56 D. M. FERRY & CO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



IARBLEHEAD. 



Mediterranean. — A new variety and quite distinct, 

 being nearly round in shape, with smooth skin of a 

 salmon-red color. Flesh very thick; in many samples 

 the seed cavity is so small that the squash seems to be 

 solid. Quality very dry and sweet, and excellent for 

 pies, having a peculiar, rich color. It is also one of the 

 best keepers. Recommended for trial. 



Winter Crookneck. — The most certain of any to 

 produce a crop, the strong growing vines suffering less 

 from insects than those of the other sorts. Color vary- 

 ing from dark green to clear yellow, frequently chang- 



Winter Crookneck. 



ing to the latter after being gathered. Flesh variable, 

 affected by soil and weather, sometimes close grained 

 and fine flavored, and in other cases coarse and stringy. 

 If kept from cold and damp, they will keep the entire 

 year. 



SUGHR CHNE. 



The recent successful experiments conducted by the 

 U. S. Government at Fort Scott, Kansas, have demon- 

 strated the feasibility of producing at a low cost the 

 finest qualities of sugar from sorghum canes, making it 

 certain that the sugar crop is going to be one of the 

 most important ones in all the central Western States, 

 and we recommend all farmers to experiment with it so 

 as to be able to grow it profitably. 



Early Amber. — This comparatively new variety is 

 now being successfully grown in our extreme northern 

 latitudes. It may be planted as late as the 15th of June, 

 and will be ripe enough to manufacture in September. 

 It is the earliest variety with which we are acquainted. 

 The beautiful, amber colored syrup it produces is 

 thought to be superior in flavor to any other, and for 

 sugar it is unsurpassed. There are many varieties that 

 can be profitably grown where the seasons are long, but 

 this can be grown wherever Indian corn will grow. It 

 is useless to plant cane seed before the weather is warm 

 in spring. Three or four pounds are required per acre. 



Early Orange.— An exceedingly valuable 

 variety. Very large, of strong and vigorous 

 habit, and does not fall down. Its yield is 

 twenty-five per cent, in excess of the Early 

 Amber. It has a very pleasant flavor. It is 

 early, maturing only ten days later than the 

 Early Amber. We recommend it highly to all 

 desiring a superior cane, for all localities, ex- 

 cepting the extreme North. 



SUNFLOMER 



Large Russian.— Helianthus.— The Sun- 

 flower, during the past few years, has attracted 

 considerable attention as a profitable field crop, 

 its leaves being used for forage and its seeds as 

 food for poultry and the manufacture of oil. It 

 is also planted with satisfactory results on low, swampy 

 grounds, to absorb miasma. This variety has larger 

 heads and stalks, more seed, and is much more valuable 

 than the common sort. 



TOBHCCO, 



Tobacco is an annual plant, and although it grows to 

 greater size in the South, an equally good quality can be 

 produced in the hot, dry summers of the North. 



Culture. — The seed should be sown as early as pos- 

 sible after the danger of frost is over. A good plan is 

 to burn a quantity of brush and rubbish in the spring, 

 on the ground intended for the seed bed, then dig and 

 thoroughly pulverize the earth and mix with the ashes, 

 after which the seed may be sown and covered very 

 lightly. When the plants are about six inches high, 

 transplant into rows four to five feet apart each way, 

 and cultivate thoroughly with plow and hoe. 



Connecticut Seed Leaf. — Best adapted to the cli- 

 mate of the Middle and Northern States, as it is more 

 hardy and endures the cold better than the tender vari- 

 eties grown South. In many of the Northern States 

 and in Canada, this variety is a staple crop. 



Havana. — From pure Cuban grown seed, raised in 

 the famous district of Vuelta de Abajo. When grown 

 in this country commands a high price for cigar stock. 



TOMMTO, 



Fr., Pontine d 'Amour. Ger., Liebesapfel. 



This vegetable is too well known to need any descrip- 

 tion. There has been a great improvement in it during 

 the last few years, and the varieties now offered are 

 greatly superior to those known a few years ago. 



Culture. — Tomatoes do best on fight, warm, not over- 

 rich soil, and success depends upon securing a rapid, 

 vigorous, unchecked growth during the early part of the 

 season. Sow in hot-beds during March, or from six to 

 eight weeks before they can be set out of doors; when 

 the plants have four leaves, transplant into shallow 

 boxes, setting them four or five inches apart; give 

 plenty of air, and endeavor to secure a vigorous, but 

 steady and healthy growth, so that at the time of setting- 

 in the open ground they will be strong and stocky, about 

 as broad as high. A slight check while the plants are 

 small, will materially diminish their productiveness. 

 Set out of doors as soon as danger from severe frosts is 

 over, but before doing so harden off the plants by gradu- 

 ally exposing them to the night air and by the withdrawal 

 of water until the wood becomes hard and the leaves 

 thick and of a dark green color. Transplant carefully, 

 and cultivate well as long as the vines will permit. The 

 fruit is improved in quality if the vines are tied to a 

 trellis or to stakes. 



