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i!Tllii[[ MONTIS PflR 25 CENTS 
 
 ON TRIAL. 
 
 '"lie life Patron! 
 
 FOU S MOOTHS. ' 
 
 ] Every Patron, and every fair minJpd 
 
 farmer who would know what the Grange 
 
 really is, should read the 
 
 II flBST-CUSS PMmIFd PJiL! WM 
 
 Pronounced by corapptent authority to be the 
 
 ablest exponent of Granite Principles 
 
 in the Country. 
 
 PRICE ONLY $1.00 A YEAR.; 
 
 ') See fuller description on Pages 100 and 110, and ,i 
 3rd pai^e of cover. 
 
 Published by T. H. EDWARDS & CO., 
 
Gardener's Pocket Manual 
 
 A SHORT, PRACTICAL 
 
 TREATISE ON GARDENING. 
 
 WALDO F. BROWN 
 OXFORD, OHIO. 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, OHIO : 
 
 T. H. Edwards & Co., Publishers. 
 
1 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 
 
 1878, bv T. H. Edwards & Co., m the 
 
 Office of the Librarian ofCon- 
 
 o-ress, at Washington, 
 
 5^ 
 
 ^'b 
 
INTRODl CTION. 
 
 I)oubtl(?ss there should be a reason for 
 tlie writini^ of any l)ook, whether great or 
 small. My reasons for writing this little 
 work have been: First, that I felt that 
 there was need for a cheap practical book 
 on gardening, and second, that the ex- 
 perience of twenty-five years as a gar- 
 dener, and a sincere lo\ e foi' the calling, 
 had enabled me to gain some valuable 
 facts that would be of profit to the general 
 reader. 
 
 I am aware that there has existed a 
 strong prejudice against books on farm- 
 ing and gardening, but I believe that it is 
 rapidly disappearing ; partly because of 
 growing intelligence among farmers, and 
 partly because more of the writers of 
 modern books on these subjects have been 
 practical men. From boyhood until forty 
 years old I cultivated, in connection with 
 a small farm, a market garden, and in that 
 
6 GAHDK nek's POCKKT MANUAL. 
 
 prove his method of farming as he sees 
 \vhat can be done on a small amount of 
 land by heavy manuring and good cul- 
 ture. The farmer having a large amount 
 of land from which to select his garden 
 spot, and a supply of manure with which 
 to enrich it, ought to and may have the 
 best of garden vegetables ; and from the 
 latter part of May, when he begins on his 
 early peas, lettuce, spinach and radishes, 
 until the beginning of the next year, at 
 least, the garden will contribute some- 
 thing every day to his table, and from 
 years of experience at the head of a family, 
 I estimate that at least what would cost 
 $ioo in market, can be grown on one- 
 fourth of an acre. 
 
 To show what a small garden may be 
 made to contribute to the wants of a family, 
 I append a letter written by my brother. 
 I visited him in Indianapolis in the sum- 
 mer of 1876, and was so much pleased 
 with his garden that I asked him to write 
 an account of it for publication: 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind., Deceniher, 1876. 
 
 My garden was but a small affair, of a little 
 more than four rods square of ground. I got a 
 prettv good spread of manure on it from a neigh- 
 boring pig sty. but on spading it up found that I 
 liad a heavv,"badly tramped and rather wet piece 
 of ground. ' I accordingly threw it up in four beds 
 with open drains between, giving it as I went 
 along a thorough pulverizing. Excepting onions, 
 
