OKRA 



125 



Good varieties of the sweet pepper are Golden Queen, Bull 

 Nose, and Chinese Giant (Fig. 62). Hot peppers used for pickle 

 sauce are Cayenne and Red Hot. 



Eggplant. — This is a warm season crop, and the plants are started 

 in-doors or in hotbeds or coldframes. At least two transplantings 

 of the young plants should be made. If they can make their last 

 growth in tin cans or pots before setting in the garden they will 

 be much stronger. The crop should have rich black soil, well pre- 

 pared before setting in the garden. 



Good, thorough tillage will help the plants to attain large size 

 and yield abundant crops. (Fig. 78). 



Fig. 77.- 



-Tying up tomatoes. Girls of the high school take a deep interest in school and 

 home gardening. (U.S.D.A.) * 



Good varieties are Black Beauty and Improved Purple. A very 

 common enemy of the eggplant is the flea beetle, which eats holes 

 in the leaves and may seriously injure the crop. To prevent this 

 the plants are dusted with tobacco dust or sprayed with a solu- 

 tion of nicotine sulfate. Arsenical poisons, such as arsenate of 

 lead, are sometimes used. 



Okra. — This crop is grown abundantly in the southern states. 

 It requires a long warm season. It is used for cooking alone or 

 with tomatoes. Its chief use is in soups. It may be canned or 

 dried for winter use. 



Good varieties are White Velvet, Lady Finger, Long Podded, 

 and Perkin's Mammoth. The early varieties will form edible 



