LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS I 59 



DANDELION 



The common dandelion is found so plentiful every- 

 where and is so universally used for greens that it 

 hardly seems necessary to consider the cultivation 

 of this particular plant. Nevertheless, the leaves 

 of the wild plants are much inferior to those of cul- 

 tivated forms which are becoming more and more 

 popular every year. The dandelion is used primarily 

 for greens and also for salads and garnishes. Deep, 

 rich soils are necessary for rapid growth and the 

 production of large succulent leaves. 



Seeds are usually sown out of doors where the 

 plants are to mature and after well started thinned 

 to from six to ten inches. The rows are usually 

 from 12 to 15 inches wide, the hand and wheel hoes 

 being entirely depended upon for cultivation. It is 

 a common practice to sow seed in the fall of the 

 year. Dandelions are very readily grown in cold 

 frames with only slight protection during the win- 

 ter and will produce very profitable supplies of greens 

 earlier than most other crops grown for this purpose. 



The leaves are oftentimes blanched by tying 

 them together with string or raffia, by mulching 

 with straw in the fall of the year, or by covering 

 with boards or earth. The first cutting is usually 

 the best. The plant does best under cool condi- 

 tions, and after hot weather comes more of the 

 bitter principle develops in the leaves, making the 

 crop less valuable for greens, salads, etc. 



Frequent applications of nitrate of soda after 

 the plants have become well established, pro- 

 motes an extremely rapid, succulent growth of 

 high quality. A number of distinct forms have 

 been developed, differing widely in season of 



