KfTfi PLANT 



have the fruit, attain a cortain size l)efore frost, one mav 

 begin to vi.i.-l, u.ir thn hlossnnis ao.l lu-w j^'rowth about 

 three wpoks before its usual umirrrtK^e. Tliis same 



E(i(.;PLAXT ;y23 



longitudinally into quarters or eighths, using a dull 

 knife to avoid cutting the seed. After a quantity of 

 tliHse havi^ been j>are<l, tliey may be placed in a barrol 

 The barrel should not be 

 I Is fall. In a ilay or two fer- 

 1 d the meaty portion will 

 Tlie seed may then be 

 by means uf sieves, using 

 t reninve the meat and then 

 leeu out the seed from tlie 

 lid not be allowed to stand 

 tho macerating liarrel, as 

 lentation and the heat ot 

 ■ausc tltmi In germiiiale. 

 from tlu^ pulp, it sh-aild 1m_^ 

 appcd iu srciire packages, 

 1 in- oil pa]>i'r. the atmos- 

 ept out and molding \>yt'- 



U^structive of di 



th. 



752. Field-grown plant of New York Improved Egeplan 



process will be uf advantage where the fruit is to be 

 brought into nuirket at a certain time. 



3Iarketin(/.— As a rule, it is better to cut the fruit 

 from the plant than to break it, especially if the work is 

 done by careless laborers. After cutting, it may l)e 

 placed in large market baskets and hauled to the pack- 

 ing house. For distant market, tlic fruits should be 

 wrapped separately in heavy la-owu ]iaper. Tlie proper 

 crate for this vegetable is tlir barrel <-rate. As this is 

 considered one of the staple vegetables, we do not gain 

 much by using fancy wrappers or packing it in tine 

 crates, hence we may use such material as uuvy be left 

 over from shipping fancy vei^-etables. It also stands 

 shipment to distant markets. s()that, if there is no dan- 

 ger of reduction iu i)rice. it is quite as well to ship by 

 freight as by express, 



rf/r/('^'(?.s-.— There are only a few varieties offered in 

 the market. The New York Juiproveil .Spineless ma- 

 tures a little earlier thau the Black Pekiu. The New 

 York Purple {Fig. 7r,2), Hlack Pekin, and the New 

 York Spineless are excellent for sliippiug purposes. 

 The above varieties are the black-fruited, and the most 

 popular in the United States, while the white-fruited 

 sorts are said to be the luost popular in Europe. For 

 home use, the white-fruited varieties are preferable, but 

 as these make poor sellers in the United States, we 

 must raise the purple sorts for market. For home gar- 

 dens, the early and small Early Dwarf Purple (Pig. 

 754), is useful. It is particularly recommended for 

 northern climates. There are three main types of Egg- 

 plants, as follows (Bailey, Bull. 2G, ('orueli Exp. Sta. ) : 

 The commoner garden varieties, i^oli'hutiii Melongenit , 

 var. i\'<cuJ^iifi(>n, Bailey (Figs. T.'^, 7o3); the long- 

 fruited or "serpent" varieties, Z^'. Mi'Imigeita, var. .s-cr- 

 pent'nium, Bailey; the Early Dwarf Purple type, var. 

 depr^ssum, Bailey (Fig. 754). See Soluinon. The so- 

 called Chinese Eggplant is a ditfereut species, for 

 which consult Solauuni. 



Seed-growing. — This is by no means a difficult opera- 

 tion, and may be done protitably in certain sections of 

 the South. For this purpose all defective or dwarfeil 

 plants in the field should be cut out. By a little atten- 

 tion one will be able to know when the seeds have nui- 

 tured sutiiciently for gathering. At this time the eggs 

 usually turn a lighter color or even somewhat yellow. 

 The fruit should be gathered and carried to the packing 

 house, where it may he left in a pile for 2 or 3 days, as 

 there is very little danger from rotting. When a suffi- 

 cient number have been collected the laborers may be 

 set to paring off' the extra amount of meat on the out- 

 side of the seed. The remaining core may then be cut 



gus wiiieb attacks 

 • of the ground, caus- 

 liiit to rot off' and the 

 is not able to penetrate 

 stem, consequently the 

 s after being attacked. 

 ■en made to cause this 

 ting organs so that it 

 the I'resent this has 

 s this we have no rem- 

 .'edy. After the plant is attacked, it is usually doomed. 

 Much, howevei-, c.-in be done in the way of pre- 

 venting the spread of this fungus. If all planis are 

 destroyed as soon as found to be affected, tlie fiiULrus 

 -■■anuot perfect its sclerotia, or re.stiug state, audtlius its 

 propagating is prevented. The normal home of this 



753. Long White Eggplant. 



fungus is in decaying vegetable matter. If, therefore, 

 we keep our held free from this sort of material we 

 will do much to prevent this fungus from bein^c 

 present. Some soluble form of fungicide, as Eau Celeste 