GAUnKNKK > I'(KKl-:r MAMAI.. ^ 
 
 I planted about all the \ ej^etables in an ordinary 
 kitchen i^ardcn. I ijavc tifood culture, and no 
 quarter to the weeds, for I liad no room for them. 
 I found that I could hoe the ground all over by 
 devoting my spare hours from the factorv for two 
 davs. I planted some sixty hills of Early Rose 
 potatoes, and we got fully forty mos^e^froin them. 
 Lettuce, radishes, ])eets, peas, beans, tiniatoes and 
 cucumbers in abundance; also a dozen good heads 
 of cabbage. One hill of Hubbard stjuash that 
 bore nine fme squashes. Not having room for the 
 vines on the ground, I trained them like grape- 
 vines on the fence, pinched off the laterals thor- 
 oughly, and how like Jonah's gourd they grew, 
 and were the wonder of the whole neighborhood. 
 As soon as the squashes attained a little size, T 
 gave the vine near the stem a strong loop of cloth 
 as an extra support, and they did fir>>t-rate. I had 
 but little trouble with the bugs, for the vines were 
 as high as mv head, and I could see on the under 
 side of the leaves so easily that I killed all the old 
 ones atid had no young ones to contend with. I 
 shall tiy this mode of running vines high and dry 
 again. Tomatoes I treated the same way, and 
 never had them ripen so well or decay so little, 
 and how easily they were gathered from vines 
 securely fastened to the fence as high as your 
 head. 
 
 Wife says we got more real good from our forty - 
 four hills of Lima beans than any other vegetable 
 in the garden, and I guess she is right, for we had 
 all we could use green, and have a gallon or over 
 of dry ones. T must not forget our three rows of 
 sugar corn that gave us, as roasting ears, so many 
 excellent dinners. My gardening was a success 
 every way. It paid in every sense of the word. I 
 got a great deal of pleasure out of it, a great deal 
 of good eating out of it, and saved quite a little 
 sum of money by it. Brother mechanic, try it if 
 vour patch of ground is no larger than a bed-quilt, 
 for it will pay. E. W . B. 
 
GARDENERS POCKET iMANUAL. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF GAR- 
 DEN SPOT. 
 
 Conceding that a garden is as valuable 
 to a family as the preceding chapter as- 
 serts, it will pay to select the best spot on 
 the farm for it, or if necessary, spend 
 quite a sum of money in the preparation 
 of a garden spot. 
 
 The best soil for the garden is a sandy 
 loam on a dry foundation. On many of 
 our upland farms the'e are streaks of 
 what we call "black ground." These 
 black, loamy soils are warm, and give 
 vegetables an early start, and it will pay 
 to locate the garden on such soil, even if 
 it must be at some little distance from the 
 house. 
 
 Where a soil of this character is select- 
 ed. Fall plowing will be found of great 
 benefit, as it will enable you to plant 
 hardy vegetables a week or ten days 
 earlier than you otherwise could. 
 
 If you have not black loam, you must 
 take such land as have and go to work to 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 9 
 
 make it as nearly as possible what you 
 wish it to be. It will be found a profitable 
 investment to expend fifty or even one 
 hundred dollars on a quarter-acre to put 
 it in good condition, rather than to culti- 
 vate land in the condition that a majority 
 of our gardens are in. 
 
 Our market gardeners near the great 
 cities find it necessary to expend nearly or 
 quite $300 per acre each year on their 
 land, in order to cultivate it profitably. 
 
 To have a profitable garden you must 
 be as nearly as possible independent of 
 the weather, so as to grow good crops 
 whether it be wet or dry, and if your land 
 is thoroughly underdrained, deeply work- 
 ed, and well enriched, you will find your 
 crops flourishing, when on soil without 
 such preparation they would be a failure. 
 
 If, in addition to the above, vou protect 
 it on the west and north by a tight board 
 fence or evergreen hedge, you have all 
 the conditions necessary to success. If 
 the garden is a heavy clay, coat it well 
 with sand; if too sandy, haul on swamp 
 muck, or clay, and so bring it to the condi- 
 tion desired. It will take some labor and 
 expense to do all this, but when once 
 done it is permanent, and no one will ever 
 ren^ret the cost. 
 
lO GARDENER S POCKET MAMUAL. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MANURING. 
 
 There is an idea prevalent among far- 
 mers that there is clanger of getting the 
 garden too rich. Such is not my experi- 
 ence, nor that of any market gardener. 
 My garden is located on a slope of black 
 land, such as I have described, and has 
 received a heavy coating of manure each 
 year for the last fourteen years. I also 
 learn from books and papers, and from 
 personal observation among market gar- 
 deners, that they use large quanties of 
 manure every year. 
 
