Vol. LXXVIII. 
Published Weekly by The Rural Publishing Co., 
333 W. 30th St., New York. Price One Dollar a Year. 
NEW YORK, MARCH 15, 1919. 
Entered as Second-Class Matter, June 28, 1879. at the Post 
Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879, 
No. 4525 
Getting the Jump on Jack Frost 
Planting with Reference to Crop Development 
Part X. 
TUDYIXG REQUIREMENTS.—In order that 
every possible advantage aiding the early 
maturity of garden crops be taken, the gardener 
should study the adaptability of each crop to pre¬ 
vailing climatic conditions and provide the best 
means of protection for each crop studied against 
adverse weather surroundings. Such protection may 
be provided through hardening plants started in¬ 
doors, sufficiently to withstand out-of-door temper¬ 
atures, or by actually protecting the plant from 
occasional late Spring frosts. In making the sys¬ 
tematic study of the various crops with reference to 
climatic requirements in order to determine proper 
planting dates, let us first place all crops into", two 
principal classes, the cool season and the warm 
season crops. Plants of the former class, including 
beet, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese 
cabbage, chard, collard, endive, kale, kohl-rabi, onion, 
parsley, parsnip, ^pea. potato, radish, rutabaga, 
spinach, salsify and turnip, which are not injured 
by frosts, make their best growth during relatively 
cool weather. On the other hand, plants of latter 
named class, that is, cucumber, eggplant, Lima bean, 
okra, muskmelon, pepper, pumpkins, squash, string 
bean, sweet corn, sweet potato, and watermelon are 
easily injured by light frosts and make their most 
rapid growth and the most vigorous development 
under a warm* temperature. 
GROUPING THE PLANTS.—Let the study of 
relative planting dates be continued by sub-dividing 
crops, require 60 to 100 days for maturity and de¬ 
mand cool weather until they have- become well 
established.-after which they are able to stand con¬ 
siderable heat without injury, many of them being 
held over for use during late Fall and Winter. Beet, 
Royal Duke Cherry. Fig. 12J) (see next page) 
carrot, chard, kale, parsley, pea, early potato, Sum- 
early cauliflower and early celery under glass, in 
order that they may be transplanted out-of-doors 
when Spring weather permits. • Start plants of late 
cabbage, late cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and late 
celery in seed beds out-of-doors to secure plants for 
setting in late Spring or early Summer, planning to 
keep these crops growing as well as possible during 
the heat'of'Summer in order that they may make 
their best development during the cool weather of 
Fall. 
FURTHER DIVISION.—Let the gardener subdi¬ 
vide, also, the warm season crops into three groups, 
the fli’st of which will include those needing only 60 
to SO days for maturity, and therefore, requiring no 
transplanting except for special earliness. This may 
be gained through starting seeds in paper pots or 
pieces of sod in the hotbed several weeks previous 
to the time for out-of-door transplanting. Bush 
beans, cucumbers, okra, sweet corn and Summer 
squash are included in this division. Another group 
includes those crops needing SO to 120 days in which 
to complete maturity, namely bush Limas, pole Limas 
and pole string beans, muskmelons, late squash, 
pumpkin, watermelon and popcorn. A third and last 
group comprises the long-season crops, those re¬ 
quiring 120 to 160 days for maturity and one or 
more transplantings from seed plot to out-of-doors 
in order to secure their best development. Tomatoes, 
pepper, eggplants and sweet potatoes may be so 
classed. 
PLANTING DATES.—Having studied briefly the 
adaptability of the various crops to their environ- 
Prince Edioa'd Peas in a California Garden. Fig. 123 (see next page) 
Sunrise Tomato Grown on Stakes. Fig. 125 (see next page) 
the cool season crops into four groups, the first of 
which includes the short season crops, those de¬ 
manding cool weather for their entire period of 
growth and maturing.so rapidly that they may be 
planted out-of-doors and harvested before the in¬ 
tense heat of Summer arrives to injure them. En¬ 
dive. kolil-rabi, leaf lettuce, onion (sets), radish, 
spinach and turnip fall in this class, practically all 
of which, in addition to being well adapted for early 
planting, may be sown out-of-doors following the 
intense heat of Summer, and matured for use before 
killing frost of late Fall. From 35 to 60 days are 
required for maturing these crops under normal 
growing conditions. Another group, the mid-season 
mer radish and New Zealand spinach are included 
iu this class. A third group comprises the cool- 
season crops, those which while needing 100 to 140 
days for maturity, and cool weather until well 
started, withstand heat well throughout the Sum¬ 
mer. Onion, parsnip, late potato, rutabaga and 
salsify are included in this group. 
TRANSPLANTED CROPS.—Another group con¬ 
sists of the long-season, transplanted crops, those 
which mature in 100 to 140 days’ time and make 
their best growth and development under cool, moist 
weather conditions. Cabbage, cauliflower and celery 
belong in this group. In order to take advantage of 
prevailing conditions, start plants of early cabbage, 
as individually, from the standpoint of seouriug the 
earliest possible maturity. Planting and transplant¬ 
ing dates given are for Southern New York State, 
Central Ohio, Central Iowa, Northwestern Kansas 
and Southeastern Colorado. Plant or transplant 
approximately one week earlier or one week later 
each 100 miles south or north of these points. In 
few or no cases is the gardener taking chances with 
the weather. Rather, by following the methods out¬ 
lined. he is preparing to combat adverse climatic 
conditions and thereby gain from one to four weeks’ 
time in the maturity of his choice garden crops. We 
shall find it to our advantage to consider practical 
means of protection against adverse conditions for 
