566 Report oF THE HORTICULTURIST OF THE 
Egg Plant. 
The egg plants were started in flats in the hot-bed. When the 
plants were about two and a half inches high they were trans- 
planted to three-inch pots and transferred to frames, that they 
might become hardened before transplanting to the open ground. 
They were transplanted somewhat later than the tomatoes. They 
were set in the open ground in rows ten feet apart and the plants 
were two feet apart intherow. The ground was prepared in the 
manner described for pole lima beans. See p. 553. The plants 
were knocked out of the pots and the ball of earth surrounding 
the roots was partially crushed so as to spread the roots in trans- 
planting. The plants were set in the ground so that the seed 
leaf came at the surface of the soil. They were then watered 
and shaded for about a week till they became established in the 
soil. A mixture of wood ashes and bone meal was applied five — 
or six times in the manner described for bush beans on p. 548, 
the total amount applied during the season being about three 
hundred pounds per acre. Tobacco dust was applied whenever 
necessary to keep off the plant lice and other injurious insects. 
The only variety grown was the Improved New York Purple 
which is one of the best kinds for this section. It was shipped 
Sept. 18 and 26. | 
Gourds. 
The gourds were handled in the manner described for cucum- 
bers on page 562. The Nest Egg gourd was extremely produc- 
tive, nearly white, ovate and from two to three inches in shortest 
diameter. It was shipped Aug. 7, 12, 16, 18, 22, 30, Sept. 1, 5 
and 13. : 
Lettuce. 
The soil for lettuce was prepared in the manner described for 
bush beans on p. 547; and the seed was covered about half an 
inch deep in drills eighteen inches apart. The soil was packed 
firmly over the seed as noted on p/547. When the plants were 
about an inch high they were thinned to a foot apart in the row. 
The plants removed in thinning were transplanted, and being — 
thus retarded their season was prolonged for about three weeks. 
It was necessary to water the transplanted plants every day for 
a week until they were well established. By making another 


