GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



109 



Southern farmers should grow Broom 

 Corn for market. It is profitable, Fre- 

 quently planted in drills 3i/^ feet apart, 

 leaving plants 6 inches apart; 10 to 20 

 lbs. to an acre. 



Jerusalem Corn. This belongs to the 

 non-saccharine Sorghums. Grows about 

 three feet high. Makes one large head 

 on main stalk and several smaller heads 

 on side shoots, often as many as eight 

 heads on one stalk. The grain is pure 

 -white and nearly flat. Ten pounds will 

 plant an acre. 



Guinea Grass. Although this grass 

 will do well on rather poor sandy land, 

 it does much better on richer cr fertilized 

 land. Wherever it has had proper care 

 the crop is enormous and satisfactory. 

 A tropical grass originally from Africa, it 

 is now grown largely in the East and 

 West Indies. In Jamaica it is held next 

 to sugar in value of crop, a single farmer 

 producing five thousand dollars worth 

 per annum of the hay. Propagated to 

 any desired extent by rapid increase of 

 tillers it is esteemed in Florida and other 



parts of the South as a first class forage. 

 Cattle eat it with avidity, green or dry. 

 Three pounds to the acre, planted in hills 

 same as corn. 



Johnson Grass. (Sorghum Halapense). 

 Perennial and has cane-like roots, or 

 more properly, underground stems, from 

 the size of a gcose quill to that of. the 

 little f.nger. These roots are tender, and 

 hogs are fond of and thrive on them in 

 winter. One to one and a half bushels of 

 a good sample cf this seed is sufficient 

 for one acre of land. The le-if, stalk and 

 panicle 'oi this grass resemble those of 

 c liber sorghums. It grows on any land 

 where corn will grow; and like the latter, 

 the better the land the heavier the crop. 

 On rich land the culms obtain a size of 

 over half an inch in diameter, and a 

 height of seven feet. It should be cut 

 while tender, and then all live stock are 

 fond of it, for a few weeks are enough 

 to render it so coarse and hard that 

 animals refuse it or eat sparingly. When 

 once planted it cannot be eradicated. 



FLOWER SEEDS. 



The following list of Flower seeds is not very large, but it contains all which 

 is desired and which will do well in the Southern climate. We import them from 

 one pf the most celebrated growers in Prussia, and they are of the best quality. 

 There are very few or no flower seeds raised in this country, and Northern houses, 

 which publish large lists and catalogues, get them from just the same source as 

 ourselves; but they, on an average sell much higher than we do. Some varieties, 

 which are biennial in Europe or North, flower here the first season; in fact, if 

 they do not they generally do not flower at all, as they usually are destroyed by 

 the continued long heat of summer. Some kinds grow quicker here and come to 

 a greater perfection than in a more Northern latitude. 



Flower seeds require a little more care in cowing than the vegetable seeds. 

 The ground should be well pulverized and light enough not to bake after a rain. 

 Some of the more delicate and finer varieties are better sown in boxes or seed 

 pans, where they can be better handled and protected from hard rains or cold 

 weather, the other kinds do not transplant well, and are better sown at once 

 where they are to remain, or a few seeds may be sown in small pots to facilitate 

 transplanting into the garden without disturbing the plants, when large enough. 

 Some have very fine seeds, which the mere pressing of the hand or spade to the 

 soil will cover; others may be covered one-fourth of an inch, according to their 

 size. Watering should be done carefully, and if not done with a syringe, a water- 

 ing pot, where the holes of the spout are very fine, should be used. 



By setting the plants out, or sowing ,the seeds in the border, consideration 

 should be taken of the height, so that the taller varieties may be in the middle 

 and the dwarf kinds on the edge of the bed. 



The seeds are put up in 5c. and 10c. packages, 15 and 20 packages for one 

 dollar, except a few rare or costly kinds, where the price is noted. All flower 

 seeds in packages are mailed free of postage to the purchaser. Where there is 

 more than one color, we generally import them mixed, as we find that most of 

 our customers do not wish to purchase six packages or more of one variety to 

 get all colors. One package of Asters, Zinnia, Phlox, Chinese Pink, German 

 Stocks, Petunia, Portulaca, and others, will always contain an equal mixture of 

 the best colors. 



Plant a plentiful supply of Vegetables for the home consumption. 



