Brussels Sprouts 1453 



Per cent. 



Phosphoric acid (P-,0,) 079 



Potash (KoO) 586 



Calcium oxid . 703 



Chlorine 5.53 



Shallow cultivation should be given after rains and about once 

 a week in dry weather. 



IRRIGATION 



Irrigation of sprouts is being tried this year for the first time at 

 the eastern end by Mr. L. H. Hallock of Orient. About an acre 

 of sprouts are being watered by the Skinner system of overhead 

 pipes set with tiny nozzles. The runs of pipe are 800 feet 

 long and 50 feet apart, supported on pipe columns about 6V2 

 feet high. A space 25 feet wide on either side of the pipe can 

 easily be watered by this arrangement. The plants under irriga- 

 tion were set out about August 15, following early carrots. They 

 were well watered as soon as set, and have had waterings every 

 week since, except when it rained. The water was allowed to run 

 about five hours each time, amounting to half an inch. This sort 

 of irrigation also has the advantage of knocking the lice off the 

 plants. 



HARVESTING 



Harvesting begins as early as the middle of September from the 

 plants set in June, but the shipments are light until well into Oc- 

 tober. Early sprouts should be picked over two or three times in 

 the field, the lowest sprouts being taken each time, otherwise 

 these will open out and become yellow, or rot if the weather 

 is warm. The first picking must be done when the outer leaves 

 of the lowest sprouts begin to turn yellow. In picking, the leaf 

 subtending the sprout is broken away, so that when the time comes 

 for cutting the plants the early ones will show from several inches 

 to a foot of bare stem. As these lower leaves and sprouts are re- 

 moved the plant continues to push up and form new leaves at the 

 top, and the upper sprouts also fill out better, so that the yield of 

 sprouts at the final cutting is about as great as though no picking 

 had been done. When a sprout is ready to pick it readily breaks 

 away from the stump ; otherwise it clings tenaciously. These early 



