HOUSE AND GARDEN 
March, 1912 
over to the novelty habit — and not infrequently, 
when there is a dearth of new sorts, we get the old 
ones under new names. On the other hand, credit 
should be given those who devote a great deal of 
time, energy and money to the developing and dis¬ 
covering of new sorts that are real improvements. 
Most of the varieties described below have been 
given to the garden public during the last few 
years, and while some — such as the Gradus pea or 
Golden Bantam corn — have already become house¬ 
hold words, many others are not so well known as 
they should be. Practically all these varieties I 
have not only grown myself, but know 
to have been accepted by gardeners 
generally. 
Asparagus. — Giant Argenteuil has 
become a great favorite since its intro¬ 
duction from France some years ago. 
It produces giant sized stalks, of fine 
quality. Palmetto, however, still holds 
its own, and in a careful six-year test, 
held at the New, Jersey Experiment 
Station, out-yielded all other sorts by 
nearly one-third, and I consider the 
quality as good as that of any. 
If you order any asparagus plants 
this year, be sure to get the pamphlet 
of cultural directions usually accom¬ 
panying them, and do as it says. A 
mistake often made in caring for es¬ 
tablished beds in private gardens is 
neglecting them after cutting is dis¬ 
continued in the spring. Next year’s 
crop depends on this summer’s growth. 
Keep clean and cultivate frequently. 
Dwarf beans. — In the matter of 
bean varieties I think the seedsmen 
might have spared us a little. There 
are too many that can’t be told apart 
except by the tags. Good progress 
has been made, however, in eliminat¬ 
ing the annoying “stringiness” of the 
older sorts. Stringless Green Pod is a 
favorite early variety. In place of the 
old Yellow Six-weeks, Brittle Wax is 
one of the earliest of the wax sorts. 
New Kidney Wax is a distinct im¬ 
provement in the kidney type. 
The last few years have seen great 
progress with the dwarf limas, which 
should now be used in every gai'den. 
There are two types — the Kumerle or 
“potato,” of which Fordhook is the 
best sort I have found, because it is 
more bushy in form; and the 
dwarf tree lima, of which Burpee- 
Improved and New Early Giant 
are sorts that make a decided ac¬ 
quisition. 
Burger's Green-podded String¬ 
less is a real improvement in the 
pole beans, For yellow pole beans 
I have found nothing yet better 
than Sunshine or Golden Cluster — 
the former being more string¬ 
less. In pole limas the New Giant 
Podded is the best I have yet 
found, and a very real improvement, especially in 
its habit of bearing near the ground on lateral 
branches. 
The secret in getting early beans is to plant shal¬ 
low in the lightest soil, and to risk losing the first 
planting. Two times out of three, or more, you’ll 
come through, and there’s little lost if you don’t. 
Let your beans alone when the foliage is wet. 
Plant limas with the eye down, when there is pros¬ 
pect of fair weather for a day or two: they rot in 
the soil very easily. To get early pole limas, start 
inside in pots of sandy soil—two vines of the new 
Giant Podded are ample for one hill. 
Beets.—Among beets there are no 
remarkable improvements. Early 
Model is a very excellent early sort, 
and Columbia, for summer use, is very 
good. They are better in quality than 
the older Crosby’s Egyptian, and 
Blood Turnip, which are still used by 
commercial growers. 
It is surprising how many private 
gardeners still depend on beets sown 
in the open for their first supply. They 
can be started and transplanted, like 
lettuce or cabbage, with the greatest 
ease. Set four inches apart, with one 
foot between rows. For best quality 
make several sowings during the sum¬ 
mer, and cook as quickly as possible 
when preparing for the table. 
Brussels Sprouts.—I consider Dan¬ 
ish Prize an improvement over the 
popular Long Island Improved, in that 
the heads come evener and are thicker 
set. Wroxton is a new variety just 
being introduced from England. I 
have not experimented with it yet, but 
should think it well worth trying. 
Brussels Sprouts are very easily 
grown, and one of the most delicious 
late autumn vegetables. They will 
stand any amount of freezing after 
maturity; it only makes them tender. 
Be sure to sow a packet this June. 
Corn.—Most of the progress with 
sweet corn recently has been in the in¬ 
troduction of yellow varieties. Bur¬ 
pee’s small early Golden Bantam was 
the first of these to leap into popular 
favor, and it is still the greatest fa¬ 
vorite. Besides its extremely sweet 
quality, it has two other characteris¬ 
tics which make it especially valuable 
for the home garden. It is very 
dwarf in growth of stalk, and is ex¬ 
ceedingly hardy, so that it can be 
planted earlier than the shriveled 
grain sorts. Seymour’s Sweet 
Orange, Golden-Rod, and several 
other later yellow corns are now 
largely replacing the older white 
favorites for home use, and I 
think deservedly so, in spite of the 
natural prejudice against yellow 
corn because of its resemblance to 
{Continued on page 82) 
Tie cauliflower leaves to 
make white heads 
Three tested varieties: Chantenay carrots, Chinese 
Giant peppers, and Stringless White Wax beans 
The new Bush muskmelon should make this fruit avail¬ 
able for the smallest garden 
