1904 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
175 
AN EARLY START ON TRUCK CROPS. 
Quick Seed and Quick Soil. 
The early truck crops are divided into two distinct 
classes, those started under glass, and those planted 
in the field direct. The former includes tomatoes, egg 
plants, peppers, cabbage, etc., and the latter canta¬ 
loupes, melons, peas, potatoes, boiling corn, etc. Thus 
in growing those of the first class, early tomatoes, for 
instance, we use the well-known hotbed method. 
FIRE HOTBEDS.—We have discarded the hot ma¬ 
nure means of heating, and have for a few years past 
been using a bed warmed by fire, similar to the sweet 
potato beds used throughout south Jersey, except that 
our tomato beds are more carefully built. The fire¬ 
place is directly under the middle sash, and the heat is 
distributed by means of hot air chambers and drain 
tile, so that we secure a uniform heat from one end 
to the other. By vigorous firing we have been able to 
carry our plants through zero weather. The bed is 
carefully prepared, using a sandy loam made rich 
with fertilizers high in ammonia. 
SOAK THE SEED.—Before planting we soak and 
sprout our seeds. They are put in water heated to a 
temperature of from 90 to 100 degrees, and this tem¬ 
perature is maintained for 12 hours. Then we pour 
off the hot water and cover with a damp cloth and 
put them in a hot place, where they remain at about 
the same temperature for 12 hours longer, when we 
will probably find our seed nicely pipped. We plant 
the seed about the middle of February in a bed with 
a temperature as near 100 as we can keep it, and in 
less than a week we are usually rewarded by a nice 
stand of plants. About March 25, depending upon 
weather conditions, we transfer them to cold frames, 
spotted four inches on the square. Make sure of thor¬ 
ough cultivation. Keep the ground loose and well 
tilled in the cold frames. 
TRANSPLANTING TOMATOES.—Two weeks be¬ 
fore transplanting to the field, which is done by the 
blocking process, we go over and cut the beds into 
four-inch squares, in order to prepare them for mov¬ 
ing. About the last of April or first of May we dig 
out these plants and remove them, on wagon bottoms, 
with a four-inch block of soil around their roots to 
their final resting place in 
the field. Every blocked 
plant is handled separately 
by hand, and the blocks arc 
not materially cracked or 
the roots disturbed. We 
have a well bushed plant 
ready for business; a plant 
capable of producing fruit 
earlier than anything pos¬ 
sibly attainable by any oth¬ 
er means. The method em¬ 
ployed in starting tomatoes 
applies in practically all of 
the details to early peppers 
and egg plants. 
EARLY CABBAGE.—In 
the case of early cabbage 
they are sometimes planted 
in the Fall, in September, 
in cold frames, and carried 
over Winter practically dor¬ 
mant. But the majority are 
planted after New Years; 
when fire is used they may 
be planted much later and 
still be ready to go to the 
field as soon as the ground 
opens in March. We simply 
pull them and set with a 
trowel. In crops of the sec¬ 
ond class each line of crops 
requires separate methods. 
Thus, in growing early peas, 
beans and all other legumes 
cover shallow. An ordinary 
corn planter of the “Tiger” 
type does nice work for 
peas, leaving a slight de¬ 
pression which protects the 
young plants when they first 
come up. Plant as soon as 
the ground is open in the 
Spring. Plant thin. One 
bushel of seed per acre in 
three-foot rows is ample, 
and will secure better results than a larger amount. 
PLANTING MELONS.—In cantaloupes, melons and 
cucumbers we find that most money lies in the early 
crop, hence everything is done with that fact in view. 
The seeds are soaked as in the case of the tomato. Put 
in hot water at a temperature of 90 to 100 degrees for 
12 or 15 hours, then pour the water off and keep at 
about the same degree of heat with a damp cloth over 
them to prevent drying till they begin to show indi¬ 
cations of sprouting. The rows in the field for can¬ 
taloupes are run east and west, six feet apart. We 
throw up a ridge eight to 10 inches high with a Rob¬ 
bins potato planter, at the same time applying about 
400 pounds of ground fish scrap per acre. Here in 
southern Jersey we plant about April 15. We mix 
our sprouted seed with dry seed quart for quart, and 
plant with the toe on the south side of the ridge. Face 
the row with face to the north. Keep the toe level 
and make an opening on the south side of the ridge. 
Plant the seed and cover with the hoe elevated, leav¬ 
ing a slanting surface to the top of the hill. The 
conditions secured are as follows: By mixing the 
HOW TO PLANT THE PHILADELPHIA ROSE. Fig. 75. 