 It will be particularly necessary for a 
 new garden to be heavily manured, and I 
 would recommend that it be done in the 
 Fall or early Winter, applying it after the 
 land is plowed, if level, or before if the 
 garden is to be ridged. Use the best sta- 
 ble manure you can get, and if there is 
 any danger of foul seeds pile it up and let 
 it heat, so as to destroy them. 
 
 It is well, also, to prepare some special 
 manure for using in the hill or drill, as it 
 
GARDENERS POCKET MANUAL. II 
 
 will give the plants a good start. On 
 nearly every farm valuable fertilizers are 
 worse than wasted, which if saved and 
 applied to the garden, would give a won- 
 derful growth to the vegetables. 
 
 Perhaps I cannot do better than to de- 
 scribe my fertilizer factory. In the rear 
 of my privy 1 laid some boards flat on the 
 ground, and put aboard roof over them. 
 On this floor I put a load of dry mellow 
 earth and sods, and on this we empty all 
 the chamber slops. Under the privy we 
 placed a box two feet wide and four 
 inches deep. Every few weeks we empty 
 the contents of the box in our "fertilizer 
 factory,'' thoroughly mixing it with the 
 earth and using a little land plaster with 
 it. Our hen manure is saved until Spring, 
 when we also mix it in and shovel over 
 the pile until it is thoroughly mixed and 
 "fined." It this manure is properly man- 
 aged, I believe it to be worth as much as 
 Guano, and it will cost nothing but a little 
 time. 
 
 It can be handled as readily as meal, 
 and if it is well worked and dry, there 
 will be but little oflensivf^ odor about it. 
 
 Whatever kind of manure is used, it 
 should be thoroughly composted so as to 
 make it fine and immediately available as 
 
12 GARDENERS POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 plant food, and also to destroy the germ of 
 any seed that may be in it. 
 
 It is also a good plan to have a supply 
 of liquid manure to use for vines after 
 they are beginning to grow. 
 
 To prepare this, set up a barrel like an 
 ash leach, fill it w^ith the best manure you 
 can get, if part of it is night soil or hen 
 manure all the better; then pour over it 
 the suds from the washing and save the 
 liquid that leaches through. 
 
 In applying this manure, make holes 
 with a sharp stick a short distance from 
 the roots and pour it in them, and after it 
 has settled fill the holes and loosen the 
 soil with a hoe. If it should be applied . 
 to the surface in dry weather, it would 
 cause the ground to bake. It may be ap- 
 plied directly to the surface just before a 
 rain, but should be diluted if very strong. 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUA; 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 SEEDS AND PLAN'IING. 
 
 Having selected your garden spot and 
 sufficiently enriched and pulverized it, the 
 I next thing in order is to plant. x\s I pro- 
 ' pose in the chapters in which I describe 
 I the different vegetables to tell w^ hen to 
 I plant, and what distance apart, I will not 
 I speak of that here, but will only give some 
 (hints as to seeds and laving out the gar- 
 (den. 
 
 i The first requisite is good seed, and a 
 " failure in this respect is most discouraging. 
 |The gardener should make it a rule to 
 jsave his own seed as far as possible, but 
 Ijthis should never be done, as is too often 
 [jthe case, from the poorest. 
 
 Generally, in the family garden, the 
 beans, peas, corn, etc., are picked as long 
 as they are in an eatable condition, and 
 the seed gathered from what is left. Such 
 a course is sure to result in degeneration. 
 |lf, on the contrary, a section or row from 
 he very best be set apart for seed, or the 
 
14 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 earliest and best shaped tomato or melon 
 be saved, no seed can be purchased that 
 is better, and but little that is as good. 
 
 If seeds are obtained from the grocery, 
 thev should be those put up by our best 
 seedsmen, who have a reputation to sus- 
 tain, as not rarely old and worthless seeds 
 are palmed oft' upon the merchant who 
 sells on commission. 
 
