14 
MELON, Musk. 
German, Melone.—French, Melon.—Spanish, Melon. 
1 oz. for 60 hills; 2 to 3 Ibs. in hills for an acre. 
Melons thrive best in a moderately enriched light soil; the hills should be 
from three to six feet apart each way, according to the richness of the soil. Ti 
soil is poor or sandy, pliant at four feet. Previous to planting, incorporate well 
with the soil in each hill a couple of shovelsful of thoroughly-rotted manure; 
plant eight or ten seeds in each hill early in May, for latitude of New York, 
for South earlier, for further North later, and when well up thin out to three or 
four of the most promising. 
For EXxuibpition.—Pinch off the leading shoots as the growth becomes too 
luxuriant, and if the fruit sets too numerously, thin out when young, which 
will increase the size of those remaining and cause them to ripen quicker. 
MELON, Water. 
German, Wasser-Melone.—French, Melon d’2au.—Spanish, Sandia. 
1 oz. for 30 hills; 4 to 5 lbs. in hills for an acre. 
Water Melons require a rich, though rather sandy, soil for best development, 
and thrive best in warm latitudes, growing best in the Southern or South- 
western States, although in warm, sandy soils in this Jatitude fine crops are 
often obtained from Northern-grown seed. Cultivate exactly as for Musk Melons, 
except that the hills should be eight and ten feet apart. 
OKRA, or Gumbo. 
German, Essbarer.—French, Gombo.—Spanish, Quibombo. 
It is of the easiest culture, and grows freely, bearing abundantly in any 
garden soil. It is sown at the usual time of all tender vegetables, in this section 
middle of May, in drills two inches deep, thinning the plants from two to three feet 
apart in row. 
ONION. 
German, Zwiebel.—French, Oignon.—Spanish, Cebolla. 
1 oz. for 100 feet of drill; 5 or 6 Ibs. in drills for an acre. 
The Onion thrives best in a rather deep, rich, loamy soil. The best culture 
requires that the ground should be deeply trenched or ploughed and manured the 
previous autumn, and laid up in ridges during the winter to pulverize. As early 
in the spring as the ground is in working order, commence operations by level- 
ing the ground with a harrow or rake, and roll or tread it firmly; sow thinly in 
drills about a quarter of an inch deep and one foot apart; cover with fine soil, 
and press down with the back of a spade, or a light roller, or with the foot along 
each row. When the young plants are strong enough, thin gradually so that 
they stand three or four inches apart. Keep the surface of the ground open 
and free from weeds by frequent hoeing, taking care not tostir the soil too deeply 
or to collect it about the growing bulbs. 
For Exurpirion.—Prizetaker, Giant Rocea and the Southport Globe varie- 
ties should be selected. The seed should be sown thinly in greenhouse or hot- 
bed in February. The plants must be thinned out to half an inch apart for they 
should attain half the thickness of a pencil before transplanting. For a week 
or two before transplanting, abundance of air should be given to harden the 
plants. The rows should be eighteen inches apart, and the plants set four to 
five inches apart in the row. Our Garden fertilizer should be well worked into the 
soil at the rate of 50 lbs. to 1,000 square feet. Soot should be applied broadcast 
at the rate of about five hundred pounds per acre, when the plants are four to 
six inches high, as it not only acts as a fertilizer but checks the ravages of 
the Onion maggot. Kainit will also kill the maggot. (See page 179.) The soil 
should be kept well stirred, all weeds destroyed, and the Onions should at no time 
suffer for lack of water. 
PARSLEY. 
German, Petersilie.—F rench, Persil.—Spanish, Peregil. 
1 oz. for 150 feet of drill. 
Parsley succeeds best in a rich, mellow soil. 
slowly, three or four weeks elapsing sometimes before it makes its appearance, it 
should be sown early in spring, great care being taken that the drills be not 
more than an inch in depth and that the seed be well pressed down after sowing. 
Sow thickly in rows afoot apart and half an inch deep. 
As the seed germinates very 
For winter use, protect 
in a frame or light cellar, or a few plants may be placed in pots or boxes and 
kept in the house for convenient use in winter. 
For Exurpirion.—Select only the most perfectly curled and short-stemmed 
plants and thin to twelve inches apart. 
frequent hoeing. Protect by shading from sun after rain, otherwise the leaves 
will lose their perfect green and become discolored. 
PARSNIP. 
German, Pastinake.—French, Panais.—Spanish, Pastinaca. 
Keep the soil in mellow condition by 
1 oz. per 200 feet of drill; 5 to 6 lbs. in drills for an acre. 
Sow as early in spring as the weather will admit, in drills eighteen inches 
apart, covering half an inch deep. When well up, thin out to five or six inches 
apart inthe rows. Unlike Carrots, they are improved by frost, and it is usual to 
take up infalla certain quantity for winter use, arid store as directed for Turnips, 
leaving the rest ip the ground until spring, to be dug up as required. 