See Rurallsms, Page 190. 
sprouted seed and dry seed we have obtained practi¬ 
cally two plantings at one operation and at one ex¬ 
pense. By running the rows east and west we have 
in the first place the cold north winds broken off and 
in the second place the sun’s rays strike this slanting 
surface more nearly perpendicular than they would if 
planted on the top of the row, thus deriving and re¬ 
taining more heat. I have seen plants well down the 
south side of the ridge uninjured by frost when the 
north side was crusted with frozen earth. By cover¬ 
ing on the slant we have our seed covered at different 
depths, thus the shallow ones will come up in cold, 
damp weather when the deeper ones might decay, and 
the deeper ones come in the dry hot weather when 
the shallow-planted ones might dry out, and again 
the slanting surface affords good drainage in case of 
excessive rainfall. When following the above method 
replanting is frequently avoided. Some planters pre¬ 
fer to put new seed in every week until a stand is 
secured, but in our own operations we consider that 
the uncertainty is reduced to such a minimum that 
this extra expense is unwarranted. Let the men carry 
seed at the first hoeing and then replant any stray 
hills. As soon as the cantaloupes are well above 
ground and begin to show the first rough leaf hoe 
them thoroughly, loosening the ground around the 
plant. Our method is to thin them immediately to 
two plants, and in the course of another week to one 
single plant. The object of this early thinning is ap¬ 
parent. It secures a well rounded and bushy plant at 
the start, deprives the Striped squash-bug of his fa¬ 
vorite hiding place, a bunch of close-growing plants, 
by no means a small item, and in addition simplifies 
all future hoeings. The above details are applicable 
to the watermelon, cucumber and all other cucurbs. 
POTATOES AND CORN.—There is a good business 
done in this section in the growing of early white po¬ 
tatoes. The earliest varieties are chosen. The seed 
is stored and about two weeks before planting, if they 
seem backward, an oil stove is placed among them 
and kept there until they are pretty well sprouted. 
Planting is done as soon in March as the ground can 
be got in condition. The net profits on these early 
potatoes are usually far in advance of the ordinary 
potato crop. Early sugar corn may be hastened to 
maturity by the same methods as the cantaloupes. 
Soak your seed and plant in the south furrow of a 
ridge and cover shallow, thus gaining the same con¬ 
ditions as above mentioned. 
GOOD ADVICE.—I wish to emphasize these points: 
Soak and sprout the seed if possible. Seeds thus 
treated will gain much over those planted in the cold 
ground. Plant on south side of a ridge to escape cold 
winds and get most sun. Use quick ammonias for 
forcing cold-weather growth. Nitrate of soda will 
help secure an early, vigorous start. For tomatoes 
we put a light sprinkle around the plants after set¬ 
ting. Early peas will make a quicker start if nitrate 
is spread along the rows to keep them going until 
they can get a supply of nitrogen from the air. So 
with cabbage, and even cantaloupes and melons (but 
especial care must be used not to harm the foliage). 
With a thorough knowledge of the principles govern¬ 
ing commercial fertilizers, more accurate work can 
be done than with stable manure. 
Burlington Co., N. J. Joseph barton. 
A TEXAN ON THE COTTON OUTLOOK. 
The speculators and dealers here are predicting cot¬ 
ton to go higher, and some 
are expecting it to go to 20 
and 25 cents, but of course 
no one knows, as I think it 
is more of a speculative 
scheme and it is doubtful 
where it will stop. I under¬ 
stand that cotton goods 
have not advanced as com¬ 
pared with the raw material 
and that the mills are not 
buying cotton at the present 
prices. The farmers out 
here have gone wild over 
the good prices realized for 
their cotton, and a large im¬ 
migration is coming to this 
country. The boll weevil is 
unknown in this section, 
and many fields of cotton 
made from one-half to 
three-fourths bale to the 
acre, and at the present 
prices make quite a little 
sum of money. Land that a 
few years ago was selling at 
from $2 to $3 is now selling 
at from $5 to $10 per acre. 
One ranch joining mine, 
which was used entirely for 
grazing purposes, is now 
being sold rapidly in blocks 
of 100 acres to any amount 
to suit purchasers at prices 
from $5 to $17 per acre. This 
ranch is in Coleman County 
and embraces about 40,000 
acres. I have never seen 
such excitement in land 
during my 25 years in the 
State. I cannot understand 
why wool prices are not any 
higher than they are as 
compared with cotton, but 
it is a notable fact that they 
do not always go together 
in regard to prices; one may be high and the other 
low. Now, for instance, wool is from one to two cents 
lower than at the same time last year. I do not see 
why it should be lower, as we do not produce one-half 
of what we consume or manufacture and with a duty 
of 11 cents per pound on imported wool wool sold here 
this Fall at San Angelo, 75 miles west of here, at 11 
to liy 2 cents per pound, so there must be something 
wrong somewhere. e. b. 
WHITE PERSIAN CYCLAMEN: REDUCED IN SIZE. FIG. 76. See Page 176. 
