Special Needs 



135 



to ventilate, as described in Chapter VIII. Set out 



in prepared hills after danger of frost is over. 



Outside crop is planted directly in the hills, using 

 a dozen or more seeds and thinning to three or four. 



Egg-plant: — The egg-plant is always started un- 

 der glass, for the Northern States, and should be 

 twice transplanted, the second time into pots, to be 

 of the best size when put out. This should not be 

 until after tomatoes are set, as it is perhaps the 

 tenderest of all garden vegetables as regards heat. 

 The soil should be very rich and as moist as can be 

 selected. If dry, irrigating will be necessary. This 

 should not be delayed until the growth becomes 

 stunted, as sudden growth then induced is likely to 

 cause the fruit to crack. 



Watch for potato-bugs on your egg-plants. They 

 seem to draw these troublesome beetles as a magnet 

 does iron filings, and I have seen plants practically 

 ruined by them in one day. As they seem to know 

 there will not be time to eat the whole fruit they 

 take pains to eat into the stems. The only sure 

 remedy is to knock them off with a piece of shingle 

 into a pan of water and kerosene. Egg-plants are 

 easily burned by Paris green, and that standard 

 remedy cannot be so effectively used as on other 

 crops; hellebore or arsenate of lead is good. As 

 the season of growth is very limited, it is advisable, 

 besides having the plants as well developed as 



