GARDEK MANUAL FOR THX SOUTHERN STATES. 



185 



Strawberry Shocks or Dirt Bands. 



Eggplants, Musk Melons and Early 

 Cucumbers pay well if they come early 

 into the market. In order to have them 

 early it is a good plan to start them in 

 a cold frame in what are called "Dirt 

 Bands." This is a box 4 inches square 

 and 4 inches deep, without bottoms. 

 These are placed in a frame and filled 

 up with good rich soil, and five or six 

 seed's in each box; when the plants 

 come up, thin them out to one or two 

 in each box. The time to start them in 

 this way varies, as seasons and localities 

 differ. It is not well to start them too 

 early, as the plants get weak and 

 spindly if kept too long in frame. From 

 the middle to the end of February is the 

 usual time to plant the seed in this lo- 

 cality. New Orleans. When large enough 

 to plant out, which will be in from four 

 to five weeks after planting, take the 

 boxes with the plants in them out of the 

 frame, by slipping a spade under the 

 box. Plant without breaking the ball 

 of soil on the plants. Before using dirt 

 bands, wet them thoroughly before bend- 

 ing or they will be apt to break at the 

 grooves. Price, 80c. per 100, or $3.00 per 

 1000. 



Tacks for Dirt Bands and boxes, i/4 

 pound, 15c.; pound, 50c. 



Mosquito Head Net. — We have in stock 

 a long felt want in the Southern country, 

 a peace-maker, where a person can at- 

 tend to his business v/ithout being an- 

 noyed by the mosquito pest. W"e have 

 two makes. They are both good. 



Wood's Patent Mosquito Head Net. 

 Price, 11.00. 



Ward's Mosquito Head Net. Price, 

 11.00. 



Upland and Lowland Seed Rice. — 

 These are the only varieties for our 



Southern soil. Genuine Imported Hon- 

 duras Seed Rice, $1.50 per peck, $4.00 

 per bushel, $8.00 per barrel of 162 

 pounds. Imported Choice Carolina Seed 

 Rice, $1.50 per peck; $4.00 per bushel, 

 $8.00 per barrel. Japan Rice, $1.50 per 

 peck; $4.00 per bushel; $8,00 per barrel. 

 The standard weight of Rice is 44 pounds 

 per bushel. 



Directions for Planting Upland Rice. — 



On lands that hold moisture well, such 

 as waxey or post oak land, plant any- 

 where. On dry or sandy land rice is 

 planted in the low places. Prepare the 

 land and cultivate as for corn, except 

 the rows are only 22 to 24 inches apart 

 so that one furrow in each middle, with 

 an 18-inch sweep, usually sufiices for a 

 working, and the hills just far enough so 

 it can be hoed. Plant as early in April 

 as you can. Furrows are opened and the 

 seed covered in any way most conveni- 

 ent at the time, just so the seeds get a 

 little dirt over them. Drop 15 or 20 seed 

 in each hill and leave all that come up. 

 Cultivate for moisture and to keep down 

 grass and weeds until rice begins to 

 head. It usually ripens last of August 

 or early in September. The color tells 

 when it is ripe. 



Chufas. — This nut is splendid for fat- 

 tening hogs; it has a fine flavor. The 

 nut sends up a single spire so much like 

 Cocoa it might deceive even an experi- 

 enced eye at first appearance. Around 

 this spire a multitude of others form 

 rapidly. At the foot of each spire is a 

 nut never more than two inches in the 

 ground. Price, 55c. per pound, $2.25 per 

 peck, $6.00 per bushel. 



Fennel Florence or Naples. — (Fenoul 

 de Florence, Finocchio di Napoli). — Cul- 

 ture: Sow in spring, in rows 16 to 20 

 inches apart. Thin out so as to have the 

 seedlings 5 to 6 inches, and v/ater as 

 plentifully as possible. The plant is usu- 

 ally eaten boiled. In flavor it resembles 

 Celery, but with a sweet taste and a 

 more delicate odor; 5c. and 10c. papers; 

 1^ pound, 60c.; per pound, $2.00. 



Bermuda Grass Sod. — To enable our 

 customers who are making summer 

 lawns, we have provided a large supply 

 of Bermuda Grass sod, which enables 

 lawns to be in growth in one-third of the 

 time that it would take by planting the 

 seed, as the seed takes about ninety 

 days to show any stand, whereas sod- 

 ding in thirty days will show its carpet. 

 This we offer at $3.00 per flour barrel. 



Frotscher's Lone Star Water Melon, the Southern Favorite. 



