Part 9

Hills should be made for the culture of these, in the same manner and at the same time as described for cucumbers, cantaloupes, etc. These hills should be at some distance from the vines above mentioned, as there is danger of the pollen mixing and spoiling the melons, etc. There are some localities where the winter squashes do not do well or are difficult of cultivation; but the small summer squashes are of easy culture in any locality, though of finer quality on a warm sunny slope than elsewhere. The only trouble in growing them is to protect them from the ravages of the Striped Squash Bug while young, for which purpose I use slug shot, dusted on the leaves early in the morning, while the dew is still on them.

The vines should be allowed plenty of room to run, at least four feet on every side. The vines soon cover the ground and prevent using the cultivator; but the large leaves so shade the soil that few weeds grow, and where they rear their heads above the vines they can be cut out with hand hoes or pulled out after a rain, by hand.

As we can hardly use the product of more than a dozen hills, I divide the long row across the garden into three parts, planting the squashes at one end, watermelons in the centre, while the other end is occupied by cucumbers, which prevents any mixing of pollen, and gives a sufficient quantity of each fruit without disturbing the symmetry of the garden. In gathering the squashes for table use, care must be taken that they are not too old, or they will be tough and stringy when cooked; the easiest way to judge them is to try them with the nail or small stick; if it does not cut the skin freely and easily they are too old; no push should be required to make the cut. This is also a good test when in doubt about the proper condition of sweet corn, and should be applied to grains near the base of the ear. No old squashes should be allowed to remain on the vines of the summer varieties, for if they are allowed to ripen, the vine, having fulfilled its natural purpose, will dry up and die, while if the fruits are picked off, it will continue to grow and produce fruit.

The winter squashes are raised in the same manner, but are more difficult to start, as the young plants are subject to a borer which eats them off under ground. Plenty of seed should be sown in each hill, and as soon as you see a plant wilting or cut off, dig around its roots with your fingers or a stick until you find and kill the borer, otherwise, he will continue his labors on the other plants in the hill. The plants should also have careful watching and dusting, to preserve them from the usual insects that prey on young vines. When the plants are about one foot in length they should be thinned out to two or three in a hill, though the danger from borers is hardly passed yet, but to allow them to stand too thickly after attaining this size would stunt them and lessen the crop. The squashes should be gathered before there is any hard frost and stored in a cool, well-aired cellar. Some of the winter varieties are equally good for summer use before they become too old and hard; if these are planted, the one planting will furnish fruit for both seasons.

SUMMER VARIETIES OF SQUASHES.

EARLY WHITE BUSH, OR PATTY-PAN.--This is the best known and most generally planted of the early squashes; when young the quality is very fine, the flesh is fine grained and of delicate flavor. It is a bush variety and the vine does not “run.”

[Illustration: EARLY WHITE BUSH SQUASH.]

[Illustration: GOLDEN SUMMER CROOKNECK SQUASH.]

GOLDEN SUMMER CROOKNECK.--A small crook-necked summer squash, the skin of which is a bright yellow color and is covered with warty excrescences. It is early, productive and of excellent flavor.

WHITE PINEAPPLE, OR WHITE TURBAN.--This variety produces a very handsome fruit, though of peculiar shape, as will be seen from the accompanying illustration. The blossom end of the squash is smooth and round, while from the stem end start ribs or ears, which attain their largest breadth and end near the middle of the squash; these ears usually grow in pairs. This variety is of excellent quality, and can be used at any stage of its growth, and the full-grown fruits can be preserved for early winter use. The skin and flesh are both of a pure creamy white tint; the flesh being very thick, while the seed cavity is quite small. The flesh is fine grained and of the best quality, possessing a rich cocoanut flavor.

[Illustration: WHITE PINEAPPLE SQUASH.]

[Illustration: ESSEX HYBRID SQUASH.]

WINTER VARIETIES OF SQUASHES.

ESSEX HYBRID.--A very productive squash of the finest quality and an excellent keeper, specimens having been kept until June, as sound and good as when gathered. It is one of the richest flavored, finest grained and sweetest of all squashes, while at the same time it is one of the largest and most productive, growing close together on the vines and averaging from eight to twelve pounds in weight. It is of early, quick growth, and can be raised very successfully as a second crop, following early potatoes, peas, etc.

[Illustration: HUBBARD SQUASH.]

HUBBARD.--This is a standard and well-known winter squash, and is of most excellent quality for winter use, but is not so well adapted to all soils and localities as the preceding varieties, nor of such easy culture.

