14 



NORFOLK TRUCKING 



The hardier varieties are planted in January and the more 

 tender in February or the first of March. Some growers fol- 

 low the practice of planting the peas in rows five and one- 

 half to six feet part, planting cucumbers between the rows of 

 peas; others plant the peas in rows three feet apart. By 

 the latter method, the peas must of necessity be followed by 

 some forage or grain crop, as it is impracticable to follow 

 them by any other truck crop during the summer months. 

 The peas are ready for the market during the months of 

 April and May. 



It is customary to plant the cucumbers the latter part of 

 March or early in April. The growers have found it profit- 

 able to plant early, even if there is danger of frost injuring 

 the early plants. Some follow the practice of making two or 

 three plantings, that is, the first planting is followed five or 

 six days later by a second planting of cucumber seed in rows 

 only five or six inches from the first. If the first planting is 

 injured by the frost, the second planting will probably escape, 

 but lest this should be caught, a third planting is made. This 

 method requires the use of large quantities of seed, but the 

 chance of getting cucumbers on the market early justifies 

 this expense. 



Cabbage. 



Seed for the cabbage crop is sown the latter part of Sep- 

 tember and the plants transplanted to the field late in Nov- 

 ember or early in December. This crop usually follows a 

 crop of cowpeas or corn as explained above. In preparing 

 the ground for the cabbage, it is plowed and worked into 

 thoroughly good tilth, and rows about three and one-half feet 

 apart are then marked out. A small quantity of fertilizer 

 running low in nitrogen and comparatively high in phosphoric 

 acid is applied to the rows and worked into the soil, with a 

 cultivator. Two furrows are then thrown together by a turn 

 plow in such a way as to form a ridge about one foot high 

 where the row is to be. The ridge usually extends east and 

 west. A small plow is then used for making a shelf or fur- 

 row on the south side of the ridge about one-half way between 

 the bottom and top. The cabbage plants are then transplant- 

 ed to this small furrow. The ridge on the north side fur- 



