276 
THE G A R D E N M A G A Z I X E 
Juse, 19 17 
The selection of proper vari- 
eties is of paramount importance 
and holds the key to success of the 
June-made garden. When choosing. 
keep in mind the number of days, required by 
specific sorts, from sowing to maturity (see 
special references below). 
I he condition of the soil is important for 
the June-made garden. Be sure that it contains 
sufficient moisture to encourage quick germin- 
ation of the seeds that are sown. If the soil is 
very dry, give a thorough watering before 
sowing seeds, and let the surface dry out 
until it can be finely pulverized with a rake. 
Then make the rows and sow the seeds. 
Watering after seeds are sown is not as prac- 
tical because of the danger of washing out 
seeds. 
Even poor soil grows fair crops of beans. 
If in doubt what to grow in your garden, plant 
beans, any beans. Those that aren’t used as 
green beans become useful as dry shell beans 
during the winter. Pound for pound, beans 
are more nutritious than potatoes, require 
less labor at harvest and are more easily stored. 
Besides, growing them enriches the soil. 
Profitable Crops for the June Gardens 
Beans sown early in June will bear bigger 
crops with greater certainty than those sown 
sooner or later. A few years ago, early sorts 
sown in May suffered during a dry spell in 
August and the crop fell short. Late kinds 
sown late in June were caught by an early 
September frost and did not mature. Bounti- 
ful, Stringless Green Pod, Full Measure or 
Longfellow among the green-podded; Kidney 
Wax, Brittle Wax, Prolific German Black Wax, 
and Sure Crop Wax among the yellow-podded 
sorts are reliable as regards both yield and 
quality. Plant seeds in rows, 4 inches apart, 2 
ft. between the rows, covering seeds about 2 
inches deep in heavy soil, 3 inches deep in 
light soil. Quick germination may be in- 
duced by soaking beans over night. Put 
them carefully in the row, eye down. The 
seedlings should push through the soil within 
six days after planting. Select the earliest 
Pole Lima procurable — Leviathan is ideal. It 
is as early as the bush limas and many times 
more prolific. While a great delicacy in the 
green stage, they likewise prove great “cost 
of living” reducers during the winter. 
Beets are an “ideal” war garden vegetable. 
Within 60-70 days from date of sowing seeds, 
Eclipse, Crosby’s Egyptian and Detroit Dark 
Red, will produce beets ready for use. If you 
are willing to 
wait longer, 
Crimson Globe, 
Half Long 
Blood and 
Long Smooth 
Blood wi II yield 
Hold the hoe so that the handle forms an angle of 45° with 
the ground. This is best for comfort and efficiency 
roots that will keep all winter. Beets re- 
quire rather moist soil for prompt ger- 
mination. If yours is dry, pour water 
in the rows, then sow seeds, cover with dry soil 
and walk over the rows, one foot in front of the 
other. This presses the seeds firmly into the 
moist soil. Sow seeds thinly. Each “kernel” 
is in reality a fruit and contains from two to 
four seeds. When thinning out the row, so the 
seedlings stand four inches apart in the row, 
save the thinnings, slightly trim both leaves 
and roots, and transplant them between 
rows of other vegetables. Any surplus can 
be used for the table as “greens.” 
Cabbage. Set out in the first ten days of 
June (plants, of course, which can be bought 
from the dealer) you can secure a fine crop 
for winter use. Danish Ballhead, Surehead 
and Premium Flat Dutch are the three sorts 
most widely grown as winter keepers. When 
buying the plants, select roots, not tops! It’s 
the root that feeds the plant! Cabbage requires 
rich soil, Danish Ballhead prefers a heavy clay. 
All cabbages need lots of water to do well and 
should be hoed often and thoroughly. The 
application of a “complete” fertilizer contain- 
ing one part muriate of potash to two parts 
nitrate of soda to three parts of phosphate will 
work wonders. If the head begins to burst, 
push the plant over to one side; this breaks 
some of the feeding roots and checks develop- 
ment. 
