VEGETABLE SEEDS 



BeckerCs Seed Store, 101 and 103 Federal St., N. S., Pittsburgh, Pa 



Florence Fennel, just as it grows 



A New Vegetable Worthy of a Place in 

 Your Garden 



Florence Fennel 



Wc want to modify the above headline by slating that this is a new- 

 vegetable for American home gardens. In Italy it has been prized for 

 years as one of the most delicious vegetables, and we see no reason why it 

 should not become equally popular with us. 



Florence Fennel is grown for its Ik-shy leaf-stalks, as shown in illustration. 

 The >ecds germinate strongly and the seedlings are thinned out to stand << 

 inches apart in the row. When the fleshy leaf-stalks reach the size of an egg, 

 the soil is gradually drawn up to them to bleach t hem. In the illustration the 

 soil was leveled to show the fleshy stalk. That is the edible portion of the 

 plant which is boiled and served with butter or cream sauce. It develops a 

 very delicate celery flavor. The plants themselves are quite ornamental and 

 look well even in a flower-garden. Pkt. 10 cts., oz. 20 cts., V^b. 65 cts. 



Mustard, Long-Standing Thick-Leaf 



Those who appreciate the appetizing flavor of Mustard leaves mixed 

 with lettuce, or cooked with spinach, will welcome this broad-leaved variety 

 as far superior to the old-fashioned kinds with laciniated or cut leaves. The 

 leaves of this new Mustard are almost like those of the broad spinach. It 

 resists heat admirably, remaining in good table condition a week to 10 days 

 longer than any other kind. Sow and cultivate just like Spinach. Pkt. 

 5 cts., oz. 15 cts., Vilb. 45 cts. 



Lettuce, Crisp-as-Ice 



While on pages 23 and 24 we offer as complete a list of choice Lettuces as any home gardener may desire, we feel that Crisp-as-Ice deserves 

 your attention because of its unique cold-resistance. Equally good as a variety for spring or summer use, its greatest merit is found in its 

 adaptability for fall culture. Sown during August, Crisp-as-Ice will perfect medium-sized, compact, hard heads of the crisphead type dur- 

 ing the cool fall months. The approach of cold weather seemingly improves its quality, for there is no sweeter Lettuce grown than this dark 

 bronze-green variety. Its rather dark outside leaves fold about an appetizing yellow heart which, in flavor, surpasses many of the more attrac- 

 tive-looking varieties. A few rows of Crisp-as-Ice will extend the Lettuce season several weeks in the home garden. Pkt. 10c, oz. 25c, */\\h. 75c. 



You Can Grow Melons Like This if You Sow 



New Early Knight Cantaloupe 



Last winter when one of our growers made the claim that he had a new Muskmelon which, in season of ripening, "beat" anything on the 

 market today, we were inclined to be pessimistic. Nevertheless, we decided to give, in due time, this variety a fair trial in our experiment 

 grounds, located in Allegheny County. When we started the experiment, neighbors told us that "it could not be done." They had tried it 

 year after year, only to see the patch destroyed by frost with half-grown melons shriveling on the vines. 



Nevertheless, we prepared the hills thoroughly, incorporating lots of leaf-mold and humus and, on June 6, we sowed the seeds in a 

 dozen hills. Four weeks later we sprayed the young plants with Bordo-Lead, since there were quite a number of striped beetles and slight 

 indications of some blight. We repeated the spraying 



early in August and had the satisfaction of raising as . -- . 



thrifty a patch of melons as we ever saw. 



On September 5, or exactly 90 days after seeds were 

 sown, we gathered the first RIPE melons. They 

 averaged 6 inches long by 4 inches through, had a very 

 small seed cavity and green flesh of most delicious sugary 

 and aromatic flavor. We had not tasted such melons 

 since, some ten years ago, we sampled fruits ripened on 

 the vines at Rockyford, Colorado. 



Since there was nothing extraordinary or unusually 

 favorable about the season last year, we can safely 

 promise our home gardeners melons, if suggestions for 

 growing, as given above, are followed. Pkt. 10 cts., 

 V20Z. 25 cts., oz. 40 cts., postpaid. 



A Splendid Keeping Onion 

 Ohio Yellow Globe 



This strain comes to us from one of the Buckeye 

 State's foremost Onion specialists. Within 100 days it 

 perfects symmetrical, hard globes, averaging 2 ]A inches 

 in diameter. They have thin skin and thin necks that 

 ripen down hard. The flesh is fine-grained, very firm, 

 and mild enough to make this one of the most desirable 

 salad Onions obtainable. 



If you do not begrudge the time it takes to thin out 

 the young seedling Onions to stand 4 inches apart in 

 the row when they become 4 inches tall, you should not 

 experience any difficulty in growing a handsome bunch 

 of well-keeping Onions in comparatively small space in 

 the garden. Pkts. 5 and 10 cts., oz. 30 cts., Villa. $1. 



New Early Knight Muskmelon. The kind you can grow 



