404 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



The eggplant is emphatically a hot - climate crop. 

 It is grown in the South to a large extent as a commer- 

 cial crop and even as far north as New Jersey and Long 

 Island. In the northernmost states, it is grown only for 

 lome use, as a rule. It demands a long season, a warm, 

 oose and fairly dry soil. It is not adapted to clay 

 ■ ands. The plants are started under glass, and they 

 hould be 6 or 8 inches high and thrifty and stocky 

 7hen placed in the field. In the northern states the 

 )lants may be even larger than this when transplanted, 

 [t is very important, however, that the plant receives 

 lo check from the germination of the seed to the set- 

 ting of the fruit. If the plants in the forcing-house 

 or hotbed become crowded and stunted, and the stems 

 begin to harden, the crop will be very much lessened. 

 For home use, and sometimes for special market condi- 

 tions, it is advisable to handle the young plants in two- 

 inch or three -inch pots. They then suffer no check 

 when taken to the field. 



The exposure should be warm and sunny. The land 

 should not be so moist as that which is best adapted to 

 early peas, beets and other cool-season things. The 

 ground should be rich also, but it is very important that 

 whatever fertilizer is added should be quickly available so 

 that the maturity of the crop may not be delayed. Take 

 every precaution to forward the crop in order to secure 

 it before the closing of the season, particularly in the 

 northern states. The ground should be kept in thorough 

 tillage from first to last. : 

 The fruits are fit for eating from the time they 

 are one -third grown until they are nearly or quite fully 



