LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS IJ^ 



Planting should not be done until weather and 

 soil conditions are favorable. The seed is planted 

 either in hills or drills. Formerly the hill method 

 was universally followed, but during the last few 

 years the drill method seems to be gaining in 

 popularity. When planted in hills these should be 

 made from five to six feet apart in each direction. 

 When planted in drills the rows should be from 

 five to six feet apart and the plants from 12 to 18. 

 inches apart in the rows. Abundance of seed should 

 be used by either method in order to secure a good 

 stand. Surplus plants should be removed by sub- 

 sequent thinning after dangers from frost and 

 striped beetles are past. 



Double planting is followed by many growers 

 in order to make a good stand still more certain. 

 The second planting is made a few days after the 

 first, and sometimes even a third a few days after 

 the second. If frosts or insects should destroy the 

 earlier plantings, the later ones will take their place 

 without serious loss of time. While the bulk of 

 the field crop is grown by direct seeding, many 

 growers start their plants under glass, transplant- 

 ing to the field as soon as weather conditions will 

 permit. This gives earlier crops and in many loca- 

 tions proves a very profitable practice. The seeds, 

 are planted in greenhouse or hotbeds, in small flower 

 pots, berry boxes, paper pots or inverted sods about 

 four weeks before they could be planted out of doors. 

 A well-prepared compost should be used for filling the 

 boxes and pots for this purpose. If sod is to be 

 used, it should be cut from a sandy or loamy soil. 

 Special care should be given to watering and ven- 

 tilation in order that rapid growth may be secured 

 without check and the plants should be thoroughly 



