42 



FERRY'S SEEDS 



SPINACH 



In recent years people have found how to cook spinach and 

 have learned that it is one of our most palatable dishes when 

 properly cooked. It is also one of the most important sources of 

 vitamines and is included in nearly all health menus. The in- 

 creasing popularity of spinach has led plant breeders to work for 

 improvement in varieties. They have succeeded so well that the 

 varieties now grown are larger in leaf, more succulent and re- 

 main in prime condition a much longer time. When the spring 

 craving for greens is most insistent a row of spinach in the home 

 garden wiU satisfy it perfect!}'. 



Sow in rows 16 to 20 inches apart and thin to 6 inches apart 

 in the row when leaves are an inch -wide. In the North seed can 

 be planted as soon as the ground can be prepared. In the South 

 spinach will winter over with Httle or no protection. The soil 

 for spinach should be as rich as practicable. The size and qualitj' 

 of the leaves is much increased by the richness of the soil. 



In cooking spinach, steam treatment is much the best but if 

 this is impractical use only enough water to prevent scorching 

 and keep tightly covered. In any case avoid over cooking and 

 do not let it stand very long before serving. 



GIANT THICK LEAVED (Nobel) The most outstanding of 

 the thick leaved varieties. It grows rapidly and remains a 

 long time in prime condition. Our seed produces the largest 

 spinach plants under cultivation. The leaves are rounded, 

 large, slightly crumpled, succulent and tender. They are 

 medium green and very uniform. An excellent sort for the 

 home garden. 

 Pkt. 10c; 1/4 lb. 20c; lb. 60c. 



JULIANA A variety from which the small leaved early bolting 

 plants have been virtually ehminated. The leaves are 

 medium in size, much bUstered or savoyed and rich deep 

 green in color. They have short stems and the plants make 

 a very compact growth. This variety is somewhat slower 

 growing than others and is very long-standing. It is ideal 

 to plant for succession with one of the earlier varieties. 

 Pkt. 10c; 1/4 lb. 20c; lb. 60c. 



KING OFDENMARK This was t he forerunner of the modern 

 "long-standing" strains of spinach. It is intermediate be- 

 tween the smooth-leaved and savoyed or blistered types. 

 The leaves are large, halberd-shaped and medium dark green 

 in color. The plants are of low growing habit and make 

 rapid growth, producing a hea\'y crop which remains in 

 condition from one to two weeks. A very hardy and satis- 

 factory spinach for the home garden. 

 Pkt. 10c; 1/4 lb. 20c; lb. 60c. 



LONG STANDING BLOOMSDALE True to its name this 

 most attractive sort remains a long time in condition for use 

 without bolting to seed even in hot dry weather. The com- 

 pact erect plants have very crumpled, rounded, large, thick 

 leaves of dark green color. It matures with the second early 

 class and proves very desirable in planting for succession. 

 Pkt. 10c; 1/4 lb. 20c; lb. 60c. 



PRICKLY SEEDED (Morse's Dark Green) A hardy variety 

 adapted to fall planting in sections where winters are not 

 severe. It is popular among Cahfornia gardeners. The plant 

 is large with many rounded, thick dark green leaves and is 

 easily grown on ordinary soils. It is not only adapted to fall 

 planting but is very satisfactory for spring planting in the 

 home garden. 



NEW ZEALAND (Tetragonia) This is not related to true 

 spinach but the leaves bear a resemblance to spinach and 

 are very useful as greens. The plants thrive on soil too lean 

 for successful spinach growing and produce numerous ter- 

 minal gi'oups of small fleshy triangular leaves which are 

 tender and palatable. This wiU grow throughout the sum- 

 mer and provide a continuous supply of greens as the plant 

 is of indeterminate branching growth and each branch in 

 turn produces others. 

 Pkt. 10c; 1/4 lb. 30c; lb. $1.00. 



SQUASH 



Long Standing Bloomsdale 



Early explorers of North America found squashes growing in 

 widely separated regions. Like maize and potatoes they seem to 

 be natives of this country. For generations squash and its near 

 relation, the pumpkin, have been staple vegetables in the Ameri- 

 can household and have formed one of our most nutritious and 

 valuable articles of food. 



There are two distinct classifications of squash which, owing 

 to their habits of growth and difference in character, are gener- 

 ally referred to as "Summer" and "Winter" Squashes. 



In general the cultiue of squashes is the same as that of pump- 

 kins and melons, the trailing varieties requiring as much room 

 as pumpkins and the brush varieties take about the same space 

 as cucumber. 



SUMMER VARIETIES 



All of the varieties under this heading are classified botan- 

 icaUy as Cucurbita Pepo. They are not true squash but through 

 long estabhshed usage have become known as such. 



Unlike the winter sorts they are only suitable for use in 

 the immature stage and are practically worthless for cooking 

 after the shell begins to harden. They are an excellent summer 

 and early autumn vegetable. 



EARLY WHITE BUSH SCALLOP This well known variety is 

 sometimes called Pattj' Pan or Cymbling. The plant is 

 strictly bu.sh in habit and bears creamy white patty- 

 shaped fruits which are symmetrically scalloped. The flesh 

 is milk-white, firm and smooth and is richly flavored. This 

 is the most popular of white summer squashes for home 

 garden use. 

 Pkt. 10c; oz. 20c; 1/4 lb. 45c; lb. $1.25. 



