10 



PETER HENDERSON & CO., NEW YORK 



Brief Directions for the 

 Sowing and Culture of 



GARDEN VEGETABLES FM, S 



For the Private Garden, 

 Peter Henderson. 



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 

 Bide, 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 se1 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 tin- side of the trench, at tin- 

 distance already named (nine inches), care being taken to properly spread tin- 

 roots. The crown or top of the plant should be covered about three inches. In 

 a week or so after planting the beds should be touched over lightly with a sharp 

 steel rake, which will destroy the germinating weeds. Tin- raking had better In- 

 continued at intervals of a week or so, uutil tile plants start to grow, when the 

 hoe or hand-cultivator may be applied between the rows and alleys. The needs 

 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, fof 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, Erijorenano. 

 1 qt. to 100 feet of drill ; 1 > . 2 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 ol New York. Further 

 South the first sowing must be done earlier; further North later. Plant in drills 

 about two inches deep, aud from eighteen inches to two feel 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 incites apart iu the drills. 



BEANS* Pole Lima, or Climbing. 



German, Stangen-Bobnen. — French, Haricot a Rames, — Spanish, Judias. 

 1 qt. to 150 hills; 10 to 10 qtB. to the acre in hills. 



These are more tender and require rather more rare in culture than the Rush 

 varieties, and should be sown 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 

 moBtly used, the season is too short forsuccession crops in the North, though it 

 is advantageous to plant succession crops in the Southern States, where tin- 

 season of growth is often from March to November. Hough 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. 



BEET. 



German, Runkel Kutie. — French, Better&ve. — Spanish, Betteraga. 

 1 oz. to 50 feet of drill ; 5 lbs. to the acre in drills. 

 The soil best suited for the culture of tin- Beet is that which is rather light 

 than otherwise, always provided that it is thoroughly enriched with well-rotted 

 manure. For an early supply sow in spring, as soon astheground 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 tin- 

 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. Iu October the roots may be 

 taken up and stored in cellar or pits outside. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 



German, Kopfkohl Gruner. — French, I'liou 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. — French, Chou Pomme. — Spanish, BepoIIo. 

 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 the open border in October 

 and planted out on the first openiug of spring; but in 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 iutothe 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. For second 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. 



CAULIFLOWER. 



German, Blumen-Kolil.— French, Choufleur. — Spanish, ColiOor. 

 1 oz. will produce about 1.000 plants. 

 Any Boil 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 or in 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. F'or second early and late crop sow at same date as given in the direc- 

 tions for Cabbage crop. 



CARROT. 



German, Molire. — French, Carotte. — Spanish, Zanahoria. 

 1 oz. for 125 feet of drill ; 4 lbs. for an acre. 



The Carrot, like other root crops, delights in a sandy loam, richly tilled. 

 For early crops sow in spring, as soon as the ground is in good working order; 

 for later crops they may be sown any time until the middle of June. Sow in 

 rows about fifteen inches apart, thinning out to three or four inches between 

 1 he plants. In field culture, when grown for horses or cattle, the rows should be 

 two feet apart, so that the crop can be worked with the Horse Cultivator. As 

 < arrot seed is slow to germinate, extra precautions must be taken to firm the 

 seed in the soil. 



CELERY. 



German, Seleri. — French, Celeri. — Spanish, Apis. 



1 oz. for 3.000 plants. 



Sow in the open ground as soon as it is fit to work in April, and keep care- 

 fully clear of weeds until time of transplanting in June or July. The tops should 

 be shorn once or twice before transplanting, so as to ensure ".stocky" plants. 

 The lower halt of the root should also be cut off before transplanting. 



