ABEL’S SEED HOUSE, READING, PA 
Vegetable Seeds 
ONIONS— (Continued) 
Southport Red Globe. The deep color and symmetrical form of this 
onion make it very attractive. Bulbs reach full size within 110 
days, keep well and are of superior quality. Very firm and of 
strong flavor. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; Vi lb. 75c; lb. $2.75. 
White Portugal (Silverskin). Very early; rather flat in shape, 
mild flavored. Does not keep so well as most other varieties. 
Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; Vi lb. 75c; lb. $2.50. 
Extra-early Barletta. An Italian variety and the very earliest Onion 
in cultivation. Small, pure white; mild, delicate flavor. Makes 
a handsome and profitable bunching sort, especially if started indoors 
and transplanted. Pkt. 5c; oz. 20c; ^4lb. 75c; lb. $2.50. 
Abel’s Bottle Onion. Seed of this variety is very scarce and always 
in great demand. Bulb long or bottle-shaped; mild, pleasant flavor. 
Pkt. 10c; oz. 50c; *4 lb. $1.50: lb. $5.50. 
Sweet Spanish (Riverside Strain). This finely bred strain is steadily 
increasing in popularity due to its large size, attractive yellowish- 
brown covering and excellent flavor. Under favorable conditions 
the globe shaped bulbs often weigh 2 pounds and always possess a 
most delicious mild flavor. It keeps well. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; Vi lb. 
75c; lb. $2.75. 
Gigantic Gibraltar. Produces perfectly globular Onions of enormous 
size. The skin is a pleasing light straw color, and extends evenly 
over the whole Onion. The flesh is white and astonishingly sweet. 
It is mild and tasty, and the texture is brittle, tender and juicy. 
These large handsome Onions mature very evenly. Oz. 35c; 
Vi lb. 75c; lb. $2.75. 
ONION SETS 
6 to 12 bushels (according to size) are required to set an acre in drills 
Prices vary according to the market. Write for prices and samples. 
PARSLEY 
Moss Curled Parsley 
This well known vegetable is very useful for flavoring soups and 
for garnishing. The green leaves are used for flavoring or they may 
be dried crisp, rubbed to powder and kept in bottles until needed. 
Parsley succeeds best on rich, mellow soil. The seed is even slower 
than parsnips in germinating and should be sown as early as possible 
in the spring, in rows 1 to 2 feet apart, covering not more than V 2 inch 
with fine soil firmly pressed down. When the plants are well up thin 
8 to 12 inches apart in the row. When the plants of the curled varie¬ 
ties are about 3 inches high cut off all the leaves; the plant will then 
start new growth of leaves which will be brighter and better curled. 
Later, if these turn dull or brown they can be cut in the same way; 
every cutting will result in improvement of the quality of the leaves. 
Plain (Single). Plain leaves of excellent flavor. Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; 
% lb. 35c; lb. 90c. 
Double Curled. Pine, dwarf, crimped leaves. Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; 
*4 lb. 35c; lb. 90c. 
Dark Moss-curled. The leaves are of an extra-dark green color. Pkt. 
5c; oz. 15c; *4,lb. 35c; lb. 90c. 
Turnip-rooted (Hamburg). The edible portion is the fleshy root which 
resembles a small parsnip, and is used for flavoring soups, stews, 
etc. Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; %lb. 35c; lb. 90c. 
PARSNIP 
Parsnips grow best in a loose rich sandy loam but will make 
good roots in any soil, that is reasonably rich and deep. Stony 
soil and coarse raw manure is apt to produce branched or misshapen 
roots. The seed requires steady and abundant moisture for germi¬ 
nation and should be sown as early as practicable. Sow in rows 
2 to 2 V2 feet apart and when well up, thin to about 5 inches apart 
in the row. Keep the ground moist if possible. Parsnips are improved 
rather than injured by freezing, and a portion of the crop can be 
left in the ground all winter to be used as a spring vegetable when 
the ground has thawed. 