Carrots. Early, but small sorts like French 
Forcing or Golden Ball will be large enough 
for use within .±5 days. Sow in rows, j inch 
deep, 18 inches between the rows. For winter 
use, Danvers Half Long and Improved Long 
Orange are ideal, though Long Orange and 
sorts of a similar nature require deep, rich 
soil for best returns. I he late sorts should be 
“thinned” to stand 4 inches apart in row. 
Dig in fall and store in frostproof cellar in 
boxes or barrels, covering top with 
soil or sand. 
Celery. Buy plants and set in 
rich soil. For use (before Christ- 
mas) choose Golden Self Blanching or White 
For winter use. Giant Pascal or 
Set plants 6 
Cultivation keeps the crops growing even in drought. The 
dust mulch i inch deep conserves the soil moisture. The 
finer the soil the better 
rlume. tor winter use, 
Winter Queen are standards, 
inches apart in row, 3 feet between the rows. 
Water often and thoroughly. Hill as the 
plants develop or use Celery blanehers, in 
which case the rows can be put 2 ft. apart or 
even closer. 
Corn, Sweet. All through the month, early 
and midseason sorts may be planted in rows, 
3 inches deep, seeds 4 inches apart in the row, 
with 2J feet between the rows. Don’t plant 
corn in long rows, one row at a time, but 
rather in blocks of 4 or 5 short rows. This 
will insure perfect pollination and, subse- 
quently, more uniformly well-filled ears. 
W hen the plants have grown to be a foot 
high, thin them out to stand one foot apart 
in the row and hill slightly. Hoe constantly 
and hill from time to time. 
Cucumbers yield perfect crops from seeds 
planted in June. Make hills, about a foot 
across, top of hill about 8 inches above sur- 
face, 3 foot of space each way between the 
hills. A shovelful of manure at bottom of 
each hill helps greatly. Sow about a dozen 
seeds in a circle around top of hill. Cover 
about half inch deep. After the seedlings have 
made the third pair of leaves, when danger 
from the striped beetle is over, reduce plants 
to three to a hill. Don’t disturb the roots of 
those that remain. Fight the beetles with 
slug shot. One packet will sow a dozen hills. 
Kale, a form of cabbage may be treated just 
like cabbage. Sow now in rows, zb feet apart, 
thin out plants to stand 4 inches apart. Early 
next month transplant in rows, one foot 
apart, with 2 or 3 feet between the rows. 
Dwarf German or Curled Scotch are good 
keepers and very hardy, lasting well into 
winter. 
Lettuce. It is important to sow the right 
kinds for summer use. Only midseason but- 
terhead and late crisphead sorts can be at- 
tempted now. Sow in rows 2 feet apart. 
Cover seeds from j to 5 inch deep according to 
condition of the soil — \ inch deep in very 
light soil, less in heavy clay. When two 
weeks old, thin out seedlings to stand 4 inches 
apart in row. Two weeks later take out every 
other one and repeat until heads stand 16 
inches apart. Hoe frequently, between rows 
as well as between plants. California Cream 
Butter and All Seasons should be “ready” for 
use the first week in August. Iceberg (crisp- 
heads) forms perfect heads even a week sooner. 
Muskmelons. These are profitable only 
in gardens of fair size, say 100 x 100 ft. be- 
cause the returns per square foot are small. 
Plant and treat like cucumbers. 
Onions are one of the most responsive crops 
if you don’t begrudge care and work at the 
critical time, which is their baby stage. There 
is still time to start White Queen, W hite Por- 
tugal, and Southport W hite Globe from seeds, 
though if sets can be bought so much the 
better. Sow seeds j inch deep in rows, a foot to 
18 inches apart. W eed carefully every other 
week and when seedlings are about 4 inches 
tall, thin to stand 4 inches apart in row. 
Peas. Every variety will bear a crop be- 
fore frost. Tbe trouble is that nearly all 
June-sown peas mature the crop in August 
when hot, dry weather cuts down the yield 
by reducing tbe number of pods per vine and 
number of peas per pod. Better wait until later. 
Radishes. In general sow summer sorts 
9 b 