TOMATOES.

These rank with the standard vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, etc., and yet it is not many years since they were grown in flower gardens only, the brilliant color of their fruit being then considered quite a pleasing novelty. Now, by the introduction of the canning industry, there is not a day in the year when they are absent from our table. Their culture is of the simplest, being largely a matter of soil and manure and good early plants, to be set out as soon as the weather will permit in the spring. The seed is sown in hotbeds, from the middle of March to the middle of April; if possible, they should be transplanted, when about two inches high, to another sash, where they may stand three or four inches apart. When there is not room for this, the seed should be sown thinly in drills four inches apart, and when well started, should be thinned out to two inches apart in the row. The hotbeds should be given plenty of air on warm days that the plants may be stocky and thrifty when planting-time comes. They should not be set out until the temperature is over 60° at night, or until the oak trees are well out in leaf. They should have plenty of room, at least three feet in the row and four feet between the rows, and for an ordinary family at least four rows should be planted. Two rows should be of the earliest and two with plants sown a month later, for in some varieties there is a tendency to die off after raising one crop, though constant picking as fast as they ripen, and not allowing surplus ones to remain on the vines, will greatly prolong the bearing period; so much so, that in most years I make but one planting. The earliest hotbed plants will begin to ripen fruit the last week in July or the first in August, while, if you make a hill, as for corn, about May 10th, and put in a dozen or so seed where you want the plant to stand, pulling all out but the strongest one when they get a good start, you can have this second lot in bearing about the last of August, without the use of glass or the labor of transplanting.

The young plants must be thoroughly cultivated and hoed; when hoeing, the dirt should be loosened right up to the plant, and when it has been worked loose and made fine should be drawn up to the stem, two or three inches in height. It frequently happens, when the season is late, that the plants have grown a foot, or even two feet, in height or length. This is no disadvantage, but rather a help, if treated in the following manner: A gutter two or three inches in depth and nearly the length of the plant, is scraped under the planting line with the hoe, and the plants laid lengthwise in this and covered over, all but about five or six inches of the top, which is bent straight upward and afterward treated as though it were a plant of that size; the long stem underground immediately forms roots and assists in feeding the growth of the plant.

The ground should be well manured, but if the soil is light it can be overdone, as the plant will run too much to vine and be late in producing fruit. I have found that, though there is a general impression that tomatoes do best on a light, sandy soil, the best tomatoes I have ever raised have been on my poorest and heaviest ground. On a plot of ground where the plow turned up the yellow clay at a depth of five or six inches, I have had the ground covered; covered so that you could hardly put your foot down anywhere in the patch without treading on a tomato, and not a cracked or rotten one among them. At another time I planted all the plants there were at that time of the now famous Turner Hybrid, in a patch of clay soil where young nursery trees had been grown for five years, and you can ask any nursery-man how much that leaves in the soil. Yet this patch produced tomatoes which astonished all beholders and led to its being placed at once upon the market; and right here I would say that the flavor and appearance of this variety have been so fine with me that I have obtained double price for my tomatoes since I have been growing it. In the last ten years I have had the handling of the first stock of three new tomatoes, each one of which has seemed near perfection when originated, yet each has been much superior to its predecessor. I mention this only to show how the craft of “assisting nature,” or gardening, is always progressing and gaining new interest in the mind of the gardener. There is a constant charm about it, that, once it takes possession of you, never lets go.

If the full-sized, green and partly ripe tomatoes are picked off when there is danger of frost, and placed under the sash of the cold frame, or on the floor of the cellar, they will ripen gradually, and though not of very fine quality, may be had fresh almost until Christmas; they must, of course, be entirely green when picked, to consume so much time in ripening.

If some plants of the golden or yellow varieties are planted, they will add greatly to the attractiveness of the dish when mingled with the red ones, served sliced in the ordinary manner. If you save your own seed, the earliest ripened specimens should be saved for that purpose, and should be of perfect shape and evenly ripened, with no core, crack or rot about them. The easiest way to clean this seed is, take a small box, knock the top and bottom off, and nail some wire fly screening over the bottom; take the fresh tomatoes, not rotten ones, as are frequently used, and squeeze the seeds into this sieve, throwing the pulp and flesh away; the seed can be washed free and clean by running clean water upon them, keep them constantly stirred and pick out the bits of pulp as they become free and float upon the top of the water, while the water and finer particles will pass off through the screening. When clean allow all the water to drain off and spread the seeds thinly on a smooth board or cloth in the sun; they should be stirred frequently, to prevent their adhering to each other when dry. If seeds are washed out in this manner and carefully dried, you can depend on every one growing, while from those saved in the ordinary manner, from tomatoes that have been allowed to heat and rot, sometimes not one seed in a hundred will germinate.

