152 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



April, 1909 



Cabbage. The common error with this 

 vegetable is that the seed for the early crop 

 is sown so late that the hot weather comes 

 just as it is heading and causes splitting. To 

 prevent, sow in a hotbed in March, and plant 

 out in April; for the late crop for winter use, 

 sow in May in the seed bed and transfer 

 later to permanent rows. Make a big plant- 

 ing in fall and you will have enough cabbage 

 to eat all winter. Don't try to poison the 

 cabbage worm, as it is dangerous; pick off 

 every day. Best early varieties, Jersey 

 Wakefield and Early Spring; best late, Pre- 

 mium Flat Dutch. Red cabbage is valuable 

 for pickling and must be sown with the late 

 cabbage in May. Best variety, Mammoth 

 Rock Red. Savoy cabbage is excellent as a 

 late cabbage, but it will not head well in the 

 warm weather of June. Best varieties, 

 Drumhead and Perfection. 



In transplanting from the seed beds to 

 the rows, select a wet day, if possible, and 

 never let the plants suffer for want of water. 

 Destroy any young plants with club roots. 



Carrot. An all-year-round vegetable if 

 properly cared for. Handle the same as 

 beet. When you sow a row of beets, sow 

 a row of carrots, and about August ist put 

 in six or eight rows for winter use. These 

 should last until spring, if winteredinatrench. 

 Best varieties, Guerande, Danver's Half 

 Long, and Early Scarlet Horn. 



Cauliflower. No vegetable requires richer 

 soil nor better nourishment; it will surely be 

 a failure in poor, barren soil. Treat like 

 cabbage, sowing the early crop in the 

 hotbed during March and the late crop 

 in the seed-bed during May. Protect 

 heads from the sun to avoid browning, 

 breaking the leaves over. A dose of nitrate of 

 soda is very beneficial just as the plants 

 begin to head, using a teaspoonful to a can 

 of water. Best varieties, Extra Early Erfurt 

 and Early Snowball. 



Celery. Must have an abundance of 

 manure, and never suffer for want of water. 

 Hill up in the fall. Sow seed for early celery 

 in hotbeds in March, and later transfer to the 

 rows; should be ready for use by September 

 i st, and sometimes much earlier. Sow late 

 celery in May, and handle like cabbage. 

 First transplant in beds, before the plants are 

 finally moved into the rows. To make a 

 celery trench, place a line and dig a trench 

 on one side about six inches deep and the 



Before all else see that the vegetable garden is well 

 manured; even fifty loads to the acre may be used 



width of a spade. Fill this with well-rotted 

 manure and spade it under. Tramp the soil 

 a trifle to firm it. Use plenty of water in 

 planting. Best early, White Plume and 

 Golden Self-Blanching; best late, Chicago 

 (dwarf), Fin de Siecle, and Schumacher. 



Celeriac (or turnip-rooted celery). Valu- 

 able for soups and salads. The roots are of 

 a fine celery flavor, and if grown quickly 

 are very sweet and tender. Sow in April in 

 rows, and thin to six inches; about Septem- 

 ber ist they will be ready for use. Best 

 vaiiety, Large Erfurt. 



Chervil. Used as a salad and for gar- 

 nishing. Sow every two or three weeks a 

 little at a time in a semi-shady place, and pick 

 when young. The curled variety is the best. 



Cress, curled. The first thing from the gar- 

 den in spring. Sow a little every week until 

 June and then stop until September. Water- 

 cress can be grown by anyone having 

 a shaded place. It does not need a running 

 brook — just a little water twice a day will 

 suffice. Prepare a bed by making the soil 

 rich ; then cover it with about an inch of sand. 

 Sow the seeds on this and water three or four 

 times a day until the seed starts, and then 

 water morning and night. 



Corn. Start sowing May ist and sow 

 every ten days or two weeks until July 15th. 

 With a favorable fall you may have corn 

 almost until Thanksgiving. Sow in rows 

 about three feet apart for the early sorts, and 

 four for the larger, late varieties. Thin to 

 eight or nine inches in the row. When the 

 plants are about one foot high, hill up around 

 them. Best early, Golden Bantam, which 

 has a flavor that is distinctly its own. Metro- 

 politan and Early Minnesota are second 

 choice; best late is Evergreen, but some 

 prefer Country Gentleman. 