After the ground has been prepared, lines are made on the level surface, 

 three feet apart, and the plants set' six inches apart in the lines. If tin- 

 weather be dry at the time of planting great care should be taken that the 

 roots are properly "firmed." Our custom is to turn back on the row and press 

 by the side of each plant gently with the foot. This compacts the soil, and 

 excludes the air from the roots until new rootlets nre formed, which will usually 

 be in forty-eight hours, after which all danger is over. After the planting of the 

 Celery is completed, nothing further is to be done for six or seven weeks, except 

 going through between the rows with a cultivator or hoe and freeing the 

 plants of weeds until they get strong enough to crowd them down. This will 

 bring us to about the middle of August, by which time we have usually that 

 moist and cool atmosphere essential to the growth of Celery. Then we begin the 

 "earthingup" necessary for the blanching anil whitening of that which is wanted 

 for use during the months of September, October aud November. The first 

 operation is that of " handling," as we term it ; that is, after all the soil has been 

 drawn up against the plant with a hoe, it is further drawn close around each 

 plant by the hand, firm enough to keep the leaves in an upright position and 

 prevent them from spreading. This being done, more soil is drawn against the 

 row (either by the plow or hoe, as circumstances require) so as to keep the 

 plant in this upright position. The blanching process must, however, befinished 

 by the spade, which is done by digging the soil from between the rows and 

 banking it up clear to the top on each side of the row of Celery. Three feet is 

 ample distance between the dwarf varieties; but when larger sorts are used the 

 width of the rows must be at least four and a half or five feet. 



For fuller details on Celery culture please refer to our book, "Gardening for 

 Profit, "fully described on page B. 



CORN, Sugar. 



German, Welschkorn. — French, Mais. — Spanish, Mai/.. 

 1 qt. for 200 hills ; 8 to 10 qts. in hills for an acre. 

 All varieties of Sweet or Sugar Cornmay beeithersowninrowsfour and a half 

 feet apart, and the seeds placed about eight inches apart in the rows, or planted 

 in hills at distances of three or four feet each way, according to the variety 

 grown or the richness of the soil in which it is planted. The taller the variety, 

 or tin- richer tin- soil, the greater should be the distance apart. W'e make our 

 first plantings in this vicinity about the middle of May and continue successive 

 plantings every two or three weeks until the last week in July, in more southerly 

 latitudes planting is begun a month earlier and continued a month later. 



CRESS, or Pepper Grass. 



German, Kresse. — French, Cresson. — Spanish, Mastruco. 

 A well-known pungent salad. Requires to lie sown thickly in rows and 

 covered very slightly. Sow in April in open ground in rows one foot apart and 

 thin out as needed. To keep up a succession, sow frequently, as all varieties 

 deteriorate rapidly. 



CUCUMBER. 



German, Gurke. — French, Concombre. — Spanish, Cohombro. 

 1 oz. for 60 hills ; 2 to 3 lbs. in hills for an acre. 

 Cucumbers succeed best in warm, rich, sandy loam. They should not be 

 planted in the open air until there is a prospect of settled warm weather — in 

 the vicinity of New York about the middle of May ; plant in hills about four feet 

 apart each way. The hills should be previously prepared, by mixing with the 

 soil of each a shovelful of well-rotted manure. Plant eight or ten seeds in each 

 hill. When all danger from insects is past thin out the plants, leaving three or 

 four of the strongest to each hill. The fruit should be gathered when large 

 enough, whether required for use or not, as, if left to ripen on the vines, it de- 

 stroys their productiveness. 



EGG PLANT. 



German, EierpOaaze. — French, Aubergine. — Spanish, Berengena. 

 1 oz. for 1,000 plants. 

 The Egg Plant will thrive well in any good garden soil, but will repay good 

 treatment. The seed should be sown in hot beds or warm greenhouse iu March 

 or April, and when about an inch high, pot in two-inch pots. Plant out, about 

 June 1st, two and a half feet apart. If no hot bed is at hand, they can be grown 

 in any light room where the temperature will uverage seventy-five degrees. 



ENDIVE. 



German, Endivien. — French. Ciiicoree. — Spanish. Endivia. 

 1 oz. for 100 feet of drill or 2.000 plants. 

 Endive is one of the best salads for fall and winter use. Sow for an early 

 supply about the middle of April. As it is used mostly in the fall months, the 

 main sowings are made in June and July and transplanted one foot apart each 

 way when of sutiicient size. It requires no special soil or manure, and aftertrans- 

 planting, if kept clear of weeds until the plant has attained its full size, the 

 process of blanching begins. This is effected by gathering up the leaves, and 

 tying them by their tips in a conical form, with Raphia. This excludes the 

 light and air from the inner leaves, which become blanched in the course of from 