VARIETIES OF TOMATOES.

EXTRA EARLY ADVANCE.--This variety is said to be the earliest in cultivation; at any rate, it is certainly a very early variety, and at the same time its fruits are of large size, of handsome, bright, red color and good quality; the solid flesh is free from the hard, green core present in the old varieties.

[Illustration: EXTRA EARLY ADVANCE.

EXTRA EARLY ADVANCE TOMATO.]

[Illustration: BURPEE’S CARDINAL TOMATO.]

BURPEE’S CARDINAL.--I had the pleasure of growing this variety before it was introduced, having been presented with a small packet of seed by the originator, who requested me to make a trial of its merits, and though it was an unfavorable season, and, as I wished to keep it separate, I could not plant it in my best tomato ground, its fine qualities exceeded all that he claimed for it. It is of beautiful appearance, every fruit being a brilliant cardinal red, uniform in shape, and without blemish or cracks. The flesh is of the same bright color, is firm and free from any rot or core, and is of superior flavor. The vine is very heavy bearing, and one of the best for all purposes that I know.

BURPEE’S CLIMAX.--This variety resembles somewhat the preceding kind, excepting that the fruits are a light crimson in color and do not average so large as does the Cardinal. The fruit matures early, ripens evenly, without core or cracks. The flesh is fine-flavored, solid, and produces but few seeds; it is a good kind for all purposes.

[Illustration: ESSEX EARLY HYBRID TOMATO.]

ESSEX EARLY HYBRID.--Very early, solid, rich flavored and handsome. It is of large size and grows perfectly smooth; the color is a bright pink, ripening evenly all over. It is very early, a great bearer, and, being solid, is a most excellent variety for shipping purposes.

GOLDEN QUEEN.--This is the best yellow tomato that I have ever grown. The fruit is of good size, handsome color, smooth, round shape, and superior quality. They should be in every garden, for the sake of the pleasing contrast they make when served with the red varieties.

[Illustration: GOLDEN QUEEN TOMATO.]

TURNER HYBRID.--This variety I consider _the_ tomato above all others, not only for its large size, handsome appearance and heavy cropping, but most of all for _its superior quality_, which far surpasses that of any other tomato that I have over eaten; and if there is one crop more than another that I pride myself upon, it is my tomatoes. Mr. Burpee, of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., gave me, in 1884, the small paper of seed sent them by a customer, and I planted it, as stated in the general chapter on tomatoes, and was so much pleased with it that since that time I have planted it altogether for my own use, with the single exception of a few plants of the Golden Queen. It is a rank, strong grower, with peculiar foliage, the vines strongly resembling potato tops. The fruit is very large and remarkably early for the size of the tomatoes; the average weight of the fruit is from twelve to eighteen ounces, so it will readily be seen that the size is very large, while, as above stated, I do not think it is possible to recommend the quality too highly.[15]

[Illustration: TURNER HYBRID TOMATO.]

TURNIPS.

With our hot, dry summers, turnips can only be raised satisfactorily as a fall crop. They can be grown as a second crop, after early sweet corn, potatoes or peas, and should be sown as soon as possible after the first of August. The ground should be plowed or run over two or three times with the cultivator, and then harrowed till it is as fine as it is possible to make it. If the seed is sown broadcast, some winter radish seed should be mixed and sown with it. The ground should be rolled after sowing, not only to compact the soil round the seeds, which is essential to good germination, but also to prevent washing by the September rains, if the ground is at all sloping. But where the finest turnips and a sure crop are desired, it is much better to sow our garden turnips in drills, one foot apart if you have a wheel hoe, or as narrow as you can cultivate, if you have not. This will tend to having the roots of even size, and the finest appearance, as they can be frequently worked. When about three inches high, or when beginning to form bulbs, they should be thinned out to four or five inches apart in the rows, with the narrow hoe, leaving each bulb to stand by itself. It will be found that by this method, with careful culture, a larger as well as a much finer crop can be raised on the same ground than if they were sown broadcast, and that not half as much seed need be used, as it is carefully planted just where it is to grow.

