed later than the tenth of March. Great caution 

 mui^t be used in regulating the temperature of the beds, and the 

 plants must be transplanted about three times before being put out.. 



[Inst.] 31 



