LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS I99 



PEPPER 



The pepper is grown in a limited way in almost 

 every garden, but is of minor importance commer- 

 cially except in a few sections in the southern veg- 

 etable-growing districts. Small areas, however, will 

 be found devoted to this plant in most market 

 gardens of the North. The varietal characteristics 

 of the pepper vary greatly, not only in the size and 

 shape of the fruit, but also in its quality. Some 

 are small, slender and exceedingly pungent, 

 while others are large and thick, having little or 

 none of the pungency commonly attributed to the 

 fruit of this plant. Colors vary from bright reds 

 to yellow. The pepper was formerly used almost 

 entirely for seasoning purposes, but the introduc- 

 tion of the sweet or mango forms has greatly 

 extended their use. They are now found frequently 

 employed for pickling and stuffing purposes and in 

 some cases for salads. For best results the pepper 

 requires typical, rich garden loams with southern 

 exposures. The plant is most at home under tropical 

 and sub-tropical conditions and requires a long sea- 

 son for its proper development. In order to mature 

 under northern conditions the plants must be started 

 under glass and be transplanted after all danger of 

 frost has passed. The plants are usually set from 

 15 to 18 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches wide. 

 Cultivation of the crop should consist in frequent 

 stirring to conserve moisture and control the weeds. 

 Harvesting is begun as soon as the fruits are full 

 grown, but before the color develops. The sweet 

 or mango types are usually packed in the small split 

 baskets and shipped in crates commonly holding 

 from six to eight baskets. The hot varieties are 

 frequently harvested by cutting or pulling the en- 



