54 Truck Geowing in the South. 



EGGPLANT. 



In the whole category of vegetables there is perhaps 

 no plant so difficult to grow as the eggplant. Sometimes 

 under favorable conditions the amateur may think it is 

 an easy crop grown, but it is a very peculiar plant, and 

 when conditions are unfavorable is very difficult to grow. 

 The writer has grown and made a study of this plant for 

 twenty years, and has undertaken to grow it on all classes 

 of soil. Sometimes he has made a failure, but in rare in- 

 stances only. The present year the viriter has shipped 

 40 carloads of as fine fruit as could be produced. It is 

 strictly a warm weather plant, and flourishes when the 

 midday temperature reaches 90 and even 100. Cold 

 weather and cold ground are dangerous conditions; and 

 unless a thorough notice of the plant is had, these con- 

 ditions will often prove fatal or nearly so to the seed bed, 

 in all latitudes. In extreme southern Florida it is neces- 

 sary to grow the plants in a hot bed in order to have large 

 well rooted plants for early setting. By all means these 

 plants should be transplanted, and kept in a protected bed 

 until twelve inches high. This gives them a large root 

 system, and the plant will grow off well under conditions 

 that would prove fatal to the non-transplanted plants. 

 In latitudes as far north as Middle Georgia, a good hot 

 bed should be used for sowing the seed. Use six inches of 

 stable manure and three or four inches of sandy soil on 

 top. Domestic treated with linseed oil may be used for 

 covering, biit if planted further north sash would be 



