182 
October, 1890. 
L 
OR C H AR D ?rnd * G A RD E N \ 
' — 
October Operations. 
AUTUMN-SOWN CABBAGE PLANTS. 
Iu sections south of Baltimore the first 
week in October is soon enough for the 
sowing of seed of cabbages to winter over 
tor the early crop in spring. In localities 
where the mercury sometimes drops to 
zero it is always safer by being wintered 
over in well aired cold frames, but from 
central Virginia southward it is just as well, 
and much less trouble, to set them on the 
south side of sharp ridges, taking care to 
insert the whole stalk in the earth for 
better protection. But when growers have 
the proper facilities of glass, etc., I have 
long ago come to the conclusion that it is a 
mistake to sow the early crop in the fall, 
and especially is this the case as we approach 
the South. In this latitude plants set in 
autumn are apt to grow too much and be 
caught by a spring freeze, as ours were last 
spring. Last February our fall sown plants 
were in full growth and beginning to head 
when the freeze, the first week iu March, 
stru-. k them, and though there were only 
about 12 degrees of frost or 20° Fahrenheit, 
they were all destroyed, and if I had not 
had a reserve stock of plants in cold frames 
started in January, I would have been over- 
board for early cabbage, as many others 
were. Of course, last March’s spell was 
exceptional, and many of our cold frame 
plants which had been set out, were caught 
too. But in any ordinary season, plants 
started in greenhouse or hot-bed here early 
in January, and properly hardened off in 
cold frames, will give fine heads by last of 
March and early April. In the latitude of 
Philadelphia the sowing had better be de- 
ferred until first week in February, and the 
plants set in March. A full account of 
methods will be given at the proper time. 
GROWING CAULIFLOWERS AND LETTUCES 
IN FRAMES. 
Cauliflower seed to produce plants for 
setting in frames to head early in spring, 
should have been sown in September, but it 
is not yet too late, if done at once. Fall sown 
cauliflower plants are the only ones worth 
growing in this latitude, and the same plan 
is applicable to the spring crop of this 
delicious vegetable in all parts of the coun- 
try. We set the plants as soon as of fair 
size in cold frames, putting six plants to an 
ordinary 8x6 foot sash, and fill in between 
them with Boston Market lettuce. We 
prefer the Boston Market because of its 
compact growth and certain heading under 
glass. This crop of cauliflower and lettuce 
is intended to be grown and headed during 
the winter and early spring, <»nd therefore 
the frames are kept more closely covered 
with sashes, and must be better protected 
in severe weather than when the object is 
simply to winter over the plants. In this 
latitude The lettuce can be cut out by Feb- 
ruary, and a month or six weeks later in 
latitude of Philadelphia. By this time the 
cauliflower will be pressing against the 
glass, which, if priper precautions have 
been taken in airing for a little previous 
time, can be now removed. The sashes are 
transferred to other frames to harden off 
the crops of cabbage and tomato plants for 
early setting. I always find it a great ad- 
vantage at this stage to give the soil in the 
frames around the cauliflowers a light 
brushing over with a rake, and apply a good 
dressing of nitrate of soda to promote a 
vigorous growth, and check any tendency 
to make “ buttons” instead of good heads, 
Cauliflower treattd in this way ought to be 
well headed here in March and early April, 
and in May in the latitude of Philadelphia. 
In this latitude the sun gets too hot for good 
heads after April ; but treattd in this way 
we can get as good heads as any other 
section away from the sea coast. In the 
immediate vicinity of the coast the frame 
culture of cauliflowers will always result in 
kinds of uncommon size at a period when 
prices are always at the best. 
FRUITING TOMATOES UNDER GLASS. 
