FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE 



CUCUMBER 



29 



This is one of the vegetables that can be grown to 

 perfection by any one wlio can control a few square 

 yards of soil that is fully exposed to the sun. Every 

 family should be supplied from its own garden, since 

 the fruit is so much better when gathered fresh from 

 the vines than it is in the more or less wilted condition 

 in which it is found on the market. 



CULTURE— In order to obtain the largest yield of 

 cucumbers, the soil should be well enriched with well 

 rotted manui'e, but an abundance of good fruit can be 

 raised on any rich garden soil. Plant the seed not over 

 an inch deep in hills four to six feet apart each way, 

 dropping fifteen to twenty seeds in a hill. After the 

 plants begin to crowd and danger from the striped 

 beetle is pretty well over, thin to three plants to the 

 hill. Give frequent but shallow cultivation until the 

 plants make runners so long that this is impracticable. 

 In field culture, plow furrows four feet apart and simi- 

 lar ones at right angles to the first. At each inter- 

 section drop a shovelful or more of well rotted manure 

 which should be xcell mixed with the soil, forming a 

 broad, flat hill four to six inches above the surface. 

 Many growers omit every fourth row, thus forming 

 paths for the distribution of manure and gathering 

 the fruit. In many sections, Avhere earliness is very im- 

 portant, market gardeners start plants in boxes made 

 like the ordinary berry box, but without the raised bot- 

 tom. The boxes are set in hotbeds or cold frames, filled 

 with rich, friable soil and the seed planted. When dan- 

 ger of frost is over, the plants are set in the open 

 ground, the boxes being cut away, so the roots are not 

 disturbed at all. 



The plants are liable to attack from the striped 

 cucumber beetles which ai'e so numerous in some cases 

 as to destroy them. These insects may be kept off by a 

 frequent dusting with air-slacked lime, soot or sifted 

 ashes diluted with fine road earth. Care should be taken 

 not to use too much of any of the above materials, for 

 if used too freely they will kill the vines. The best 

 protection against injury is a vigorous and rapid growth 

 of the young plants. 



Pick the fruit before it begins to ripen, as the vines 

 will cease setting fruit as soon as any seed begins to 

 mature. In gathering for pickles, cut the stem instead 

 of pulling the fruit off and be careful not to mar 

 the fruit in any way, for if the skin be broken the 

 pickles will not keep so well. 



We pay particxdar attention to growing and select- 

 ing the various straiyis so as to keep them pure and 

 true to name. 



Pressing Perfected Pickling 



FqwKt Pliief a«> ^iJi^ vigorous, producing the bulk of the 



£40.1 ly \.^iUdl.cr crop near the root and in clusters. Fruit 



short, with uniformly thick end, dark green, but paler at 



blossom end. Avery productive sort. Pkt. 5c; O2. 10c; 



3 Oz. 15c; H Lb. 35c; Lb. 75c. 



17«i*1-^ Qk.rv.^ C-^^^w* ^*. An excellent sort, both for 



narly onort oreen, or table use and for pickung. 



I^a«*1tr P«*ovvtA Plants very vigorous and productive. 



I^ciriy r r<XlllG Fruit straight, a little smaller at the ends, 

 bright green, lighter at the blossom end. 

 Comes into use a little later than the Early 

 Cluster and keeps green a long time. Our 

 stock is very superior. Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 

 8 Oz. 15c; h Lb. S5c; Lb. 75c. 



Pressing Perfected '^USS'Si tS 



Pi^lrKnrr Splendid variety are short, cylin- 

 I^lCKling drical and blunt ended, making, 

 when packed in bottles, very handsome, 

 showy pickles of the very best quality. For 

 this purpose we recommend this novelty more 

 highly than any other sort. The vines are 

 vigorous, setting their fruit early and are very 

 productive. Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 8 Oz. 30c; 

 3^Lb. 30c;Lb. $1.00 



Chicago, or Westerf ield JopuL? 



P* l^l* with market gardeners. Fruit 



* ICKIing medium length, pointed at each 

 end with very large and prominent spines; 

 color deep green. It is an extremely prolific 

 variety and is one of the best for those who 

 want crisp, coarsely spined pickles. Pkt. 5c; 

 Oz. 10c; 3 Oz. 15c; h Lb. 35c; Lb. 75c. 



A distinct and very 

 productive variety 



extensively grown for pickles. Fruit medium 



sized, very smooth, symmetrical, bright green. 



Pkt. 5c; Oz. ,10c; 3 Oz. 15c; ^ Lb. 25c; 



Lb. 75c. 



f^«»^,. DI^UIC**^ Intermediate between the Long 

 Jersey riCKimg and the short Green, forming a 

 long, slender, cylindrical pickle which is very crisp and ten- 

 der. Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 3 Oz. 15c; %Lb. 35c; Lb. 75c. 



r* U, \3t7l*:«.« Q««^»«.a One of the best sorts for table 



Harly W tllte opine use. vines vigorous, fruiting 

 early and abundantly; fruit uniformly straight and hand- 

 some, dark green, with a few white spines; flesh tender 

 and of excellent flavor. In this country this variety is used 



Boston Pickling 



Chicago Pickling 



more 

 Pkt 



•e, we presume, than any other for forcing under glass. 

 . 5c I Oz. 10c; 3 Oz. 15c; h Lb. 35c; Lb. 75c. 