Cucumbers. Plant in hills about six feet 

 apart on May ist, and plant one hill at a 

 time, about a week apart. For pickling, sow 

 a number of hills at one time. Very subject 

 to mildew and blight. To prevent the former, 

 select a dry place for them. For blight 

 spray every two weeks with Bordeaux 

 mixture. Best table varieties, Davis Perfect, 

 Improved White Spine, and Cumberland; 

 best pickling variety, Green Prolific. 



Dandelion. Excellent for salads. Sow 

 in spring and thin the plants out in the rows 

 to about one foot apart. The following 

 spring they will be ready for use. Tie the 

 heads up to bleach them or lay boards on 

 top of them. 



Egg plant. Sow in the frames in March, and 

 transplant to the garden any time after June 

 ist. Requires very little care. A few plants 

 will be sufficient for the needs of a fair-sized 

 family. Best variety, New York Improved. 



Endive. Of very easy culture; handle the 

 same as lettuce, except that when the head is 

 well grown it is bleached by covering with 

 flower pots or by laying boards right on the 

 heads. The best variety is the French 

 escarole, catalogued as Broad-leaved 

 Batavian. 



Herbs. Keep in a border by themselves. 

 Sow seed of all herbs at one time (April 15th), 

 and in September cut and tie them in bunches 

 and hang in some warm place to dry. 



Kale. Without an equal as a winter green 

 the kale is, and of easy cultivation. Handle 

 it the same as Brussels sprouts. Protect in 

 the fall with salt hay, but let it freeze a little 

 first, as that makes it tender and gives it a 

 better flavor. Best sorts, Dwarf Green 

 Curled and Dwarf Brown. 



Kohlrabi. Requires the same treatment 

 as turnip. The best white is White Vienna, 

 and the best purple is Purple Vienna. 



Leeks. Sow in the open ground in drills 

 April ist, and thin to two inches apart 

 Any deep garden soil. Hill up to bleach as 

 much as possible of the stem. Best variety is 

 American Flag. 



Lettuce. Sow seed for the first crop in 

 frames March ist, and start sowing outside 

 April ist. Sow every ten days or two weeks 

 until September ist. Do not sow a lot 

 at one time; and keep planting out as the 

 seedlings get large enough. During summer 

 plant in shady places and keep well watered. 

 If you have no shady place, make one by using 

 a little cheese-cloth. This prevents going to 

 seed. Best early sorts are May King and Big 

 Boston. Maximum takes a little longer to 

 head, but it is a good variety. The best lettuce 

 to stand the summer heat is Improved Sala- 

 mander, but Deacon and Hanson are good. 



Melons are very exacting and must be 

 humored. They must have rich soil. Dig 

 holes eight feet apart each way, about three 

 feet deep and about the same width. Fill 

 up with fresh sod and manure — using about 

 one-fourth manure to sod. Do this about 

 April ist, and set the melon frames over the 

 hills. Let them stay shut up for several 

 weeks to thoroughly warm the ground. 

 About April 20th to May ist sow the seed. 

 Place ten or twelve seeds in a hill and thin 

 out to three plants later. Ventilate the 

 frames during the day, giving a little air, but 

 close them up at night. When the plants fill 

 the boxes, gradually harden off by leaving 

 the frames open a little at night. When the 

 plants start to run, spread them evenly so as 

 to properly cover the ground. Spray every 

 two weeks with Bordeaux mixture. Never 

 forcibly pick a muskmelon; it will leave the 

 vine with a slight touch when ripe. One of 

 the best melons is Emerald Gem, a high- 

 flavored, scarlet-fleshed sort. Other good 

 varieties are Delmonico, Netted Gem. and 

 Rocky Ford. 



Okra. Sow in drills May ist, and thin to 

 about one foot apart in the row. Use the 

 seed pods, when about one inch long, for 

 soups. Best variety, White Velvet. 



Onion. Sow in rows one foot apart April 

 ist, and thin out later to about four inches. 

 I usually thin every day, using the thinnings 

 for table. For early use plant sets. Make 

 the soil very rich and pulverize it thoroughly. 

 Best yellow, Danver's Yellow Globe; best 

 red, Red Wethersfield; best white, Southport 

 White Globe. The best small onion for 

 pickling is Adriatic Barletta. Alisa Craig 

 and Prizetaker are big varieties, but they 

 are not as good keepers as the others. Garlic 

 requires the same treatment. 



Parsley. Plant a row in April and leave 

 it alone. Don't even thin it out. Best 

 variety, Moss Curled. 



