Complete Text (Part 6)

where the plants are to stand (four to six seeds to a hill) or thinly in the seed-bed, drills one foot apart. Thin hills to one in a hill. Thin seed-bed to about two inches apart. Transplant when the plants are from four to six inches high. Water in dry weather, and protect against the sun for a day or two. Culture consists chiefly in conserving soil-moisture. Fertilizer. — A little nitrate of soda at or soon after transplanting, repeated once, a week later. Tie the inner leaves over the head as soon as it is formed. Cut when the head is about four inches in diameter. Broccoli is best when small. Wintering in mild climates is done either by allow- ing the plants to stand where they are, or by heeling them in with their heads turned toward the north, BRUSSELS SPROUTS 51 away from the sun. This can be done without entirely uprooting them, by digging the earth away from the roots (taking care not to injure them) on the northerly side, bending them in that direction, and then covering the whole of the stems with earth. The plants will head in the spring. When grown for this purpose, sowings should not be made before June. Storage of Broccoli is possible, by taking up the plants with as much soil as possible and setting them in a cellar or shed, or in a vacant frame, rather close but not crowding. This keeps them fresher than by hanging them head downward, which is also practiced. Diseases and pests. — See Cauliflower. BRUSSELS SPROUTS (Brasska okracea, var. gem- mifera) are perhaps the most delicate, as they are among the hardiest, of the cabbage family. The plant sends up a leafy stalk, upon which, toward the end of the summer, the sprouts appear in the axils of the leaves. To allow them to develop, the leaves should then be broken off. The sprouts are improved by frost, so that the main crop is grown to mature in late September and October. In mild climates the plants may stand in the field all winter. Varieties are tall, half-dwarf, and dwarf. The dwarf plant bears loose sprouts, closely crowded along the stalk ; these are often entered by the aphis, which it is then impossible to dislodge. The taller plant, especially the tall or standard, bears com- <:>'> THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES pact sprouts, which the aphis cannot enter, and which are therefore better for the table. As with others of the cabbage family, only the very best seed should be used, but even then several types of plants are likely to appear from the same package. Besides cabbage pests, the apbis is almost the only insect that attacks the BRUSSELS SPROUTS 53 plant, and this is troublesome only with the dwarf sprouts. Soil should be a vich loam; in a sandy soil, dig in compost around each plant, or mulch to conserve the moisture. Distances are according to variety, from two feet by one to three feet by two. Depths as below. Sowing under glass is not necessary except in a late spring, when sow in April and prick out once. Sow outdoors. — For first crop, to mature in Septem- ber, sow as soon as the ground is fit, very thinly in a seed-bed, about one-half inch deep. For late crop, sow deeper, about one inch, early in June. Seed-bed rows about one foot apart. Thin when well up to two inches or more apart. Transplant early crop in June, late crop about August 1. Culture. — Keep the patch clean and the surface well broken. When the sprouts begin to show, break off the neighboring leaves. Fertilize with liquid manure or nitrate of soda at transplanting, and weekly for three or four weeks. Pick when the sprouts are of sufficient size. They should be cut rather than picked, leaving as much as possible of the heel, for the formation of another sprout. Or top the plant, and in about ten days pull it and cut the sprouts, 54 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES Storage. — In severe climates the plants may be taken up with as much soil as possible, when hard freezing is due, and set closely, but without crowding, in a pit, frame, or cellar. Keep the roots moist. South of New York City the plants may usually stand out-of-doors. Diseases and pests. — See under Cabbage. The root maggot is the worst. For aphis, use kerosene emulsion, tobacco- water, pyrethrum, before the sprouts set. After- wards^ hot water. BUCK'S-HORN PLANTAIN (Plantago Coronopus), an annual salad-plant, grown for its young leaves. Little known in America. Soil should be moist. Sow thinly in rows a foot apart, one-half inch deep, in May. Thin to four inches. Culture. — Give good culture, and water in a drought. Pick the young leaves as needed, for mixing in salads. BURDOCK, EDIBLE, or GOBO (Lappa edulis). A Japanese development of the common Burdock, grown for its roots. Vilmorin-Andrieux commend it cautiously, and urge an attempt to develop the Burdock as the beet and carrot have been. Soil deep, well tilled, and not freshly manured. Distances. — Rows eighteen inches to two feet apart ; thin to nine inches in the rows. BURNET— CABBAGE 55 Depth an inch or less. Sow in spring, and again every month until the first of August for succession. Dig the roots when young, at about two and one- half to three months. If left longer, the roots become stringy. Cook like salsify. BURNET (Poterium sanguisorba) is a handsome perennial condimental herb, grown for its young leaves, used in salads, and tasting of cucumbers. Sow in any good garden soil, sandy preferred, rows a foot apart, depth one -half inch, and thin to six inches. Cut the leaves as required, when the plants are established. From roots. — The roots can be divided and set out, in spring or autumn. Protect lightly in severe climates. CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea\ one of the most widely grown American vegetables, is grown for its more or less dense and various-shaped heads. Very hardy to frost, it suffers in extreme heat, and should be so planted as to head either before or after midsummer. Cabbage requires a uniform supply of moisture; the heads of plants which stop growth and then start again will oiten crack. At the same time Cabbage soils should be well drained, as standing moisture injures the plants. 