12 oe ee ee ee ee, | ee 41): 2 
Brief Directions for the Sowing and Culture of —mea==\ 
_..GARDEN VEGETABLES... 
[== For the Private Garden and for Exhibition. 
ASPARAGUS. 
German, Spargel.—French, Asperge.—Spanish, Esparragos. 
1 ounce for 60 feet of drill. 
Asparagus can be grown from seed, but the best way for the amateur to grow 
it is from roots, which can be planted any time for six to eight weeks from the 
opening of spring. Besides, a year or more can be saved by planting roots. 
For private use or for marketing on a small scale, beds should be formed five 
feet wide, with three rows planted in each, one in the middle and one on each 
side, a foot from the edge; the distance of the plants in the rows, nine inches. 
The alleys between the bedsshould be two feet wide. In planting a line is set and 
a cut made a little slanting to the depth of six or eight inches, according to the 
size of the plants. The plants are then laid against the side of the trench, at the 
distance already named (nine inches), care being taken to properly spread the 
roots. The crown or top of the plant should be covered about three inches. In 
2 week or so after planting the beds should be touched over lightly with a sharp 
steel rake, which will destroy the germinating weeds. The raking had better be 
continued at intervals of a week or so, until the plants start to grow, when the 
hoe or hand-cultivator may be applied between the rows and alleys. The weeds 
that come up close to the plant must of necessity be pulled out by the hand. 
The deeper the soil and greater abundance of manure that is used the greater 
will be the crop, for Asparagus is what the gardeners call a gross feeder. An 
application of one-half pound of salt per square yard annually in spring is very 
beneficial. 
BEANS, Dwarf or Bush. 
German, Bohne.—French, Haricot.—Spanish, Frijorenano. 
1 qt. to 100 feet of drill; 114 bushels to the acre in drills. 
A succession of sowings can be made every two weeks from the first week in 
May until September. These dates are for the latitude of New York. Further 
South the first sowing must be done earlier; further North, later. Plant in drills 
about two inches deep, and from eighteen inches to two feet apart, according to 
the richness of the soil; the poorer the soil the closer they can be planted. The 
seeds should be dropped about two inches apart in the drills. 
For Exarpition.—Thoroughly manured, stiff, well-worked soil is preferable 
with a liberal surface application of commercial fertilizer high in potash, well 
rakedin. When the plants have taken good hold of the soilsprinkle around each 
plant about a tablespoonful of nitrate of soda and rake in. When fairly in bloom 
liquid manure may be given; if pods are to be exhibited, thin out all but three 
or four to astalk. When the pods begin to swell pinch off the top of the plant, 
tie the plants to stakes to prevent the wind from loosening the roots and weak- 
ening the plant; the plants should stand a foot apart. For exhibition they 
should be grown on sandy or gravelly soil and the plants at least two feet apart 
each way. Yosemite Mammoth Wax, Flageolet Wax, Long Yellow Six Weeks 
and Early Mohawk are the best varieties for exhibition. 
BEANS, Pole Lima, or Climbing. 
German, Stangen-Bohnen.—French, Haricot a Rames.—Spanish, Judias. 
1 qt. to 150 hills; 10 to 16 qts. to the acre in hills. 
These are more tender and require rather more care in culture than the Bush 
varieties, and should besown two weeks later. They succeed best in sandy loam, 
which should be liberally enriched with well-rotted manure in the hills, which 
are formed, according to variety, from three to four feet apart; from five to six 
seeds are planted in each hill, about two inches deep. As the matured bean is 
mostly used, the season is too short for succession crops in the North, though it 
is advantageous to plant succession crops in the Southern States, where the 
season of growth is often from March to November. Rough cedar or similar 
poles about seven or eight feet long should be used for Pole Beans, especially 
the Limas, to climb on. They should be set in the ground at least eighteen 
inches, so as to prevent being blown over. 
For Exuisition.—The plants should be freely watered with liquid manure 
and only the few pods desired for show should remain on the plant. 
BEET. 
German, Runkel Rube.—French, Betterave.—Spanish, Betteraga. 
1 oz. to 50 feet of drill; 5 lbs. to the acre in drills. 
