eT 
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS FIELD STATION, 1913-1922 43 
tested. All gave very good yields except Rose China, which had too great a 
tendency to run to seed. Half Long Black Spanish yielded uniformly well. 
Rhubarb.—Rhubarb yielded enormously every year, without attention other 
than keeping it clean. 
Rutabaga.—Rutabagas were very successful in years of sufficient rainfall, but 
in the drier years the quality was so poor that the crop was practically a failure 
as a table vegetable. In both quality and yield Winter King, Golden Heart, 
and Long Island Improved were the best varieties tested. 
Salsify.—This vegetable gave fair results. Its culture was easy, but it showed 
a tendency to form fibrous roots instead of a taproot. This probably was due 
to insufficient moisture in ordinary years. The largest and best variety tested 
was Mammoth Sandwich Island. 
Spinach.—Nearly all of the 12 varieties tested produced good crops of excellent 
quality every year. The Savoy, or crumpled-leaved, varieties were slightly the 
higher yielding. The best varieties were Norfolk Savoy-Leaved, Victoria, and 
Long Season. New Zealand was very good in the fall. 
Squash.—Scallops or cymlings, crooknecks, and vegetable marrows were 
tested as summer squash. All produced good yields, but the vegetable-marrow 
type seemed preferable. The best varieties of summer squash were Cocozelle, 
Bush Vegetable Marrow, and Long Island White Bush Scallop. Most of the 
varieties of winter squash produced a crop somewhat influenced as to quality 
and quantity by the early or late appearance of frost. The Early Prolific Mar- 
row was more reliable than the Hubbard type, of which Golden Hubbard was 
the best in yield but not in quality. re 
Sweet corn.—From 7 to 24 varieties were grown each year. A crop was made 
every year of all varieties except Country Gentleman, which is entirely too late 
_for this section and which produced only a few ears in only two of the five years 
that it was planted. The most dependable varieties and those of the best quality 
were Golden Bantam, Early White Mexican, Red Cob Cory, White Cob Cory, 
Peep O’ Day, and Black Mexican. 
Swiss chard.—Swiss chard, or spinach beet, was one of the most reliable and 
satisfactory vegetables grown, producing abundantly from early in July until 
_ frost. Lucullus, a variety with thick, crumpled leaves, was the best of the six 
varieties tested. 
Tomatoes.—This is one of the most valuable garden crops in this section and 
was a success every year except in 1915, when all the tomatoes in the varietal 
test were destroyed in midsummer by disease. Ordinary field culture proved of 
little value, as the crop matured so late that the largest part of it was destroyed 
by frost. To mature the crop it was found necessary to stake and prune to a 
single stem. It is also necessary to start the plants in a hotbed, transplant to a 
coldframe or into pots, and set them in the field around May 25 to June 2. 
Some of the best varieties tested were Sunnybrook Earliana, Bonny Best, John 
Baer, Detroit or Trucker’s Favorite, Red Ponderosa, and Golden Ponderosa. 
Turnips.—All varieties yielded well, the principal difference being in quality. 
Some were so strongly flavored as to be of no value as a vegetable, but a few were 
palatable every year. The best of the 17 varieties tested were Snowball, Golden 
Ball, Model, and Cowhorn. 
W atermelon.—Twenty-four varieties of watermelons were tested, but only the 
earliest ones succeeded. Unless there was good rain in July the plants blos- 
somed and set fruit too late to mature before frost. The most reliable varieties 
were Fordhook Early, Cole’s Early, Kleckley Sweets, and Sweet Siberian. 
Minor vegetables and herbs.—During the years that varietal testing was con- 
ducted a number of vegetables and herbs that are less known or not commonly 
grown in this area were tried. The following are recorded as good in both 
quality and production: Anise, citron, dill, endive, groundcherry, horseradish, 
kohlrabi, leek, mustard, parsley, sage, summer savory, and thyme. Broccoli 
and Brussels sprouts were too late to produce a good edible product even in an 
exceptionally long season. Caraway was grown only one year and gave poor 
results, but should succeed here. Celeriac produced but few edible roots even 
when handled the same as celery. Two varieties of chicory were grown one 
year with fair results. Kale made good growth, but did not survive heavy frosts 
in the fall and is, on the whole, of little promise for this section. Lentils matured 
but few pods. Okra produced a fair crop each year under ordinary field culture. 
The season is not long enough for sweet potatoes. Only one variety produced 
a few edible roots. Turnip-rooted parsley, from both field sowing and trans- 
plants, succeeded fairly well. 
