Home Vegetable Gardening by F. F. Rockwell (books for 6 year olds to read themselves TXT) 📖

stay there, but I do not agree with them. Properly

cooked it is a very delicious vegetable.

 

What has already been said covers largely the conditions for successful

culture. The soil should be of the richest and deepest, and well

dressed with lime.

 

Lettuce is grown with advantage between the rows of early cabbage, and

after both are harvested the ground is used for celery. The early

varieties may be set as closely as eighteen inches in the row, and

twenty-four between rows. The lettuce is taken out before the row is

needed.

 

The late crop is started in the outside seed-bed about June 1st to

15th. It will help give better plants to cut back the tops once or

twice during growth, and an occasional good soaking in dry weather will

prove very beneficial. They are set in the field during July, and as it

often is very dry at this time, those extra precautions mentioned in

directions for setting out plants, in the preceding chapter, should be

taken. If the newly set plants are dusted with wood ashes, it will be a

wise precaution against insect pests.

 

Cauliflower:—The cauliflower is easily the queen of the cabbage

group: also it is the most difficult to raise. (1) It is the most

tender and should not be set out quite so early. (2) It is even a

ranker feeder than the cabbage, and just before heading up will be

greatly improved by applications of liquid manure. (3) It must have

water, and unless the soil is a naturally damp one, irrigation, either

by turning the hose on between the rows, or directly around the plants,

must be given—two or three times should be sufficient. (4) The heads

must be protected from the sun. This is accomplished by tying up the

points of leaves, so as to form a tent, or breaking them (snap the mid-rib only), and folding them down over the flower. (5) They must be used

as soon as ready, for they deteriorate very quickly. Take them while

the head is still solid and firm, before the little flower tips begin

to open out.

 

Celery:—This is another favorite vegetable which has a bad

reputation to live down. They used to plant it at the bottom of a

twelve-inch trench and spend all kinds of unnecessary labor over it. It

can be grown perfectly well on the level and in the average home

garden.

 

As to soil, celery prefers a moist one, but it must be well drained.

The home supply can, however, be grown in the ordinary garden,

especially if water may be had in case of injurious drouth.

 

For the early crop the best sorts are the White Plume and Golden Self-blanching. Seed is sown in the last part of February or first part of

March. The seed is very fine and the greatest pains must be taken to

give the best possible treatment. The seed should be pressed into the

soil and barely covered with very light soil—half sifted leaf-mould or

moss. Never let the boxes dry out, and as soon as the third or fourth

leaf comes, transplant; cut back the outside leaves, and set as deeply

as possible without covering the crown. The roots also, if long, should

be cut back. This trimming of leaves and roots should be given at each

transplanting, thus assuring a short stocky growth.

 

Culture of the early crop, after setting out, is easier than that for

the winter crop. There are two systems: (1) The plants are set in rows

three or four feet apart, six inches in the row, and blanched, either

by drawing up the earth in a hill and working it in about the stalks

with the fingers (this operation is termed “handling”), or else by the

use of boards laid on edge along the rows, on either side. (2) The

other method is called the “new celery culture,” and in it the plants

are set in beds eight inches apart each way (ten or twelve inches for

large varieties), the idea being to make the tops of the plants supply

the shade for the blanching. This method has two disadvantages: it

requires extra heavy manuring and preparation of soil, and plenty of

moisture; and even with this aid the stalks never attain the size of

those grown in rows. The early crop should be ready in August. The

quality is never so good as that of the later crops.

 

For the main or winter crop, sow the seed about April 1st. The same

extra care must be taken as in sowing under glass. In hot, dry weather,

shade the beds; never let them dry out. Transplant to second bed as

soon as large enough to develop root system, before setting in the

permanent position.

 

When setting in late June or July, be sure to put the plants in up to

the hearts, not over, and set firmly. Give level clean culture until

about August 15th, when, with the hoe, wheel hoe or cultivator, earth

should be drawn up along the rows, followed by “handling.” The plants

for early use are trenched (see Chapter XIV), but that left for late

use must be banked up, which is done by making the hills higher still,

by the use of the spade. For further treatment see Chapter XIV.

 

Care must be taken not to perform any work in the celery patch while

the plants are wet.

 

Corn salad or Fetticus:—This salad plant is not largely grown.

It is planted about the middle of April and given the same treatment as

spinach.

 

Chicory:—This also is little grown. The Witloof, a kind now

being used, is however much more desirable. Sow in drills, thin to five

or six inches, and in August or September, earth up, as with early

celery, to blanch the stalks, which are used for salads, or boiled.

Cut-back roots, planted in boxes of sand placed in a moderately warm

dark place and watered, send up a growth of tender leaves, making a

fine salad.

