D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



V 



EQETABLE SEEDS ® 



WITH 



O 



(^ENERAL^^^IRECTIONS TOR (^ULTIVATION, 



The Terms and Prices of Vegetable Seeds will be found in the Price List, in the back part of this Catalogue. 



ARTICHOKE. 



French, Artichaut. German, Artischoke. 



CcLTURE.— Sow in hot-beds and transplant into pots, or so 

 as to give plentj' of room until danger of frost is over, and 

 then set in very rich ground, in rows four feet apart and two 

 feet apart in the rows; or the plants can be raised in seed 

 beds out of doors, but in that case will not be likely to pro- 

 duce heads the first year. The edible portion is the unde- 

 veloped flower heads, which will be produced about Septem- 

 ber 1st. and until frost. Late in the fall, cut off the old tops 

 and protect the crowns with leaves or straw to prevent severe 

 freezing. The second year they will commence to form 

 heads about Juh' 1st. The plants may also be blanched like 

 Cardoons, which is accomplished by cutting back the grossing 

 stems in July, close to the ground, when the young and 

 rapidly growing shoots which start up after cutting, may be 

 tied and blanched like Celer}'. As Artichoke plants do not 

 yield satisfactorily after three or four years, it is best to start 

 a new plantation once in three years at least. 



LARGE GLOBE.— The best sort for general use. Buds 

 large, nearly round; scales deep green, shading to purple, 

 very thick and fleshy. 



ASPARAGUS. 



French. Asperge. German. Spargel. 



Asparagus is one of the earliest spring vegetables, and 

 would be in universal use were it not for the prevalent idea 

 that it is difficult to grow it. We think this is a mistake, and 

 that there is no vegetable on our list that can be produced so 

 cheaply and easily as this. It delights in a moist, sandy soil, 

 but can be grown in any garden by following the directions 

 given below. A bed 15x50 feet, requiring 50 to 75 plants, 

 should give an abundant supply for an ordinary family. 



Culture.— Beds are usually formed bj' setting plants one 

 or two years old. which can be procured of us. but if you 

 wish to' grow them yourself, prepare a light, rich spot as early 

 as possible in the spring. Pour boiling water on the seed and 

 pour it off at once, and sow in drills one foot apart and two 

 mches deep. When the plants are well up. thin to two or 

 three inches in the row. and give frequent and thorough cul- 

 tivation during the summer. If this has been well done, the 

 plants will be fit to set the next spring. The permanent 

 beds should be prepared by deep ploughing or spading and 

 thoroughly enriching the ground with stable manure or 

 other fertilizers. If the subsoil is not naturally loo.se and 

 friable, it should be made .so by thorough stirring with a 

 subsoil plow or the spade. Make rows five feet apart and 

 four inches deep and set the plants in the bottom of the 

 rows two to three feet apart, the latter distance being prefer- 

 able. Cover the roots about two inches deep. After the 

 plants are well started, give frequent and thorough cultiva- 

 tion and draw a little earth into the furrows at each hoeing 

 until they are filled. Earlj' the next spring spade in a heavy 

 dressing of manure, and one quart of salt to each square rod 

 and cultivate well until the plants begin to die down. The 

 next season the bed maj- be cut over two or three times, but 

 if this is done all the short shoots, no matter how small, 

 should be cut. and after the final cutting, give a good dress- 

 ing of manure, ashes and .salt. The next season, and ever 

 after that, the bed should give a full crop and be annually 

 dressed with manure, ashes and salt, after the last cutting, 

 and well, but not deeply, cultivated until the plants occupy 

 the whole space. In the autumn, as soon as the tops are ripe 

 and yellow, they should be cut and burned. The plants may 

 also be set in autumn, if the ground is so well drained that 

 water will not stand on it Winter protection with coarse 

 litter or manure is not needed, except in the extreme North. 



COLUMBIAN MA.MMOTH WHITE.-We believe this 

 to be the most distinct and valuable variety in cultivation. 

 Not only are the stalks of the largest size, but they are pro- 



duced abundantly and very early. They are clear white and 

 remain so. in favorable weather, until three or four inches 

 above the surface. The crown or bud of the young stalk is 

 considerably smaller than the part just below it ; thus still 

 further distinguishing the variety. Wherever known this 

 sort commands an extra price, not onl\- on a fancy market, 

 but from canners, who find that when put up. under a special 

 brand, it sells so readily at a high price as to warrant them 

 paying the groAver an extra price for it. From ten to twenty 

 jjer cent, of the plants grown from seed will produce green 

 shoots, but these plants can be readily distinguished and 

 rejected when setting the permanent bed. 



i^^See illustration on cover. 



CONOVER'S COLOSSAL.— A mammoth green sort of 

 the largest size and of good quality. The best of the old 

 kinds. 



BEANS. 



DWARF, BUSH 

 OR SNAP. 



French, Haricot. German, Bohne. 



Under this name are classed all the low growing sorts 

 called in different catalogues Bush, Bunch, Snap, String or 

 Dwarf Beans. 



Culture. — No crop responds more readily to good soil and 

 cultivation than this: that best adapted to them being a 

 light, rich, well drained loam, which was manured for the 

 previous crop. If too rank manure is used it is apt to make 

 them grow too much to vine. They are all extremely sensi- 

 tive to both drought and wet. and it is useless to plant them 

 before the ground has become dry and warm. The largest 

 return will result from planting'in drills about three feet 

 apart, and leaving two to six plants to the foot of row. Up 

 to the time of blossoming they should have frequent shallow 

 culti%-ation. but any cutting of the roots after the plants come 

 into bloom is liable to cause the blossoms to blast and so cut 

 off the crop. Remember that beans should always be culti- 

 vated verj- shallow, and that it is useless to expect a crop 

 from a field so poorly prepared as to need deep stirring after 

 planting. 



In the following descriptions the varieties are placed about 

 in the order of ripening, and it is assumed that they are grown 

 on rich, light soil, as different soils produce quite'a variation 

 in vines, pods and beans, and it is u.seless to expect good 

 results from the finer garden sorts on poor or cold and wet 

 soils. From one pint to two quarts will be sufficient to furnish 

 a supply for an ordinarj- family, and varieties should be 

 selected so as to give a succession both of string and green 

 shelled beans. The wax podded beans are panicularly liable 

 to run "off" into green poddai plants, and it requires con- 

 stant attention and skillful selection by seedsmen to keep 

 them pure, so that it is especially important to buy only from 

 reliable sources. 



Our stocks of Beans are all grown under our own personal 

 care, large areas being planted each year on land owned or 

 controlled by us. We give them the most careful attention 

 in the way of selecting and improving the different varieties 

 and keeping them pure, and we invite the most critical com- 

 parison of our stocks with those of any other growers. 



CHALLENGE DWARF BLACK WAX, EXTRA 

 EARLY.— Continued experience has only strengthened our 

 opinion of this grand bean, and the enornious demand for it 

 by our customers, is the sure index to the fact that it meets 

 a popular demand and has all the sterling qualities we claim 

 for it. The feature that impresses one most forcil>ly when 

 comparing this bean, as an extra early sort, with other 

 varieties growing beside it. is that when one can find in other 

 kinds an occasional very early plant, all the plants of the 

 Challenge will give a full picking of well matured pods. 

 This habit of ripening a large proportion of the crop earlier 

 than other kinds, is of inestimable worth to market gardeners 

 and all who depend on being first in the market for the best 

 prices. The plants are fully as vigorous as the Prolific Ger 

 man Wax and in habit of growth and general appearance 