 The safest plan is to send your order 
 to some reliable seedsman to be filled, by 
 mail, and you will generally get what you 
 order. 
 
 There is an impression among many 
 that seedsmen, as a class, are dishonest, 
 and this impiession has been caused by 
 the failure of seeds sold on commission, 
 which seeds have often been bought as 
 refuse by some dishonest party who never 
 grew a seed in his life. 
 
 I have visited many of die largest seed 
 growers in ihe United States in Illinois, 
 Michigan, New York and Massachusetts, 
 and I have never seen so much system 
 and care in any other business as is exer- 
 cised in the growing and handling of gar- 
 den and flower seeds. 
 
 My advice is to send early to some re- 
 liable seedsman for such seeds as you may 
 need, and so long as the man you are 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MAXl'AL. I5 
 
 dealing with furnishes you with seeds 
 that suit you, give him your patronage. 
 
 The old-fashioned way of laying oft' the 
 garden in narrow beds with broad walks 
 is a wasteful one. I adopted tiie rule, 
 twenty years ago, of putting everything 
 in straight rows, running the whole 
 length of the garden. This saves space, 
 and at the same time enables us to use a 
 horse in all rows over twenty inches wide, 
 and a hand cultivator in narrower rows. 
 If the family is small, and an entire row is 
 not needed of some varieties, two or three 
 can be planted in a single row ; as, for in- 
 stance, a row ten rods long could be 
 planted in lettuce, spinach, and early 
 beets . 
 
 One thing more in connection with 
 planting, and that is, that with man}- 
 kinds of vegetables it should be frequent, 
 so as to furnish a succession that is fresh 
 ajid tender, and so soon as a vegetable has 
 outlived its usefulness, it should give 
 place to another. 
 
 The garden that is manured liberallv 
 should be croped constantly, and much of 
 it should be made to grow two or three 
 crops a year. 
 
i6 gardener's pocket manuai.. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 CULTIVATION 7\ND MANAGEMENT 
 
 •Si 
 
 The cultivation of a garden should be 
 most thorough, and with the garden spot 
 well drained and manured, so that it will 
 not set.le down and become hard and 
 compact, I find it of great advantage t© 
 plow late in the Fall. My practice is to 
 spread the manure, and then plow as 
 deeply as possible, in lands from eight to 
 ten furrows wide. We then clean out the 
 dead furrows, and pile the soil on the 
 center of the land. This leaves the gar- 
 den in such shape that the surplus water 
 runs off freely and the frost also penetrates 
 deeply, rendering the soil mellow and 
 easily worked. 
 
 A garden managed in this way can be 
 worked much earlier in the Spring than 
 one unplowed or plowed flat, and with 
 early vegetables, such as peas, spinach, 
 lettuce, radishes, etc., two weeks time can 
 often be saved, and as we need and enjoy 
 early vegetables the most, this is a matter 
 
GARDENERS POCKET MAMAJ.. 1/ 
 
 of great importance. Cultivation should 
 begin as soon as the plants can be seen in 
 the row. The best time to kill a weed is 
 before it comes through the soil and if 
 the surface is stirred as soon as it can be 
 woi-ked after each rain, myriads of weeds 
 will be destroyed, and, in addition, the 
 mellow surface will retain the moisture. 
 A garden that is deeply plowed and un- 
 derdrained will, if the surface is kept 
 mellow, endure an amount of drouth that 
 would utterly destroy the crops if neglect- 
 ed. Not a weed should be allowed to go 
 to seed, and if this is followed up persist- 
 ently, the labor of caring for the garden 
 will be much lightened in a few years. 
 
 When I began in my garden, fourteen 
 years ago, the weeds would come up with 
 the early vegetables, so that I could 
 scarcely find the rows; but for twelve 
 years not a weed was allowed to go to 
 seed, and although we had weeds, still 
 our plants were never choked with them. 
 
