AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 323 



TOMATOES. 



In growing tomatoes he trims off limbs and grows bigger and 

 nicer tomatoes than he can upon untrimmed vines. He sold last 

 year from less than two acres $600 worth, besides making a large 

 quantity of catsup. 



BRUSSELL'S SPROUTS. 



Prof. Mapes — Brussell sprouts are an excellent green vegetable. 

 They are usually planted the same distance apart as the larger 

 size flat Dutch cabbage. They run up a straight stalk with a 

 small head which is of no particular value and is cut off". Then 

 all the way up the stalk little compact rose-like buds or sprouts 

 appear which you may gather off and others will shoot out until 

 the frost stops the growth. 



CELERY. 



Prof. Mapes — When celery plants commence to be bushy I find 

 they do best to be cut down, and I rej^eat that process some three 

 or foiu' times, and each time I give them solulable manure. This 

 plan renders them so strong that when I plant them out in rows 

 they do not require shading with leaves even as is usual. It is 

 wrong to plant celery in low damp places wliere the laud is not 

 drained. But if the land be drained so as to let off the water, 

 you will do well to keep up a constant stream all day. It is a 

 good plan to have a trough made with two boards a V shape and 

 place it across the highest part of the celery rows. Have a plug- 

 hole over each row so as to allow the water to run into any row 

 required to be irrigated. The stream should always be kept up 

 until the water has reached the extremity of the trench. It will 

 pay well to keep a man pumping all day; if the land be such as 

 to get rid of the water and not allow it to become stagnant. 

 Celery cultivated in this way will grow six feet long. 



OKRA OR "GUMBO." 



Mr. Bucklin — I have cultivated okra twelve years. My mode 

 of cultivation is to plow deeply; manure the ground pretty well; 

 plant fifteen or tv.-enty seeds in hills three feet apart eacli way. 

 I prepare my hills pretty much as I do for cucumbers. When 

 the plants are fairly up I thin to two plants and afterwards to one. 

 I then continue cultivation witli the cultivator f)r some two or 

 three weeks. They bear very early and are now ready for mar- 

 ket. I have five acres of them and fi.nd that quantity sufficient 



