176 



THE VEGETABLE FORCING BUSINESS 



to grow large stocky plants to set in the beds just as soon as 

 the first crop is sold. We have found that, by starting the 

 plants in pots and planting six inches apart for the second 

 crop, we can grow lettuce in four or five w^eeks which will be 

 large enough to sell for fifty cents a dozen. You note that 

 with this rotation it will take good management throughout 

 the season, or you will not be able to take off four crops 

 during the year. 



The largest receipts are ordinarily during the month of 

 July. There is much work to be done in the houses during 

 the hot months of the summer and the houses should be venti- 

 lated as freely as possible. 



Digression On Celery Blanching. 



Some growers use the ridge and furrow construction, 

 houses thirty feet wide, with two rows of ventilators at the 

 ridge. This is a very satisfactory type of construction. 

 (The following remarks were suggested by a lantern view 

 which was used at this moment, showing the mulching of 

 celery) : This crop of celery was planted out in May, and the 

 mulch was applied about two weeks later. The mulch con- 

 sisted of horse manure that had been aerated a few days. 

 This system of celery culture is becoming popular throughout 

 the United States. The mulch is applied to the depth of 

 about four inches, and this requires about forty tons of 

 manure to the acre. The rows are two feet apart, and Gol- 

 den Self-Blanching plants are set four inches apart in the 

 row. 



Question: That would not do for dirt banking, would it? 



Professor Watts: In my own home garden, I have used 

 the mulching system with the late crop. I paid no attention 

 to the manure when I banked the plants in the fall. Yet I 

 do not want to speak positively in regard to this matter. It 

 may be that if very much manure comes in contact with the 

 plants, it would cause mould or else rusting. I have an idea 

 you might rake out some of the coarsest of the manure be- 

 fore the soil is banked. 



Question: Would you need that manure on muck? 



