“/ thought I teas saving when I planted cheap seeds.” 
ABEL’S SEED HOUSE, READING, PA 
CUCUMBERS 
In all of its various stages of development the cucumber finds a 
place on our table. Either raw or pickled it serves as an ingredient 
for salads and constitutes a tasty relish by itself. A fine crop may be 
easily grown wherever an openly exposed location of fairly rich soil 
is available. Planting should be delayed until all danger of frost is 
past. Soil for planting should be warm, fairly moist and loose. Seed 
must be covered about 4 inch deep. Plant in hills 3 by 5 feet apart, 
dropping 6 or 8 seeds to each hill. When 6 inches tall, thin to 3 
in a hill. 
Abel's Stays Green or Black Diamond. This is a dark green, medium 
sized Cucumber of the white spine class. The fruits are 7 to 8 
inches long, cylindrical in shape, and a fine glossy green in color, 
They retain their fine color for a remarkably long time and on that 
account are very well adapted for shipping. The young fruits are 
desirable for small pickles and the mature fruits are very satisfac¬ 
tory in shape and size for packing. The variety is becoming popular 
with commercial growers and is proving a good home garden sort. 
Pkt. 5c: oz. 20c; 4 lb. 60c; 41b. 85c; lb. $1.50; 2 lbs. $2.75; 
5 lbs. $6.50. 
Abel’s Banner Hybrid. We consider this the finest all around cucum¬ 
ber in existence. It has a long and straight, attractive shape, with a 
very rich green color, a fine lot of showy white spines. The color 
stays green for a week making it a fine shipper. Many Southern 
cucumber growers will use no other, which is indeed a fine testi¬ 
monial for it. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; 41b. 75c; 41b. $1.35; lb. $2.50. 
Abel’s Early Fortune. A disease-resistant variety of attractive ap¬ 
pearance. When fruits are fully grown they measure 9 inches 
long and 2*4 inches thick. Flesh is pure white and has a firm 
crisp texture. Juicy and refreshing. Pkt. 5c; oz. 20c; *4lb. 50c; 
*4lb. 75c: lb. $1.25; 2 lbs. $2.30; 5 lbs. $5.50. 
Straight Eight. An attractive long straight cylindrical, fruits about 
8 inches long and 1 4 inches in diameter. Ideal shipper as well 
as a desirable home or market garden variety. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c; 
41b. 75c: lb. $2.50. 
Arlington White Spine. The Cucumbers are very regular in outline, 
averaging 7 to 8 in. long, straight and of a rich green color. Pkt. 
5c; oz. 20c; 41b. 50c; 41b. 75c; lb. $1.25; 2 lbs., $2.30; 5 lbs. 
$5.50. 
Early Jersey. Fruits are of a rich dark green color and average from 
4 to 5 inches long. Fine for producing small pickles. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 20c; *4lb. 50c; 41b. 75c; lb. $1.25; 2 lbs. $2.30; 5 lbs. $5.50. 
London Long Green. Young fruit makes fine pickles. Skin rich green; 
flesh solid, crisp and very good quality. Pkt. 5c; oz. 20c; *4 lb. 65c; 
41b. $1.00; lb. $1.75. 
Abel’s Banner Hybrid 
Davis Perfect. Long, even fruits of fine form with intensely dark, rich 
green skin. Its solid white flesh is very good for slicing. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 20c; 41b. 50c; 41b. 75c; lb. $1.25; 2 lbs. $2.30; 5 lbs. $5.50. 
Everbearing. Early, prolific variety, with fruits rich dark green, aver¬ 
aging 4 to 5 inches in length by 14 inches in diameter. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 20c; *4lb. 60c; 41b. 85c; lb. $1.50; 2 lbs. $2.75; 5 lbs. $6.50. 
Early Green Cluster. Fruits slender and most desirable for pickling. 
Very prolific and set in clusters of two and three. If fruits are kept 
gathered the vines will continue long in bearing. Pkt. 5c; oz. 20c; 
41b. 50c: 41b. 75c; lb. $1.25; 2 lbs. $2.30; 5 lbs. $5.50. 
Extra-early Green Prolific (Boston Pickling). Fruits average 4 to 5 
inches in length when large enough for slicing and are of excellent 
quality. Used chiefly for producing medium-sized pickles. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 20c; 41b. 50c; 41b. 75c; lb. $1.25; 2 lbs. $2.30; 5 lbs. $5.50. 
