348 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN AV JUNE. 



soak the soil with strong solutions of these salts. The 

 plants live, and the worms vanish. Our currant and 

 gooseberry-bushes were last season freed and kept free 

 from worms by means of the muriate spray. Altogether 

 these potash salts seem to us worthy of more extended 

 trial in the warfare against insects. 



Early Potatoes. — We have again planted our old 

 favorite, the Early Ohio, for early use. Our seed, last 

 year, came from a locality where it is customary to plant 

 large seed-pieces, and where, consequently, this variety 

 has retained all its original vigor. Our crop from this 

 seed last year was as satisfactory in yield and quality as 

 at the time of its introduction by Mr. Gregory, many 

 years ago. The Early Ohio is remarkable for its keeping 

 quality. In fact, it is much slower to send out sprouts in 

 spring than are the great majority of the late kinds. We 

 have no difficulty in preserving tubers in best condition 

 for planting, plump and fresh, almost up to July. The 

 variety likes rich, rather moist loam, and is just the 

 potato for garden culture. Early Ohio is almost in- 



variably in great demand for seed purposes, and brings 

 good prices in spring. 



Gardeners are often at a loss as to what second crop 

 they shall plant on a piece of land just cleared from early 

 peas, cabbages, etc., especially one that will not require 

 a very large amount of labor and yet will bring in some 

 money. In many such cases the Early Ohio will prove 

 suitable and profitable. We shall plant some more 

 Ohios in June to keep over for seed. 



We have also planted a quantity of Freeman potatoes, 

 another good sort, although as yet high-priced. The 

 Ohio will do well with heavy seeding, and give only a 

 few large tubers in each hill. The Freeman, under the 

 same conditions, inclines to produce a large number of 

 tubers, and requires either lighter seeding or thinning of 

 the stalks, if the grower wishes to produce a uniform lot 

 of large tubers. This is a potato worth testing. It is a 

 trifle later than Ohio, of quite vigorous growth, is pro- 

 ductive, and its tubers are of the very best quality for 

 table use. 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN IN JUNE. 



SEASONABLE HINTS FOR MARKET AND HOME GROWERS. 



HE SEASON of seed-sowing 

 in the garden lasts from March 

 or April until snow flies. 

 Hardly a week, during the 

 chief growing season, passes 

 in which we have not more or 

 or less use for seed-sowers or 

 markers. As American Gar- 

 dening has already pointed 

 out, the disadvantage of the 

 old-style garden marker is that it has to be pulled, the 

 operator walking backward, so that it is not easy to keep 

 the rows straight. In order to see exactly what a per- 

 son is doing while marking, he wants a tool that can be 

 pushed ahead, like a wheel-barrow. The simplest de- 

 vice of this kind we have yet seen is the one here illus- 

 trated. It consists of three pieces of inch board, 6 inches 

 wide and i8 inches long, rounded off in front like a sled- 

 runner. The cross-piece at the rear, which is firmly 

 nailed on, holds these runners the proper distance apart. 

 The handle is attached to the cross-piece in the manner 

 shown. This tool is easily pushed ahead, and the opera- 

 tor will not find the least difficulty in running it in straight 

 lines. 



For earliest use, celery plants of the White Plume va- 

 riety should now be set out. Of course we do not want 

 them in trenches. This method requires too much labor, _ 

 and the plants will not do so well as when they have more 

 light. A mere suggestion of shade, given by setting a" 

 board edgewise on the sunny side of the celery rows, or 

 by planting the celery on the north side of a row of tall 

 pears or corn, will be of service in hot, dry weather; and 

 we now invariably provide this little shade for celery 

 plants when first set out, and during July. But this 



must not be overdone. Celery needs light and sunshine, 

 like most other plants, and will not do its best if kept 

 away from full exposure to the life-inspiring light too 

 long. 



We plant our tomatoes in reasonably rich, well-manured 

 soil. In fact, we never had soil too rich for the crop. 

 We do not even fear to use large quantities of manure 

 that is rich in nitrogen, provided that the latter can be 

 made available in the early part of the season, instead of 

 becoming so in mid-summer, and that the mineral plant- 

 foods, especially phosphoric acid, are also present in the 

 soil in abundant supply. The richer the soil, or the 

 more proper plant-foods applied, the greater the yield. 

 Such, at least, is our experience. Still, if any one should 

 use nitrogenous manure in excess, or coarse barn-yard 

 manure, the nitrogen of which would only become avail- 

 able very gradually, we would expect large tomato-vines 

 and little fruit. Old. well-rotted manure, with a little 



Si.wPLE Garden Marker. 

 bone-meal or acid-phosphate added, makes a superior 

 fertilizer for tomatoes. Any of the high-grade vegetable or 

 potato manures offered by responsible manufacturers are 

 sure to give good results on tomatoes. Put a handful or 



