D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



11 



v 



VEGETABLE SEEDS 



WITH GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR CULTIVATION 



V 



Articlholie 



CULTURE— Sow jn hotbeds in February or March acd transplant so as to 

 give plenty of room until danger of frost is over. Then set in ver>- rich, well 

 drained soil in rows four feet apart and two feet apart in the row. Th^plants 

 can be raised in seed beds out of doors, but in that case will not be hkely to 

 produce heads the first vear. The plant we offer is the true artichoke which is a very popular vegetable in Europe. In it'the 

 edible portion is the thickened scales at the base of the flower heads or buds. The plant is very different from what is known 

 in America as Artichoke, or Jerusalem Artichoke, in which the edible portion is the tuber. Late in the fall cut off the old 

 tops and thoroughly protect the crowns with leaves or straw, to prevent severe freezing. The second year thin the starling 

 shoots to three of the best, which will commence to form heads about July 1st. The plants may also be blanched like 

 Cardoons. This is accomphshed by cutting back in July the stems close to the ground; the rapidly growing shoots which 

 then start up may be tied and blanched like celery. As Artichoke plants do not yield satisfactorily after three or four years 

 iris best to start a new plantation at least as often as once in three years. 



/» .^ ni^U/* ^f Dovic The best sort for general use. Buds large, nearly round: scales pale green, shading to violet 

 kJ Large UIODC, or rdriS at the base, very thick and fleshy. Pkt 5c; Oz. 40c; 2 Oz. 7oc: \ Lb. $1.2o: Lb. $4.00 



sparsiguji^ 



Asparagus is one of the earliest spring vegetables and would be in universal 

 use were it not for the mistaken idea that it is difficult to grow. In reality 

 it can be produced very easily and cheaply. It does best in a moist, sandy 

 ^_ soil, but can be grown in anj- garden by following the directions given here. 



A bed 15 X 50 feet, requiring about 100 plants, should give an abundant supply for an ordinary family. 

 CULTURE— Beds are usually formed by setting plants one or two years old. which can be procured of us. If you wish to 

 grow xjlants from the seed yourself, pour hot, but not boiling, water on the seed and let stand until cool; pour it off and repeat 

 two or three times with fresh hot water. Then sow in drills one foot apart and two inches deep in light, rich soil. When the 

 plants are well up. thin to about one inch apart and give frequent and thorough cultivation during the summer. If this has 

 been well done, the plants will be fit to set the next spring. The permanent beds should be prepared by deep plowing or 

 spading and thoroughly' enriching the ground with stable manure or other fertilizer. If the subsoil is not naturally loose and 

 friable, it should be made so by thoroughly stirring with a subsoil plow or spade. Set the plants about four inches deep and 

 one to two feet apart in rows four to six feet apart. After the plants are well started, give frequent and thorough cultivation. 

 Early the next spring spade in a heavy dressing of manure, and about one quart of salt and double the quantity of fresh 

 wood ashes to each square rod and cultivate well as long as the .size of the plants will permit, or until they begin to die down. 

 The next season the bed may be cut over two or three times, but if this is done, all the shoots, no matter how small, should 

 be cut. After the final ciitting, give a good dressing of manure, ashes and salt. Cultivate frequently until the plants meet 

 in the rows. In autumn after the tops are fully ripe and yellow, they should be cut and bunied. If well cultivated and ma- 

 nured, the bed should give a full crop the following season and continue productive for eight or ten years. 

 /JNOVER'S COLOSSAL. A mammoth, green sort of the largest size and of good quality. Pkt.oc; Oz.lOc; 2 Oz.loc; %Lb.20c; 

 Lb. 60c. Strong roots $1.50 per 100. postpaid. 

 ^r^liimKlan M;immrk4h Whi4» This most distinct and valuable asparagus was introduced by us in 1893 and was 

 K/UIUIIlUiail /TiailllllUUI TT lllic the result of patient work and careful selection by the originator, thus obviating 

 ]/ the necessity of earthing up to produce the white shoots which are so much sought for. The immense shoots are 

 clear white" and in favorable weather remain so until three or four inches above the surface. The crown or bud 

 of the young stalk is considerably smaller than the part just below it. thus further distinguishing the variety. All 

 but a very few of the seedlings will produce clear white shoots, and the green ones can be readily distinguished and re- 

 jected when setting the permanent bed. Pkt. oc; Oz. lOc; 2 Oz. loc: ^ Lb. 2oc; Lb. 75e. Strong roots $1. SO per 100, 

 postpaid. 



.. BEAIVS .. 



CULTURE— Xo crop responds more readily to good soil and cultivation than this, 

 The soil best adapted to it is a Ught, rich. well drained loam. which was manured for the 

 previous crop. If too rank manure is used it is apt to make the plant run too much to 

 vine. Beans are extremely sensitive to both cold and wet. and it is useless to plant them 

 before the ground has become dry and warm. The largest return will result from plant- 

 ing in drills from two to three feet apart, and leaving the plants two to six inches apart 

 in the row. Up to the time of blossoming they should have frequent shallow cultivation, 

 but any mutilation of the roots by cultivation after the plants come into bloom is likely 

 to cause the blossoms to blast and so cut off the crop. Remember that the cultivation 

 of beans should always be very shallow, and that it is useless to expect a crop from a 

 field so poorly prepared as to need deep stirring after planting. 



Varieties should be selected so as to give a succession both of string and green 

 shelled beans. The wax podded varieties will degenerate into a mixture of green and 

 wax podded plants unless there is constant attention given to the removing of anj- green 

 podded plants which may appear in the seed crop, and the constant sel'ection of plants of 

 the highest type for stock seed. Hence it is especially important to use seed from reliable 

 sources only. 



DWARF. BUSH OR SNAP-Wax-Poddcd Sorts 



Under this name are classed all the low growing sorts called in different localities 

 Bush. Bunch, Snap, String or Dirarf Beans. We give careful attention to selecting 

 and improving the different varieties and keeping them pure, and invite the most crit- 

 ical comparison of our stocks with those of any other grower. 



^h;ill»ntf^ n\A/apf RIark Wav Introduced by us in 1891. Continued experience 

 ''^-.^dllCnSC UWdri DiaCK wax has satisfied us of the great merit of this variety 



as the earliest wax-podded bean. The enormous demand for it proves that it meets 



popular requirements, and has all the sterling qualities we claim for it. In all our many 



comparisons of this bean with other extra early sorts, we have found it the first to give 



a full picking of pods which were unexcelled by any in quality. The best early wax 



bean for the market garden. In growth and general appearance the plants are the 



same as the old Black Wax or Butter Bean, but are earlier and more productive. The 



peds are clear waxy-white, quite round, very fle.shv. crisp, tender and stringless. 



i>eed jet black, longer and more curved than the Prolific Grerman Wax. Pkt. 10c; 

 JVt. 25c: Qt. 40c: 4 Qts. $1.50 

 IREFUGEE WAX. We have taken especial pains with this variety, which, as we grow it, 



is one of the very best in cultivation. The stock we offer is much superior to that 



commonly sold, being very early. Every plant can be depended upon to produce thick, 



fleshy, wax-like pods of fine quality and of a clear creamv white color, none of the 



plants being green podded. Seed yellowish drab, heavilv splashed with a dark choco- 



late brown. Pkt. 10c; Pt. 25c; Qt. 40c; 4 qts. $1.50; Bushel $8.00 



// Beans are ordered by mail or e.xpress, prepaid, add 10 cents per pint, 15 cents per quart, for charges. 



