30 



D. M. FERRY & CO., DETROIT, MICH 



Cucumber 



This is one of the vegetables that can be grown 

 to perfection by any one who can control a few square 

 yards of soil that is fully exposed to the sun. 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, that every family should be 

 supphed from its own garden. 



CULTURE — In order to obtain the largest yield of 

 cucumbers, the soil should be well enriched with weU 

 rotted manure, 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 nearly 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 similar 

 ones at right angles to the first. At each intersection 

 drop a shovelful or more of well rotted manure which 

 should be well mixed with the soil, forraing 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 where earliness 

 is very important, market gardeners start 



Elants in boxes made Uke the ordinary berry 

 ox, .but without the raised bottom. The 

 boxes are set in hotbeds or cold frames, filled 

 with rich, friable soil and the seed planted. 

 When danger 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 cu- 

 cumber beetles which are so numerous in some cases as 

 to destroy them. These may be kept off by a frequent 

 dusting with air slacked lime, soot or sifted ashes diluted 

 with fiue road earth. Care should be taken not to use 

 too much of any of the above materials, for if used too 

 freely they will kiU 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 set- 

 ting fruit as soon as any seed begins to mature. In gathering for pick- 

 les, 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 particular attention to growing 

 and selecting the various strains of cucum- 

 bers, so as to keep them pure and true to name. 



Early Russian 



Early Cluster 



/^S^; 



Early Short Green 

 Cucumber. 



Earliest and hardi- 

 est. Vine vigorous 

 and productive. Fruit three to four inches long, 

 thick, oval and covered with fine, small spines. 

 Crop failed. 



pickles. 



Early Cluster Cucumber. 



Vine vigorous, pro- 

 ducing the bulk of 

 the croj) near the root and in clusters. Fruit short, 

 with uniformly thick end, dark green, but paler at 

 blossom end. A very productive sort. Pkt. 5c; 

 Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 15c; ^ Lb. 25c; Lb. 90c. 



Early Short Green, ^"rt'SSSJ 



i\r FarKr Fraini> table use and for 



or i^driy rrdme pickiing. piants 



verj^ vigorous and productive. 



Fruit straight, handsome, small 



at each end, bright green, lighter 



at the blossom end, with crisp, 



tender flesh and makes excellent 



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; 



2 Oz. 15c; H Lb. 25c; 



Lb. 90c. 



Jersey 

 Pickling 



Intermediate between 

 the Long and the Short 

 Green, forming a long, 

 slender, cylindrical 

 pickle which is very 

 crisp and tender. 

 Pkt. 6c; 

 Oz. 10c; 

 2 Oz. 20c; 

 h Lb. 30c; 

 Lb. $1.00 



Jersey Picklinq Cucumber. 



