i84 GARDEN PROFITS 



Picking Peas. Do not gather peas until the 

 pod is nicely filled, but not hard; and under no 

 circumstances delay picking until it develops a 

 yellowish tinge, the sign of age. Never pull your 

 peas, but pluck them. Take the pod in the hand 

 and break the pod from the vine with the thumb 

 and first finger. Some pull them with an upward 

 jerk, but this is likely to tear the vine loose from 

 the support and often breaks or loosens it at the 

 root, spoiling the remainder of the crop on that 

 particular stem. 



Spinach should be cut close to the ground. If 

 you pull it up by the roots you gather also a lot 

 of dirt, which, when thoroughly shaken in among 

 the leaves, is hard to wash out. Cutting also in- 

 duces a second growth. 



Radishes are best when about the size of marbles ; 

 permitted to grow large, they become hollow and 

 often have a very strong flavor. 



Cabbage can be used as soon as it is well headed. 

 Always select the hardest heads for cutting; this 

 will save you from losing a quantity later on by 

 their splitting. 



Watch cauliflower carefully when it starts to 

 head; if left too long it gets rough. To get pure 

 white, tender heads, gather the leaves up and tie 

 around them with string or raffia, as soon as a 

 bud begins to thicken in the centre. Be sure 

 the heads are dry at this time, or they will cer- 

 tainly rot. No particular size can be specified as 

 the proper one for cutting, as it will vary ac- 

 cording to season, soil and cultivation; but I 



