Page 26 



BETTER FRUIT 



June 



Ford, Kleckley Sweets, Cole's Early, 

 P'ordhook Early, Burpee. 



By judicious planting a fine supply of 

 onions may be secured throughout the 

 season. Seed may be sown in drills in 

 spring as early as the ground can be 

 worked. If one desires onion sets may 

 be planted for early green onions. The 

 onion is essentially a surface feeder. It 

 should be grown in rich, friable soil, with 

 plenty of plant food near the surface. 

 Frequent and shallow cultivation is 

 essential to preserve moisture until the 

 onion begins to mature. The bulbs 

 should not be allowed to stand closer 

 than five to six inches in the row if best 

 results are expected. If the bulbs are not 

 maturing in time to be harvested in fall 

 before inclement weather begins the tops 

 should be bent over to hasten maturity. 

 See that the onions are well matured and 

 dried before storing for winter use. 

 There are many varieties of onions. One 

 will have no difficulty in choosing varie- 

 ties adapted to local conditions and per- 

 sonal preferences. Varieties: Oregon 

 Yellow Danvers, Spokane Seed Com- 

 pany; Red Wetherfield, White Portugal, 

 Philadelphia Silverskin, Burpee; White 

 Queen (fine for pickling), Thorburn. 



Parsnips, like other root crops, require 

 a deep, loose soil in order to develop a 

 long, smooth and shapely root. Seed 

 may be sown in drills where the plants 

 are intended to grow and covered with 

 three-fourths of an inch of soil. Sow 

 the seed rather thickly and thin plants 

 to four inches in the row. Parsnips 

 require the entire season for their full 

 development. They may be dug in late 

 fall, topped and stored similar to car- 

 rots. They may also be left in the 

 ground over winter. The hollow crown 

 varieties are not as desirable for leaving 

 in the ground as those with a smooth 

 shoulder. If the roots are to remain in 

 the ground over winter it is advisable to 

 give them a light mulch of coarse strawy 

 material. Varieties: Hollow Crown, 



Improved Guernsey, Early Short Round, 

 Burpee. 



A few specimens of parsley should be 

 found in every garden. It is not difficult 

 to grow and is very productive. A large 

 amount of tender foliage may be gath- 

 ered for garnishing throughout the 

 year. Varieties: Emerald, Burpee; Extra 

 Curled, Thorburn. 



The first sowing of peas should be 

 made very early. By a judicious choice 

 of varieties and succession planting peas 

 may be enjoyed for a long period each 

 year. Their culture is not difficult. For 

 the fruit grower's garden it is seldom 

 wise to to use tall growing varieties 

 which require staking. A liberal supply 

 of seed should be sown about three 

 inches deep. One will have no difficulty 

 in choosing varieties and there is a large 

 list carried by most seed houses. The 

 essential thing for the home gardener to 

 bear in mind is to have a succession of 

 peas throughout the season which do 

 best under his climatic conditions. This 

 may be secured by several plantings or 

 by planting early, medium and late varie- 

 ties. Varieties: Nott's Excelsior, Pros- 

 perity, American Wonder and Horse- 

 ford's Market Garden, Burpee. 



The Irish potato is here mentioned 

 only as a garden crop. It is usually not 

 well to take the space except for early 

 varieties. The main crop is generally 

 grown on other sections of the farm. 

 By plowing the ground as soon as it is fit 

 to work in spring tubers may be had 

 about the time the first crop of peas is 

 harvested. If one is anxious to have 

 extra early potatoes seed may be sprouted 

 in shallow boxes. These sprouts are 

 carefully preserved and transplanted to 

 the ground with a liberal portion of 

 seed attached. Choose smooth, medium 

 size uniform tubers which are typical of 

 the variety. Always pay attention to the 

 selection of an ideal type when securing 

 potatoes for seed. A great deal can be 

 accomplished in maintaining or improv- 

 ing the potato by securing superior 



sUains through selection. Varieties: 

 Early Rose, Carman No. 3, Early Ohio 

 and Rural New Yorker. 



The radish, like other root crops, 

 delights in a moist, rich, friable soil. 

 They should be grown rapidly without 

 a check. Several plantings should be 

 made in order to secure choice radishes 

 for a long period of time. Seed is sown 

 in drills as soon as the ground can be 

 worked in spring. The radish is a fine 

 crop for succession planting. Varieties: 

 French Breakfast, Scarlet Turnip, Icicle, 

 White Vienna, Burpee. 



Salsify is a most excellent plant when 

 well grown. It is commonly spoken of 

 as vegetable oyster. The culture of this 

 plant does not differ from that of other 

 root crops like carrot or parsnip. (See 

 Figure 5.) Variety: Sandwich Island 

 iNIammoth, Burpee. 



Spinach is highly prized as a pot herb. 

 It is very easily grown. Spinach grows 

 rapidly and several crops may be secured 

 during the season. The culture of this 

 plant is practically the same as for let- 

 tuce. It makes a fine companion or suc- 

 cession crop. Varieties: Longstanding, 

 Victoria, Burpee.; Curled Leaf Savoy, 

 Thorburn. 



For details of culture of squash see 

 cucumber or pumpkin. Varieties: Early 

 White Scallop, Bay State, Thorburn; 

 Early White Bush, Hubbard, Burpee. 



It is essential to have the tomato 

 plants grown in a hotbed or greenhouse 

 in order to secure large, strong, stalky 

 plants. The tomato is susceptible to 

 early and late frosts, which shorten its 

 growing period materially. The plant 

 should be as large as possible when 

 transplanted to the field. Endeavor to 

 lift each plant without loosing the soil 

 or molesting the roots. If they are care- 

 fully handled while being transferred to 

 the field they should not receive a check 

 to their growth. Fruits may be ripened 

 early by training the vines to one or two 

 stems and supporting them by means of 

 a stake or trellis. The most serious 

 drawbacks to tomato culture are frosts, 

 droughts and the various blights. The 

 tomato has been trained in various ways 

 to secure maximum yields and earliness. 

 Probably the most satisfactory way for 

 the handling in the fruit grower's garden 

 is to plant them in rows five feet apart, 

 four in the row, and tie them to a stake. 

 Side shoots should be removed. The 

 tomato delights in frequent cultivation. 

 Varieties: Spark's Earliana, New Stone, 

 Livingston; Atlantic Prize, Thorburn. 



Some useful garden literature may be 

 obtained free by addressing the Secretary 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. The 

 follov/ing is a list of farmer's bulletins 

 of interest to a home gardener: 



35, Potato Culture; .39, Onion Culture; 61, 

 Asparagus Culture; 62, Marketing Farm Produce; 

 68, The Black Rot of the Cabbage; 76, Tomato 

 Growing; 91, Potato Diseases and Their Treat- 

 ment; 94, The Vegetable Garden; 121, Beans, Peas 

 and Other Legumes as Food; 138, Irrigation in 

 Field and Garden; 148, Celery Culture; 203, 

 Canned Fruits, Preserves and Jellies; 220, Toma- 

 toes; 231, Spraying for Cucumber and Melon 

 Diseases; 254, Cucumbers; 255, The Home Vege- 

 table Garden; 256, Preparation of Vegetables for 

 the Table; 263, Practical Information for Begin- 

 ners in Irrigation; 382, Celery; 289, Beans; 295, 

 Potatoes and Other Root Crops as Food; 354, 

 Onion Culture. 



HEAD LETTUCE 