56 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES The times of sowing and of setting out vary with local conditions; usually two crops are raised in the North, one started under glass, one sowed in the open; but a succession may be maintained all summer by several sowings and by choice of varieties. Seedlings raised under glass, and well hardened oft', will stand several degrees of frost. In the North, cabbage was formerly often fall-sown and wintered over in frames, but this expensive and uncertain method has been superseded by raising under glass in spring. Varieties are many and constantly increasing; they differ in size, shape, season, color, and leaf-texture. The long-season plants are the best keepers. Only the very best seeds should be bought. Diseases and pests, not very numerous, are often troublesome. CABBAGE For other plants of the Cabbage family, see under their names. Soil should be deep, rich, moist, well drained, and in good tilth. Cabbage does well on new land. Commer- cial growers apply manure in great quantities, often one hundred tons to the acre. Chemical fertilizers, used alone, are best in the 5; 5 formula of 7 per cent nitro- ^ § gen, 8 per cent phosphoric acid, 6 per cent potash. With manure, use potash and phosphoric acid as un- der Asparagus, Preparing the Permanent Bed. Distances are according to variety, two feet or more each way. Depth one-half to one inch. Sow under glass thirty to forty days before the ground is fit, usually early in March ; prick out to 58 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES four to six inches, at the second or fourth leaf. Keep stocky, and harden off. Sow outdoors, usually about the middle of April, when heavy frosts are over, according to variety and re- quired time of maturity (varieties mature in from one hundred to almost two hundred days). Sow in seed-bed for a quicker start and better care, in lighter soil ; rows one foot apart, seed very thinly in the rows. Or sow in hills where the plants are to stand, two feet or more apart each way, four to six seeds to the hill. Thin to two inches or more in the rows. In hills, thin to one plant. Sow for succession early cabbages late, about the middle of June, or even later. Transplant when the permanent patch is ready; the plants should be three to five inches high. Plants raised under glass and properly hardened will stand light frosts, and can be set out before May 1. Set deeper than before to avoid loosening of the roots by wind. Culture consists chiefly in keeping the plants grow- ing by maintaining soil- moisture. A mulch of fresh manure around the plants will do this, and will also supply fertilizer. The plot should be in the best of tilth. Manure and fertilize as above. If cutworms are expected, bait with clover sprayed when standing with Paris green, cut, and spread in little piles ; or with bran-mash made with sweetened water and poisoned with arsenites. i Subsequent fertilizer. — Experiments go to show that the weight of the crop may be multiplied considerably by nitrate of soda, four hundred pounds per acre, applied in three equal dressings, the first at transplant- ing, the others at intervals of a month or less. Fi«. SO. Cabbage, the Jersey Wakefield tj Pick when of full size, when the heads are hard and before they show signs of cracking. (Cracking or split- ting may occur early if the heads stop growing from lack of moisture, and start again.) In the home garden, if the plants are coming on all together, the maturity of some may be delayed by lean- ing them toward the north, partly starting them from the ground. When the first heads are cut, leave the stalk with some of the large leaves ; the plants will then often put out young heads or sprouts, several to a plant, which may be cut and eaten. Storage. — Cabbages may be picked with all their leaves, and stored in sheds or cellars ; or, pulled with J 60 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES their roots and earth, they may be set in pits (head down, on their sides, or upright) and covered as freez- ing weather comes on. Or set them in trenches, well drained, having pulled them and drained all water from the heads. Set close together, roots down and covered with earth. To shed rain, cover with litter, straw or cornstalks, or with a roof of boards, and with earth as the hard frost comes. It is an art to keep them well. Dhease.i. — Against dub- root (club-foot, finger and toe), keep the plants growing well, keep down weeds t dm % and preserve moisture, dress with lime (air-slaked, seventy-five bushels per acre), destroy diseased plants, and practice rotation. Both in the case of club-root and black rot (or stem rot), manure is suspected as be- ing a cause of the disease. Against black rot late CABBAGE 61 planting, rotation, burning of affected leaves, and the extermination of insects, are suggested. In storing cabbage, make sure that all diseased leaves are picked. Pests. — Against cabbage pests generally, keep down all cruciferous weeds, and burn all the rubbish of the pateh. Against cabbage-worms, the best general remedy is . Note the crinkled leaves. the poisoned resin-lime mixture. ("Pulverized resin 5 pounds, concentrated lye 1 pound, fish-oil or any cheap animal-oil except tallow, 1 pint, water 5 gallons. Place oil, resin, and a gallon of water in an iron kettle, and heat until the resin is softened ; add lye solution made as for hard