For Exuisition.—Follow the directions given for Carrots. 
apart as given above. 
a 
ay 
PEAS. 
German, Erbse.—French, Pois.—Spanish, Guizante. 
1 qt. for 75 feet of drill; 2 to 3 bushels in drills for an aere. 
Peas come earlier to maturity in light, rich soil. For general crop, a deep 
loam, or a soil strongly inclining to clay, is best. For early crops, decomposed 
leaves or lJeaf-mold, if convenient, may be used, or, if the soil is very poor, 
well-rotted manure should be used. For general crop, a good dressing should 
be applied, and for the dwari-growing kinds the soil can hardly be too rich. 
When grown as a market crop, Peas are sown in single rows, two or three 
inches deep and from two to three feet apart, according to height of variety or 
the strength of the soil. When grown in small quantities for private use they 
are generally sown in double rows, six or eight inches apart, and the tall varieties 
staked up by brush or our Pea Trellis. For an early crop, sowin February, 
March or April, according to latitude,as soon as the ground can be worked, 
and make repeated sowings every two weeks for succession. After the first of 
June sowing should be discontinued until August, when a good crop may some- 
times be secured by sowing an extra early sort for fall use. 
For Exarsition.—The best varieties are Henderson’s “ Prosperity,” Juno, 
Heroine, American Champion and Telephone. 
Plant the seed six to eight inches 
apart, in very rich soil and train to trellis or stakes. Allow only two or three 
pods on each vine, and after the pods are well set, pinch out the leading shoot, so 
as to check the growth of vine, and throw the entire strength into the pods. 
PEPPER. 
German, P/feffer.—French, Piment.—Spanish, Pimiento. 
Requires exactly the same treatment as directed for Egg Plant. 
For Exareition.—Ruby King, Sweet Spanish and County Fair are the most 
desirable and attractive varieties. The plants should stand two and one-half to 
three feet apart to admit abundance of sunlight. Plenty of manure or fertilizer 
should be worked into the soil around the roots, and frequent applications of 
liquid manure should be given. 
PUMPKIN. 
German, Kurbis.—French, Courge.—Spanish, Calabaza. 
1 oz. for 30 to 50 hills. 
Pumpkins are now principally cultivated for agricultural purposes. 
They 
are usually planted in fields of corn or potatoes, but may be profitably raised 
in fields by themselves. Sow first of Mayin this latitude, in hills eight feet apart. 
For Exuipirion.—lf the biggest Pumpkin is wanted, grow Jumbo or Large 
Tours. rich, and when the vine has attained sufficient 
size, pinch out the leading shoot and keep all superfluous growth of vine 
removed. Top-dress the hill with well-rotted manure, and water frequently and 
copiously with liquid manure. 
Make the ground very 
RADISH. 
German, Rettig, Radieschen.—French, Radis, Ra ve, Petit Rave.— 
Spanish, Rabano. 
1 oz. for 100 feet of drill, 9 to 10 Ibs. in drills for an acre. 
Radishes thrive best in alight, sandy loam. Heavy or clayey soils not only 
delay their maturity, but produce crops much inferior, both in appearance and 
flavor. For a continuous supply, sow from the middle of March untilSeptember, 
at intervals of two or three weeks. For an early supply they may be sown in a 
hot-bed in February, care being taken to give plenty of ventilation, otherwise 
they will run to leaves. If plaster is incorporated with the soil in the row at 
time of sowing the seed, the Radishes will always turn out brighter in color, 
crisper, and of better quality. 
RHUBARB. 
German, Rhabarber.—French, Rhubarbe.—Spanish, Ruibarbo Bastardo. 
Sow in April, in Grills a foot apart, thinning out to about the same distance 
apart in rows when a few inches high. The following spring transplant into 
deep, rich soil, about three feet apart each way. If propagated by dividing 
the roots, it may be done either in fall or spring, planting it at the same distance 
The soil cannot be too rich. 
SALSIFY, or Oyster Plant, 
German, Bocksbart.—French, Salsifis——Spanish, Ostra Vegetal. 
1 oz. to T5 feet of drill. 
The Oyster Plant succeeds best in light, well-enriched mellow soil, which, 
previous to sowing the seeds, should be stirred to a depth of eighteen inches. 
Sow early in spring, in drills eighteen inches apart; cover the seeds with fine soil 
aninch and a hali in depth, and when the plants are strong enough, thin out 
to six inches apart. 
SPINACH. 
German, Spinat.—French, Epinard.—Spanish, Espinaca. 
1 oz. for 100 feet of drill; 10 to 12 Ibs. in drills for an acre. 
Sow thinly in rows about twelve or fifteen inches apart. 
sown in September. 
The main crop is 
It is sometimes covered up in exposed places with straw or 
salt hay during winter, which prevents it from being cut with the frost, but in 
sheltered fields there is no necessity for covering. For summer use it may be 
sown at intervals of two or three weeks, from April to August. Spinach is best 
developed and most tender and succulent when grown in rich soil. 
manatee, 