Tomatoes for forcing should be under 
glass before getting chilled outside, and 
should be in their fruiting pots early enough 
to have them well filled with roots before 
Christmas. I find that it pays better always 
to force in pots, and have a succession of 
crops, rather than plant out in beds. The 
Dwarf Champion forces well, but I am 
inclined to yield the palm in this respect to 
the Lorrillard. This is the most tractable 
tomato I have ever handled. The peach 
tomato also forces finely, and is pretty on 
the table, but for market purposes I would 
not advise its culture. The tomatoes should 
be trained to one stem, which can be sup- 
ported by strings attached to the sash bars 
above, or better, I think, by stakes, as the 
pots are then always moveable. Any one 
attempting winter forcing of any vegetables 
without previous experience, should always 
visit some commercial establishment where 
these things are done on a large scale, and 
should go slow until skill comes by experi- 
ence. There is money in all kinds of forcing 
when skillfully done, but the tyro can lose 
as fast at it as anything he can undertake. 
SPINACH FOR WINTER USE. 
Those who want a home supply of spinach 
in winter, when the weather is too severe 
to allow it to remain in good condition under 
the usual methods outside, should sow t some 
now 7 in a well-enriched frame, By careful 
attention in airing in mild weather so as 
not to get too succulent a growth , spinach 
can be had in frames very easily in the cold 
parts of the country. It is not yet too late 
to sow this crop and kale in this latitude, 
though September would have been better. 
TREATMENT OF CELERY. 
Celery of course is now the most import- 
ant crop under culture at this season. 
Except keeping it clean, and drawing up 
earth enough to keep it in an upright 
position, no earthing up should be done, 
except for a small portion for late fall use. 
One of our agricultural journals recently 
criticised a writer for recommending farm- 
ers to plant 1000 celery plants for home use, 
saying that that number would surely be 
neglected. My own opinion is that a 
farmer who will properly care for 100 
plants would almost as easily grow 1000, 
and 1000 is not too much for a good sized 
family to consume. In my own family, a 
good sized one, 100 plants of celery would 
not run us a month. When grown in beds, 
as I grow it, 1000 plants can be cared for 
with almost as little labor as 100 in the old 
single row plan. Most of my neighbours 
still adhere to the old trench system, and 
under this system 100 plants will cost more 
labor than 1000 plants in beds. But how- 
ever you grow it be sure to have plenty. 
With celery, spinach, lettuce, and kale, not 
to say anything about our southern collards, 
one can worry through v\ inter and hardly 
miss the summer vegetables, especially if 
he has been careful enough to have canned 
tomatoes and corn, and packed down a lot 
of snap beans in brine. 
LATE CABBAGE IN THE SOUTH. 
Winter cabbage is one of the vegetables 
which in the lowland country of the South 
will always be a scarce article. In the 
mountain section of N.C. and Virginia this 
crop comes to great perfection, but any- 
where here under 1000 feet elevation above 
the sea, its culture is attended with great 
difficulty. We hope yet to be able to over- 
come these difficulties, and grow good late 
cabbage here, but for the present the collard 
is the main reliance. The climate, the 
Harlequin bugs, and the green caterpillars 
are all in our way. We are making an 
effort with very late sown plants this season 
and hope to have good results, if we succeed 
in circumventing the caterpillars. So far 
good Pyrethrum powder seems to be the 
best remedy, and an occasional dose of 
nitrate of soda to encourage a rapid growth 
is a valuable aid in getting ahead of them. 
LATE POTATOES A SUCCESS. 
But if w T e cannot grow late cabbage in 
perfection we can grow a late crop of Irish 
potatoes, and this crop will soon assume a 
great importance in shipments to the North. 
The late crop of potatoes planted in August 
is now making fine progress, and if frost 
holds off as late as usual the crop will be 
fine. These late potatoes are grown from 
seed of the early crop, and will keep un- 
sprouted until next June. I am therefore 
looking for a rapid development in shipping 
unsprouted potatoes north, for those who 
prefer a good old starchy potato to the 
immature new ones in spring. 
LOOK OUT FOR NEXT MONTH'S NOTES. 
Next month I hope to give some valuable 
notes in regard to our tests of vegetables at 
the N.C. Exp. Station. — W. F. Massey. 
All varieties of squash and pumpkin 
should be gathered before touched with 
frost and stored in a cool, dry atmosphere. 
Sweet potatoes should be stored before the 
vines are killed by frost. 