soap; stir thoroughly; add remainder of water and boil about two hours, or until the mixture will unite with cold water, making a clear, amber-colored liquid. If it has boiled away too much, add enough THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES c Butterfly. When boiling water to make five gallons." New York Bulletin No. 144.) To a gallon of this, in 16 gallons of water, add three gallons of milk of lime, or whitewash, and a v quarter pound of Paris green. Spray by hand, ' reaching all parts of the plants and using a strongly made sprayer. Other reme- dies for the worms are hand-picking, tobacco these ate seen among the plant, ex- , . ., , „ pect the appearance of cabbage dust, pyrethrum, helle- worm * 1 bore, one ounce arsen- ical poison in six pounds flour or in ten of air-slaked lime, or some other insect powder applied liberally and often, especially while the plants are young, to destroy the early broods. Spray with water at 160°, kerosene emulsion diluted eight times, arsenites in water. For cabbage -looper, the same remedies. For the harlequin bug, use blow-torch ; place pieces of wood or large leaves about the plants and kill the bugs that collect under them ; plant mustard between the Cabbages and spray with pure kerosene. Keep the patch clean, in the fall burn all rubbish, and in the spring make every effort to destroy the first brood. Pick by hand. Against the troublesome root- maggot, place paper CABBAGE 63 shields closely about the stems of the plants immediately after setting, and apply muriate of potash or kainit, and nitrate of soda, around but not touching the plants. Or place a tablespoonful of tobacco dust around each plant. Otherwise inject carbon dioxide (one teaspoonful per plant, increase to tablespoonful if the pests are numer- ous) into the ground beneath the roots, and firm the ground around the plants. Watch for the white eggs laid on the ground near the plants, and pour kerosene emulsion (diluted thirty times) or carbolic acid emulsion (diluted twelve times) or crude carbolic acid (diluted fifty to one-hundred times) around the plants, one-half pint to a plant. Burn plants killed by root-maggot. If a cutworm has killed a plant, dig for it near by. Protect the rest with baits (see under The Plot) at the base of each plant, and dress around them with kainit, muriate of potash, or nitrate of soda. Paper collars. Against aphis, use contact poisons, such as kerosene emulsion, tobacco water, pyrethrum, or hot water, applied carefully. Bum refuse leaves and stalks after the heads are taken. Against thrips, kerosene emulsion, diluted ten times, or whale-oil soap, 1 pound in 4 gallons water. Give the plants nitrate of soda to stimulate growth. (Smith.) Against flea-beetle, tobacco dust, air-slaked lime, a tablespoonful of Paris Green and a pint of fresh-slaked lime in two gallons of water, four ounces Paris Green to fifty gallons of Bordeaux. 64 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES Dig for white grubs near any weakened plant. "Cabbage snakes 11 are harmless, either to the plants or to the human body if accidentally eaten. CABBAGE, CHINESE. See Pe-tsai. CABBAGE, TURNIP-ROOTED. See Kohlrabi. Also Rutabaga. CAMOMILE (Chamomile, or Camomilla; Anthemis nobilis). A perennial plant, grown in two varieties, — single- (Scotch) and double-flowered (garden or Roman) both hardy. Camomile is grown for its flowers, used in medicine as a tonic, a febrifuge, an emetic, a mouth- wash, and an anodyne. The Scotch Camomile is sup- posed to have the greater medicinal value, but the Roman produces more blossoms. Soil should preferably be sandy, sunny, and well drained. Distances. — Rows one foot apart ; plants nine inches in the row. Depth. — About one inch. Sow when the ground is warm. Thin when the plants are four to six inches high. Set roots at the above distances ; water till established. Gather the flowers when well open. Dry in the snade, and store. CARAWAY— CARDOON 65 Succession. The plants will grow larger from year to year, and will also seed themselves. Protect with a light mulch in cold climates. CAMOMILE, WILD. See Feverfew. CANTALOUP (Cantaloupe, cantaleup, canteloup, canteloupe). See Muskmelon. CAPSICUM. See Pepper. CARAWAY (Carum Carui). A biennial, or some- times annual plant, grown chiefly for its seeds ; used in cooking. The root is sometimes eaten, and some- times the leaves and stems. No varieties. Sow when frosts are past in any good soil, thickly in drills a foot apart and one inch deep. Thin to nine inches when well up. Protect in the North. The plant will bear seed the second summer. Gather when ripe. Or sow seed as soon as ripe, protect over winter, and gather early the next summer. CARDOON (Cynara carduncidus). A perennial plant, allied to the globe-artichoke and thistle, but tender to frost and usually grown as an annual. Its edible parts are the midribs of its tall leaves, which are tied together and blanched; the roots also are occasion- ally eaten. For best results, growth should never be 66 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES checked. Some little skill in blanching is required, and when properly blanched the plant should be cut at once, as it soon rots. An early sowing of Cardoon may be made in pots under glass, but the general practice is to make but a single sowing out of doors. Cardoon is not offered by all American seedsmen ; varieties are prickly and spineless. No diseases or pests are reported. Soil should be moist, rich, and deep. A good celery soil will suit Cardoon. Work compost or well-rotted ma- nure into the hill if possible, especially on sandy soil. Distances. — Rows four feet apart, or hills three by three feet. Depth. — One-half to one inch. Sow under glass in April, in four-inch pots, five to six seeds to the