ABEL’S SEED HOUSE. READING. PA. 
Vegetable Seeds 
BEETS 
Abel’s New Century Beet 
Sow 1 ounce to SO feet of drill; 5 to 6 pounds per acre 
l 
Berk’s Favorite 
Seed should be sown at the rate of one ounce to 100 feet of row. 
The rows should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. Work the soil well 
and cover the seeds about an inch deep. A rich sandy loam is most 
favorable but nearly all types of soil will produce beets if sufficiently 
fertilized and properly tilled. 
When the seedlings are about an inch tall it is well to thin them 
to about one-half inch apart. Then they can he allowed to grow 
5 or 6 inches when the alternate plants in the row may be pulled and 
used for greens. This practice can be repeated as often as the roots 
touch in the rows or until they reach good table size. Beets are 
usually most tender and succulent when about 2 inches in diameter. 
By planting at intervals of two to three weeks until July a regular 
supply of greens and beets may he had until late fall. The roots from 
the later plantings may be stored and kept for winter use. 
Abel’s Early Wonder. Roots nearly globe-shaped, of uniform size, 
with little foliage. Skin deep red; flesh dark red with little zoning. 
Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; 141b. 30c; %lb. 50c; 1 lb. 90c. 
Berk’s Favorite Beet, 56 to 58 days. A Pedigreed stock, the result 
of many years of pure-line breeding; unsurpassed in earliness, uni¬ 
formity, and in depth of interior color. Tops medium, erect, uni¬ 
form in size and color. Roots semi-globular, deep red, smooth, 
with small neck and tap root. Flesh purplish red with zones of 
slightly lighter shade; tender, and of excellent quality. This season 
only 1 oz. to a customer. Oz. 25c. 
Crosby’s Egyptian. An improved strain of Egyptian Beet. Rich 
dark red flesh, crisp and tender. An excellent early sort. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 15c; 141b. 30c; %lb. 50c; 1 lb. 90c. 
Detroit Dark Red. Skin dark blood-red; flesh bright red, very 
tender and sweet. Fine round shape. Excellent for main crop. 
Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; 141b. 40c; %lb. 70c; 1 lb. $1.15. 
Abel’s New Half-Long. One of the finest half-long Beets on the 
narket. Flesh deep maroon-red, approaching black, free from 
toning. Pkt. 5c; oz. 15c; 141b. 30c; 141b. 50c; 1 lb. 90c. 
MANGEL-WURZEL and SUGAR BEETS 
Mammoth Long Red. Enormous roots, averaging 30 to 50 tons per 
acre. Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; ',41b. 25c; 141b. 35c; lb. 60c; 5 lbs. $2.40. 
Golden Tankard. Bright yellow; large. Tends to give color to milk. 
Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; 141b. 25c; >4 lb. 35c; lb. 60c; 5 lbs. $2.40. 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS 
One ounce of seed will plant a row 200 feet long and make 2000 to 3000 
plants 
Long Island Improved. A choice variety grown extensively on Long 
Island for the New York market, where it always brings a good 
price. Compact plants. 20 in. tall, with solid heavy sprouts measur¬ 
ing 1% to 1*2 in. in diameter. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; 4 oz. 75c; 141b. 
$1.15; lb. $2.00. 
This most excel¬ 
lent main crop beet 
still holds first place 
among the growers 
in Berks and Lan¬ 
caster Counties as 
well as the eastern 
part of Pennsyl¬ 
vania for its superb 
table qualities. The 
root is turnip or top 
shaped, tends t o 
show considerable 
sideroot but not so 
much as some stock 
that we have seen 
of the variety is 
blood -red interior 
color, as a rule 
showing little or no 
Zonation and cooks 
a very deep, dark 
red. The tops or 
leaves are a con- 1 
spicuously green top 
without a trace of 
any red coloring 
either in the leaves 
or stems, showing 
considerable foliage 
and standing somewhat taller 
than most varieties of garden 
beets. Pkt. 10c; oz. 20c; 141b. 40c; 
V 2 lb. 75c; lb. $1.25. 
Following is a copy of one of the 
many testimonials we have received. 
Abel’s New Century Beet I tried out last 
year is the best Winter beet I ever raised. I 
still have a good many stored for the market, 
and they are just as tender as they were in 
the fall. 
Abel’s 
New 
Century 
Beet 
Respectfully yours, 
CHARLES E. BROSSMAN, Trucker. 
BROCCOLI 
SPROUTING 
Calabrese. Italian Green Sprouting Broccoli makes a large head of 
bright green, tender sprouts, which are cooked like Spinach or 
Brussels Sprouts and have a most delectable flavor. Sow the seed 
in May and harvest in August. Pkt. 10c; 14 oz. 25c; oz. 40c; 
4 ozs. $1.15; % lb. $1.80; lb. $3.25. 
WINTER 
St. Valentine. Large, white-headed varieties of splendid appearance 
and finest quality. Looks like Cauliflower but it requires a long 
season and cool weather. Pkt. 10c; 14 oz. 25c; oz. 45c; 4 ozs. $1.35; 
141b. $2.45; lb. $4.50. 
CAULIFLOWER 
One ounce of seed produces about 3000 plants 
For many years cauliflower has been esteemed as one of the most 
delicious of vegetables but until recenty it was erroneously regarded 
as very difficult to grow. It is known now that the same methods 
which produce good cabbage will yield cauliflower successfully. The 
only significant dif- 
erence in culture is 
that the heads of 
cauliflower must be 
protected from sun¬ 
light in order to as¬ 
sure a white curd 
which is so desirable. 
This is most readily 
accomplished by 
gathering the tops of 
the leaves together 
loosely as soon as 
the heads begin to 
form. Shut off the 
light hut do not 
cramp the head. 
Extra-Early Snow¬ 
ball. One of the 
best for forcing or 
open ground. Pkt. 
10c; 14 oz. 60c; 
oz. $1.90; 14 lb. 
$ 6 . 00 . 
Dry-Weather. This 
variety is especial¬ 
ly adapted for 
long, dry seasons. 
Pkt. 10c; 14 oz. 
60c; oz. $1.90; 
141b $6 00 Extra Early Snowball 
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