West India Gherkin. Small, suitable for pickling, borne most prolifi 
callv on vigorous vines. Pkt. 5c; oz. 20c; 41b. 65c; 41b. $1.00; 
lb. $1.75. 
CHICORY 
Witloof, French Endive. Sow in May or June in drills: thin out or 
transplant 6 inches apart. Cultivate the same as endive. In the 
fall, hill up. to blanch the bases of the leaves. Pkt. 10c; oz. 25c; 
41b. 75c; 41b. $1.15; lb. $2.00. 
DANDELION 
Sow early in spring, in very warm, rich soil, in drills 18 inches 
apart; thin "to 5 inches and cultivate well; they will be fit for cutting 
the next spring. When grown for the roots, sow in September and 
cultivate well during the fall and the following summer; the roots 
will be fit to dig in October. 
Improved Broad Leaved. Unsurpassed in thickness of leaf and deep 
green color. It is compact and forms an upright regular tuft at 
the center. This cabbaging sort is much superior to the common 
or uncultivated dandelion. Pkt. 10c; oz. 45c; 4 lb. $1.40; 4 lb. 
$2.60; lb. $4.75. 
One of the truckers well pleased with his patch of Abel's Stay Green 
or Black Diamond Cucumbers. 
ENDIVE 
One ounce of seed will sow ISO feet of drill 
For early use sow about April 15th; for later supply sow 
in June or July in rows 14 to 20 inches apart and when well 
started thin the plants to 1 foot apart. When nearly full- 
grown tie the outer leaves together over the center in order 
to blanch the heart of the plant. By covering fresh plants 
every few days a succession may be maintained. Endive for 
winter use may be had by making 2 or 3 successive plantings 
at intervals of a week or 10 days during July. Just before 
killing frosts are due in the fall dig the plants, taking plenty 
of soil with the roots. Store in the cellar, packing the plants 
closely together and keep as dark as practicable. The plants 
‘must be harvested very carefully to avoid bruising the leaves 
and shaking the soil from the roots. When stored this way 
the plants will be self-blanching and of finer quality than 
when tied up and blanched out of doors. By arranging the 
storage space so that the earlier plantings can be used first, 
a supply can be provided until nearly spring. 
Green Curled. Hardy. Leaves dark green, tender. Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; 
41b. 35c; 41b. 60c; lb. $1.10. 
Batavian White Broad Leaf. This is a sort quite identical to the 
Batavian Broadleaf Green but with a foliage much lighter in color 
and exceptionally attractive. Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; 41b. 35c; 41b. 
60c; lb. $1.10. 
Batavian Broad-leaved. Leaves long and broad. Cniefly used in 
soups. Pkt. 5c; oz. 10c; 41b. 35c; 41b. 60c; lb. $1.10. 
EGGPLANT 
One ounce of seed will produce 
about WOO plants 
This is a semi-tropical plant 
which requires continuous 
warm weather for best results. 
The seed germinates slowly and 
should be started in a hot bed. 
The plants may be set out in 
the open ground when 2 inches 
tall if continued warm weather 
is in prospect. Space the plants 
2 4 to 3 feet apart. Young 
plants should be shaded from 
hot sun and sprayed with Paris 
Green as a protection from po¬ 
tato bugs. 
Black Beauty. Fully 10 days 
earlier than Improved New 
York Spineless. Healthy 
grower and large fruit. Pkt. 
5c; 4 oz. 25c; oz. 40c; 4 lb. 
$1.20; 41b. $2.00; lb. $3.75. 
Extra Early Long Purple. A 
very early and productive va¬ 
riety with fruit eight inches 
long and about 2 4 inches 
thick. The color is very dark 
purple, almost black, and 
very smooth. It is difficult 
to find a good strain of this 
variety, and we have been 
very fortunate in obtaining 
our stock. It has pleased the 
most critical market garden¬ 
ing trade. Pkt. 10c; 4 oz. 
25c; oz. 40c; 4 lb. $1.20; 
4 lb. $2.00; lb. $3.75. 
Improved New York Spineless. Quite free from spines. Fruit of large 
size and perfect form. Two weeks earlier than the old variety. 
Pkt. 5c; 4 oz. 25c; oz. 40c; 4 lb. $1.20; 4 lb. $2.00; lb. $3.75. 
Black Beauty Eggplant 
Page seven 
