1883.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



43 



THE AMERICAN RACER PEA. 



Among the premiums offered to our sub- 

 scribers last year was this then entirely new 

 variety, and although the last season was 

 singularly unfavorable to the development 

 of the best qualities of Peas, a large number 

 of commendatory letters have been received, 

 showing that it has fully come up to expecta- 

 tions. It is therefore again placed on the 

 premium list for this year, that all our sub- 

 scribers may give it a trial. 



The Pea was raised by Dr. J. T. Moslems, 

 the celebrated horticulturist and highly- 

 esteemed contributor of The American 

 Garden. It was produced about ten years 

 ago, by crossing Carter's First Crop with 

 Daniel O'Rourke, and embodies the good 

 qualities of both its parents. It is a round 

 Pea, of unsurpassed table quality and easi- 

 ness, producing, even in our most Northern 

 States, marketable crops by the middle of 

 June. The vines grow from three to five 

 feet high, according to the fertility of the 

 soil, continue four to five 

 weeks inbearing, producing 

 most abundantly, as is well 

 represented in the life-like 

 illustration. The pods are 

 well filled, some of them 

 containing as many as nine 

 Peas. 



Taking all points into con- 

 sideration, we do not know 

 of a more desirable early 

 round Pea for home use as 

 well as market. 



the field, in order to destroy the young 

 weeds ; afterward keep clean from weeds 

 by cultivating, hoeing, etc., and, when cul- 

 tivating, gradually draw up the earth around 

 the plants. In the garden we are somewhat 

 at a disadvantage, as we have no sod to turn 

 under, but this want we must supply by 

 deep plowings, judicious mariurings, and 

 thorough clean cultivation. 



In selecting Potatoes for planting use 

 medium-sized, well-formed, shapely tubers ; 

 cut them into two, four, or six pieces, leav- 

 ing a good strong eye on each. If a very early 

 crop is desired, it is necessary to sprout the 

 Potatoes before they are planted. For this 

 purpose I know of no better way than to ob- 

 tain some shallow boxes, three or four inches 

 in depth ; in these place an inch of old, rather 

 coarse, stable manure ; on this lay the sets 

 as close together as possible ; cover them 

 with light, sandy soil, and place in a mod- 

 erate hot-bed. As soon as the sprouts are 

 about an inch in length, they should be 



POTATO CULTURE, 



Although the cultivation 

 of the Potato is usually 

 considered more appropri- 

 ate for a farm crop than 

 a garden vegetable, still 

 every well regulated garden 

 should contain at least a 

 few rows of early Potatoes, 

 planted with a view of ob- 

 taining their produce some 

 time before the field crop 

 is ready for use. Indeed, 

 if the room can at all be 

 spared, I would advise the 

 planting of a few rows of 

 each of the newer and 

 most promising varieties, as I know of 

 nothing more interesting to the lover of a 

 garden than the opportunity it affords him 

 of testing the comparative worth and merit 

 of our leading garden vegetables. 



The Potato prefers a good deep, sandy 

 loam, good cultivation, and to be liberally 

 manured in the drills. Well decomposed 

 stable manure, that ha.s been turned once 

 or twice during the winter season, is to be 

 preferred, and if some bone-dust has been 

 mixed with it so much the better. When 

 grown as a farm crop, if possible select a 

 clover-sod or old sod-land, which should be 

 well turned under in the fall, and lightly 

 plowed and well harrowed in the spring. 

 This, if liberally manured, will, if the sea- 

 son be favorable, produce an astonishingly 

 large crop. It is necessary to plant as early 

 as the ground can be properly prepared. 

 Plant in rows or drills, three feet apart, the 

 sets being placed one foot apart in the row. 

 When the sprouts are an inch or so in 

 length, run a light harrow, lengthwise, across 



AMERICAN RACER PEA. 



lifted and carefully planted in the drills, 

 on fresh stable manure if possible. Keep 

 the young sprouts well covered with earth 

 whenever frost threatens. By starting them 

 in manure the young roots are not injured 

 by removal, and their growth is not in- 

 terrupted when being transplanted. They 

 should be started in the hot-bed at least two 

 weeks before they are wanted for planting. 



Another method is to cut the Potatoes 

 into suitable sized pieces, and place them 

 in a warm, light room, from four to six 

 weeks before they are desired for planting 

 in the open ground. In this time the shoots 

 will have started strong and vigorous, so 

 that when planted they will send out roots 

 and grow more rapidly than those planted 

 in the open ground. 



A great deal of attention has been given 

 to the improvement of the Potato, and since 

 the introduction of the Early Eose a number 

 of new varieties are brought to notice every 

 season, and as the result we have an exten- 

 sive list of varieties to select from. It is a very 



difficult task to make a proper selection, for 

 the Potato varies greatly when grown in dif- 

 ferent soils and situations, and it is only by 

 a careful trial that one can ascertain whether 

 a variety is adapted for his locality. The 

 varieties that have given me very satisfac- 

 tory results are the 



Alpha, the earliest variety in cultivation, 

 maturing its crop in from fifty-five to sixty 

 days from the time of planting. The tubers 

 are of medium size, pure white, with the 

 exception of a reddish tinge about the eyes. 

 When cooked it is dry and mealy, and of 

 excellent quality. The very best variety for 

 forcing. 



Early Ohio. — This is a seedling of the 

 Early Eose, which it resembles in color, but 

 differs in shape, being rounder, instead of 

 oval. It is more productive and earlier than 

 the Eose, maturing its crop in sixty-five to 

 seventy-five days from the time of planting. 



Early Rose. — This variety is so well known 

 that it is unnecessary to describe it, more 

 than to say it is the leading 

 variety for productiveness 

 and quality, and the most 

 salable market Potato. 



Snowflake. — This variety 

 possesses many superior 

 qualities, the only objec- 

 tion to it being that in 

 some situations it is not 

 very productive. It matures 

 its crop a week or ten days 

 later than the Early Ohio ; 

 the tubers are of medium 

 size and uniform shape, the 

 white skin having a russety 

 tinge. When cooked it is 

 dry and mealy, and of a 

 delicate, nutty flavor. 



White Star is a large, 

 long, white, beautiful vari- 

 ety of best quality. It is 

 a great yielder and good 

 keeper, and is, altogether, 

 as good a winter Potato as 

 can be found. 



Beauty of Hebron, Tri- 

 umph, Early Vermont, 

 Pride of America, and some 

 others, possess equally de- 

 sirable qualities. 



RAISING EARLY CABBAGES. 



The former plan of raising early Cabbages 

 by sowing the seed in the fall, wintering the 

 plants in cold frames, and transplanting 

 them outdoors in spring, is being gradually 

 abandoned by market-gardeners. Instead of 

 it, the seed is sown in houses, very early in 

 spring, and the plants are kept constantly 

 growing. 



Last year we noticed that a neighboring 

 market-gardener sowed Jersey Wakefield 

 Cabbage on February 1st, on the benches 

 of a greenhouse ; a month later the young 

 plants were potted in two-and-a-half-inch 

 pots, remaining in the same house, but re- 

 ceiving plenty of air. About April 1st they 

 were placed in cold frames to harden, and 

 on April 10th they were transplanted to the 

 open field. They kept right on growing, 

 and, although the ground froze hard after- 

 ward, did not suffer in the least. They re- 

 ceived but ordinary field culture, and were 

 ready for market during July, selling for 

 eight to ten dollars per hundred. 