 

Chervil:—Curled chervil is grown the same as parsley and used

for garnishing or seasoning. The root variety resembles the stump-rooted carrot, the quality being improved by frost. Sow in April or

September. Treat like parsnip.

 

Chives:—Leaves are used for imparting an onion flavor. A clump

of roots set put will last many years.

 

Cress:—Another salad little grown in the home garden. To many,

however, its spicy, pungent flavor is particularly pleasing. It is

easily grown, but should be planted frequently—about every two weeks.

Sow in drills, twelve to fourteen inches apart. Its only special

requirement is moisture. Water is not necessary, but if a bed can be

started in some clean stream or pool, it will take care of itself.

 

Upland cress or “pepper grass” grows in ordinary garden soil, being one

of the very first salads. Sow in April, in drills twelve or fourteen

inches apart. It grows so rapidly that it may be had in five or six

weeks. Sow frequently for succession, as it runs to seed very quickly.

 

Chard:—See _Spinach.

 

Dandelion:_—This is an excellent “greens,” but as the crop is not

ready until second season from planting it is not grown as much as it

should be. Sow the seed in April—very shallow. It is well to put in

with it a few lettuce or turnip seed to mark the rows. Drills should be

one foot apart, and plants thinned to eight to twelve inches.

 

The quality is infinitely superior to the wild dandelion and may be

still further improved by blanching. If one is content to take a small

crop, a cutting may be made in the fall, the same season as the sowing.

 

Endive:—This salad vegetable is best for fall use. Sow in June

or July, in drills eighteen to twenty-four inches apart, and thin to

ten to twelve inches. To be fit for use it must be blanched, either by

tying up with raffia in a loose bunch, or by placing two wide boards in

an inverted V shape over the rows; and in either case be sure the

leaves are dry when doing this.

 

Kale:—Kale is a non-heading member of the cabbage group, used

as greens, both in spring and winter. It is improved by frost, but even

then is a little tough and heavy. Its chief merit lies in the fact that

it is easily had when greens of the better sorts are hard to get, as it

may be left out and cut as needed during winter—even from under snow.

The fall crop is given the same treatment as late cabbage. Siberian

kale is sown in September and wintered-over like spinach.

 

Lettuce:—Lettuce is grown in larger quantities than all the

other salad plants put together. By the use of hotbeds it may be had

practically the year round. The first sowing for the spring under-glass

crop is made in January or February. These are handled as for the

planting outside—see Chapter VIII.—but are set in the frames six to

eight inches each way, according to variety. Ventilate freely during

the day when over 55� give 45� at night. Water only when needed, but

then thoroughly, and preferably only on mornings of bright sunny days.

 

The plants for first outdoor crops are handled as already described.

After April 1st planting should be made every two weeks. During July

and August the seed-beds must be kept shaded and moist. In August,

first sowing for fall under-glass crop is made, which can be matured in

coldframes; later sowings going into hotbeds.

 

In quality, I consider the hard-heading varieties superior to the

loose-heading sorts, but of course that is a matter of taste. The

former is best for crops maturing from the middle of June until

September, the latter for early and late sowings, as they mature more

quickly. The cos type is good for summer growing but should be tied up

to blanch well. To be at its best, lettuce should be grown very

rapidly, and the use of top-dressings of nitrate are particularly

beneficial with this crop. The ground should be light, warm, and very

rich, and cultivation shallow but frequent.

 

Mushroom:—While the mushroom is not a garden crop, strictly

speaking, still it is one of the most delicious of all vegetables for

the home table, and though space does not permit a long description of

the several details of its culture, I shall try to include all the

essential points as succinctly as possible, (1) The place for the bed

may be found in any sheltered, dry spot—cellar, shed or greenhouse—

where an even temperature of 53 to 58 degrees can be maintained and

direct sunlight excluded. (Complete darkness is not necessary;

it is frequently so considered, but only because in dark places the

temperature and moisture are apt to remain more even.) (2) The material

is fresh horse-manure, from which the roughest of the straw has been

shaken out. This is stacked in a compact pile and trampled—wetting

down if at all dry—to induce fermentation. This process must be

repeated four or five times, care being required never to let the heap

dry out and burn; time for restacking being indicated by the heap’s

steaming. At the second or third turning, add about one-fifth, in bulk,

of light loam. (3) When the heat of the pile no longer rises above 100

to 125 degrees (as indicated by a thermometer) put into the beds,

tramping or beating very firmly, until about ten inches deep. When the

temperature recedes to 90 degrees, put in the spawn. Each brick will

make a dozen or so pieces. Put these in three inches deep, and twelve

by nine inches apart, covering lightly. Then beat down the surface