 In 1876, I put a part of the garden in 
 onions for seed, and the year provino- a 
 wet one, they grew so rank that we 
 could not weed them without injuring 
 the crop, and the weeds matured their 
 seed, and this Summer we have had to 
 renew the old fight on that part of the 
 
iS gardener's pocket manual, 
 
 garden, and we appreciate the old adage, 
 that " one years seeding makes seven 
 years' weeding." 
 
 Keep all the ground occupied. Let one 
 crop follow another. As soon as the early 
 peas, spinach, lettuce, etc., are past their 
 usefulness, follow up with quick matur- 
 ing crops, and rather than let the weeds 
 take possession, plant the vacant spots in 
 corn for the family cow, when it is too late 
 for it to mature. 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. I9 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 GARDEN IMPLEMENTS. 
 
 While a garden may be cultivated with 
 the tools ordinarily used on the farm, it 
 will pay to have some extra and better 
 ones, particularly if a large garden is to 
 be cultivated. 
 
 A garden hne is indispensable, and it 
 will be found economy in getting it — as 
 indeed may be said of every garden sup- 
 ply—to get the best. A good, hand-twisted 
 cotton line will, with care, last a great 
 many years. 
 
 Another implement which I have found 
 of great use, and that is inexpensive, is a 
 
 DRAG OR PULVERIZER 
 
 Of which the cut is a good representation. 
 
20 (;akdener s pocket manual. 
 
 Any farmer can make one in a short time 
 with a saw and hatchet, and while it will 
 not crush dry hard clods, I have never 
 found its equal for smoothing- freshly 
 plowed ground. It may be made of any 
 size, but for the garden I prefer a small 
 one, not more than four feet wide, and if 
 it is not heavy enough I ride on it. By 
 the use of this a garden can be put in 
 such condition that a rake need not be 
 used at all. A large drag similarly made, 
 will, under certain conditions of soil, pre- 
 pare either corn or wheat land for the 
 crop better than an}- implement I ever 
 used. It will make a smooth, mellow sur- 
 face without packing it as a roller does. 
 The side pieces of the small drag should 
 be four inches square, and it may be 
 made of inch boards, but hard lumber 
 should be used for a heavy two or four- 
 horse drag, heavier sides should be used, 
 and two-inch boards. 
 
 I am sure no farmer who once uses one 
 of these implements will ever be williiig 
 to do without one. 
 
 I have used for several years a hand 
 cultivator, and have found it of such ad- 
 vantage that I can heartily recommend it. 
 Every gardener knows the importance ol 
 stirring the soil as soon as possible after a 
 
G.\ur)i:M:H > I'oeKF-:! mamal. 
 
 2 I 
 
 rain, l>i>tli ti) kill the weeds w Inch alwax >- 
 start, aiul to pie\ ent the formation of a 
 crust, and consecjuentlv rapid evaporation 
 of moisture, and while I do not claim that 
 any hand cultivator will supersede the 
 hoe. it does enable a sinjj^le man to stir as 
 much soil, ii: a i^iven time, as five or six 
 men could do with hoes. 1 have ex- 
 amined and tried man\ hand cultivators, 
 and hnd 
 
 Gives the best satisfaction. While the 
 ordinary farm <^arden can be phinted Idv 
 hand, there are doubtless some who will 
 read this book whose garden operations 
 are extensive enouj^^h so that they will 
 need a drill for plantini^. There are many 
 kinds now in use that can be adjusted to 
 sow far more accurately than can be done 
 by hand, every kind oC seed from beans 
 to turnip, and after usino^ four different 
 : varieties, I have given to 
 
22 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL 
 
 rue's garden seed drill 
 the preference. Tt operates on the same 
 principle as the common drill, and can be 
 adjusted in a moment to suit ar,y kind of 
 seed. 
 
 All the tools to be used in the garden 
 should be light and sharp, and kept free 
 from rust. The work of the garden is 
 much of it done in the evening, when 
 wearied by a day's work, and if your tools 
 are sharp and light it is quite a relief to 
 the tired muscles. 
 