The soil best suited for the culture of the Beet is that which is rather light 
than otherwise, always provided that it is thoroughly enriched with well-rotted 
mnanure. For an early supply sow in spring, as soon asthe ground is fit to work, 
in drills about one foot apart and two inches deep. For main_crop, sow the 
first week in May, and for winter use sow in June. These dates are for the 
latitude of New York. For the South sow earlier; for the North later. When 
the plants have attained three or four leaves, thin out so that they may stand 
five or six inches apart. Keep free from weeds. In October the roots may be 
taken up and stored in cellar or pits outside. 
For EXxuIsiTion.—Salt applied to thesoilsome time beforesowing andinsmall 
quantities during the growing season will prove beneficial. Fresh manuring 
should be avoided, liquid manure should be given, but not close to the roots, as 
it would encourage side roots; the plantsshould stand not closer than ten inches 
apart in rows one and a half feetapart. Mangels or Field Beet should stand two 
feet apart in rows three feet apart. If the soil has any small stones or pebbles in 
it they should be sifted out where the roots are to grow so they will come out 
smooth and free from indentations. For the large long varieties the soil should 
be two to three feet in depth, and holes prepared as recommended for Carrots. 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
German, Kopfkohl Gruner.—French, Chou de Bruxelles. 
Sow outside in drills in April or May and transplant two feet apart in July. 
Cultivate same as Cabbage; thus it may be had in fine condition from October 
until December, and in the Southern States may be had in use from November 
to March. 
CABBAGE. 
German, Kopfkohl.—lrench, Chou Pomme.—Spanisk, Repollo. 
1 oz. will produce 1,500 plants; half-pound to transplant for an acre. 
The early varieties of Cabbage are cultivated more extensively than any 
other vegetable. In latitudes where the thermometer never indicates twenty 
degrees below the freezing point,seed may be sown in theopen border in October 
and planted out on the first opening of spring; butin our Northern States they 
must either be sown in hot-beds in February, or, what is still better, wintered 
over in cold frames ; for this purpose the seed is sown from the 10th to the 20th 
of September. Attention to date is important; if too soon the plants might run 
to seed, and if too late they would be too small. In four or five weeks from the 
time of sowing they will be fit to transplant into the cold frames. In planting it 
is very important with Cabbage or Cauliflower that the plant is set down to the 
first leaf, so that the stem is all under ground, for, if exposed, it will be split by 
the action of the frost, and will be injured in consequence. The plants are usually 
set out from the middle of March to the middle of April, in rows about two feet 
apart, and eighteen inches between the plants in rows. This earliest crop 
matures in June. Forsecond early the early kinds should be sown first week in 
April and planted out in May. This crop should mature in July and August. 
The late varieties are usually sown in the early part of May, and the plants are 
set in July, at distances of three feet between the rows, and two feet between the 
plants. This crop matures September, October or November. 
For Exuisition.—Grow Henderson’s Early Spring, Henderson’s Succession 
and Autumn King. Sprinkle around the plants every few weeks some of our 
Garden Fertilizer and water frequently with liquid manure. If Cabbage or other 
plants of this nature have been grown on the ground before it is well to give a 
liberal dressing of lime to guard against club root. 
CAULIFLOWER. 
German, Blumen-Kohl.—French, Choufleur.—Spanish, Coliffor. 
1 oz. wil] produce about 1,000 plants. 
Any soil that will grow Cabbage will grow Cauliflower, as their requirements 
are almost similar; but as the product is more valuable, extra manuring and 
preparation of the soil will be well repaid. 
The seed may be sown in September and wintered over in the same manner 
as described for early Cabbage. Where this is not practicable, it may be had 
nearly as well by sowing the seeds in the hot-bed in January or February, and 
transplanting the plants at two or three inches apart in boxes orin the soil of 
another hot-bed, until such time as they are safe to be planted in the open 
ground, which, in this latitude, is usually from the 15th of March to the 10th of 
April. If properly hardened off they are seldom injured by planting out too 
early. For second early and late crop sow at same date as given in the direc- 
tions for Cabbage Crop. 
For Exnipsition.—Follow directions given for Cabbage. Henderson's Early 
Snowball, whether grown as an early or late yariety, is the best for exhibition. 