Long Smooth (Hollow Crown). A large cropper that is tender, sugary, 
and popular for general cultivation, but requires a deep soil. 
Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; %lb. 25c; lb. 90c. 
PEPPERS 
The garden varieties of pepper are divided into two classes, 
each of which has its special culinary uses. They generally 
are classified as “hot” and “sweet” peppers. The hot va¬ 
rieties are nearly all much smaller than the sweet ones and 
the smallest fruited varieties are usually the hottest. They 
are mostly used as condiments in various forms. The sweet 
peppers have thicker flesh, are larger and do not possess the 
pungent quality of the hot ones. They are becoming more 
popular for garnishing and in relishes, etc. 
The culture is practically the same as that for egg plant 
and the soil and temperature requirements are about the 
same. A moderate dressing of guano, poultry manure or 
complete commercial fertilizer, hoed into the soil after the 
plants are 6 to 8 inches tall will be very beneficial. If fruits 
are kept picked, pepper plants will continue to bear all along 
as the weather is favorable. 
California Wonder. This is unquestionably the leader of the sweet 
Peppers. Vigorous growing plants bear a heavy yield of handsome 
blocky fruits which reach a size of 5 inches in length and 4 inches 
across. The thickness of flesh alone, which is often % of an inch, 
places it above all other Peppers. There is not the least trace of 
pungency in the flesh, and it is crisp and juicy. In the home 
garden these are always an object of admiration, and they are 
equally pleasing when served on the table. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 35c; 
oz. 55c; Vi lb. $1.65; V2 lb. $3.00. 
Harris’ Early Giant. This most admirable sort is especially adapted 
to northern growing because of its early maturity. The Peppers 
are larger than any other early sort, 3 Y 2 inches in diameter and 
4*4 inches long, while from 6 to 10 are produced on one plant. For 
unripe picking they are medium dark green and in maturity are 
bright red. The flesh is moderately thick and of excellent quality. 
It is a choice home-garden sort. Pkt. 10c; V 2 oz. 25c; oz. 45c; 
Vi lb. $1.35; V 2 lb. $2.45. 
World Beater. Very large, thick-meated Pepper; mild flavor; bright 
red. Very productive. Pkt. 10c; *4 oz. 25c; oz. 40c; Vi lb. $1.15; 
Vi lb. $1.90. 
Ruby King. Fruits about 4 inches long; flesh thick and mild, dark 
green while young, turning bright red. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 20c; oz. 
35c; Vi lb. $1.00; *4 lb. $1.65. 
Neapolitan. A variety of sweet Pepper which matures very early. It 
grows about 3 inches long. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 20c; ob. 35c; Vi lb. 
$1.00; *4 lb. $1.65. 
Golden Queen. Mild, sweet, yellow Pepper. Quite attractive. Pkt. 
10c; *4 oz. 25c; oz. 45c; Vi lb. $1.35; V2 lb. $2.45. 
Tobasco. Small and very hot. Used as a condiment either in vinegar 
or for making sauce. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 30c; oz. 50c; Vi lb. $1.50; 
y 2 lb. $2.75. 
Chinese Giant. The largest mild red Pepper; ideal for the home 
garden. Plants vigorous, of stocky habit, seldom more than 2 feet 
high. Fruit 4 to 5 inches broad at the top. All are uniformly of 
enormous size. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 35c; oz. 55c; Vi lb. $1.65; V2 lb. 
$3.00. 
Celestial. Small, upright pods. Pkt. 10c; V 2 OZ. 25c; oz. 40c; 
ys,ib. $1.35. 
Red Cherry. Very ornamental. Pkt. 10c; V&oz. 25c; oz. 40c; 
Vi lb. $1.35. 
Large Bell (Bullnose). Large, mild, bright red fruits largely used 
for pickling. Pkt. 10c; V2 oz. 20c; oz. 35c; Vi lb. $1.00; *4 lb. 
$1.65. 
California Wonder Pepper 
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