[Illustration:

Illustration showing manner of storing turnips, beets, carrots, etc., in the garden for winter use. S, straw covering and ventilating chimney; D, covering of soil over the straw.]

About the third week in November, or before there is danger of the ground becoming hard, the turnips should be pulled and the tops cut off; take enough in the cellar for immediate use, and store the rest in heaps. Select a well-drained piece of ground, as directed for burying cabbages; it will be most convenient to have them near together; spread about two inches of straw on the ground, and heap the turnips upon it in the shape of a cone, not more than ten or fifteen bushels in a heap; cover this with straw, an inch or two thick, and bind it together at the top, and let it stick up a foot or so above the top of the cone; then cover the heap with four to six inches of soil, all but the straw top to the cone, which acts as a chimney or ventilator; the roots can thus be kept in good order throughout the winter. The surplus beets and carrots can be put in with the turnips, and the whole can be gotten at, any day when the temperature is above freezing, by making a hole in one side of the heap, taking out what you want, and carefully closing the opening again. The straw bottom and sides are not absolutely necessary, but are a great improvement and convenience, and will preserve the roots in a much cleaner and finer condition; the straw not only helping to keep out the frost, but at the same time providing ventilation for the heap.

VARIETIES OF TURNIPS.

EARLY RED, OR PURPLE TOP STRAP-LEAVED.--The best known and most generally planted variety. It is a quick grower, and the flesh is very fine grained and flavored. The red top of the bulb, which extends down to where it rests in the soil, adds very much to the appearance of this popular variety.

[Illustration: PURPLE TOP STRAP-LEAVED.]

[Illustration: EARLY WHITE FLAT DUTCH TURNIP.]

EARLY WHITE FLAT DUTCH.--This is a quick growing and very early variety. The skin and flesh are a clear white, and the flesh is solid; very sweet and juicy, and of mild flavor.

EXTRA EARLY PURPLE TOP MILAN.--This kind is said to be the earliest of all turnips, maturing two weeks earlier than the Early Red. The bulb is very flat, of medium size, quite smooth, with a bright purple top; leaves grow very short, making a small, neat top. The pure white flesh is solid, fine grained, and of superior quality, even in the largest specimens. It is an excellent keeper, retaining its good quality throughout the winter.

WHITE EGG.--As its name implies, this is a pure white turnip, of egg-shaped growth. It grows very quickly; has a thin white skin, and very solid, fine-grained white flesh. It is very sweet and juicy, of mild flavor and grows to a good size. It is a good variety for either early or late planting.

[Illustration: WHITE EGG TURNIP.]

WATERMELONS.

These are also supposed to require special location and soil, but can easily be raised in any garden where the climate is warm enough for cantaloupes, tomatoes, etc. What they most need is plenty of encouragement, in the shape of thorough cultivation and liberal feeding with well-rotted manure. The hills are prepared in the same manner as for cantaloupes, excepting that where the manure or compost can be obtained, a good-sized hole should be dug, and well-rotted manure or compost put in as liberally as the supply will admit of, even half a barrel to the hill. If this kind of hills can be made, you can plant with seed of some of the large growing varieties, and be sure of success, unless your season is very short. If the season is too short, or if you have not the manure for large hills, I would recommend some of the smaller fruiting varieties, as they are fully as fine in quality, ripen early, and set more melons than the larger kinds. From ten to a dozen seeds should be sown in each hill about the last of May, or when the temperature does not go below 60° at night. When they have got a good start, thin out to two or three plants in a hill.

[Illustration: HUNGARIAN HONEY MELON]

If your melons are of the tough-rind variety, as for instance the “Ironclad,” you can pick them off at the approach of frost, and by storing them in a cool, frost-proof cellar, have them in good condition till Christmas. Though my own opinion is that they lose their attractiveness when the hot weather is gone, still, it is always one of the main aims, in gardening, to have things out of season as well as at their regular period of ripening.

VARIETIES OF WATERMELONS.

HUNGARIAN HONEY.--This melon is one of the best for the small garden. Though not large, averaging eight to ten inches in diameter, it is perfectly round, so that there is a great deal of eating in one of them, while the quality is not equaled in any other variety. The melons ripen early, and the vines are vigorous in growth and very productive. As its name, “Honey Melon,” implies, it is sweet and luscious, and of a rich honey flavor, melting completely and leaving no stringy fibre in the mouth. The dark green skin, and intense brilliant red of the flesh, make a very striking appearance when cut.