 I have found a light spade made by 
 cutting the sides from a long-handled 
 gravel shovel an excellent implement for 
 the garden, particularly in spading among 
 small fruits, and in making flower beds. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MANAGEMENT OF HOT BEDS AND COLD 
 FRAMES. 
 
 I am aware that but tew farmers will 
 be willincr to gfive the care necessary to 
 the management of a hot-bed, and yet It 
 is a necessity if we would get the most 
 good from our garden, and w^ill be but 
 little trouble, if located near the house and 
 not started too early. 
 
 Probably the first of i\pril is as early as 
 it is best for the farmer to plant a hot bed, 
 and a single sash three feet by six, or even 
 smaller, will be ample to start all the 
 vegetables and flow^ers needed. 
 
 For making a hot-bed, the manure must 
 be forked up a few davs beforehand, and 
 must be hot at the time it is put in the 
 bed. I prefer to make it on top of the 
 ground, and then bank up rf und it to 
 protect it from the cold. For an early 
 bed, the manure should be from one foot 
 ! and a half to two feet deep. For sweet 
 potatoes, or a bed made late in April, 
 
34 GARDENERS ROCKET MANUAL. 
 
 it 
 
 from ten to fourteen inches is snfHcientf . 
 
 The manure must be shaken to pieces 
 and evenly spread, and pressed down by 
 treading- on small pieces of board, as if 
 trodden with the feet some pieces would 
 be trampled too much and others not 
 enough. 
 
 Late in the season make a simple frame 
 of boards a foot wide, placed in a shelter- 
 ed spot, and arranged with a slope to the 
 south so that when covered with boards 
 the water will run oft'. 
 
 From the hot-bed, as the plants become 
 crowded, transplant into this frame, anjj 
 when heavy rains or cold nights occur, if 
 can be covered with boards. In this 
 frame plants can be hardened and pre- 
 pared for the open ground, and early in 
 May melons, cucumbers, Lima beans and 
 such tender plants can be started in pots 
 or on inverted squares of sod. Three- 
 inch flower pots cost but -l^i.oo a hundred, 
 and with care will last many years, and a 
 single cucumber or melon vine will thrive 
 in one of these pots until out of the way 
 of the striped bug, and the tenderest 
 plants can be transplanted from the pots 
 without wilting. 
 
 Where the pots can be had I would re- 
 commend them, but sods are a very good 
 
CiAKDKNKR S POCKK'I' .MAMAL. 2t^ 
 
 substitute. Find a smooth, lirm turf and 
 cut the sod two inches thick; divide it in- 
 to squares three inches each way, and 
 place them gi-ass side down in m^mure in 
 your frame and plant your seeds on them, 
 and then cover with half an inch of fine 
 earth, as the seeds germinate the roots, 
 penetrate the sod, and at transplanting 
 are not disturbed, and the decaying sod 
 furnishes nourishment to the plants. 
 
 Cabbage and tomato plants may be 
 transplanted into these frames, and will 
 become stocks and form new roots, so 
 that the final transplanting to the open 
 ground will check their growth but little. 
 
 If you do not make a hot bed or a cold 
 frame. I would advise tr3'ing the follow- 
 ing plan: 
 
 Make a box six by eight inches square, 
 to be used as a mold, and round this box 
 make }our hill, sloping a liltle to the 
 south; pat it down with the spade on all 
 sides of the box, and then carefully lift the 
 box out and lay a pane of 8xio window 
 glass over it. After the plants come up 
 the glass must be removed in the middle 
 of the day if the sun shines not, and as 
 soon as the nights are warm they can be 
 left ofi' entirely. 
 
 This is the cheapest way to start a few 
 
gakdener's pocket manual. 36 
 
 hills of earlv veg-etables both as regfards 
 time and money. 
 
 As sweet potatoes are grown on nearly 
 every farm, the subject of sprouting them 
 seems legitimate to this chapter. 
 
 It is of great advantage for every onJj 
 who wishes to set out more than two or" 
 three hundred sweet potato plants, to 
 raise their own plants ; by so doing they 
 can always have them when wanted, and 
 can take advantage of suitable weather, 
 or can attend to setting them out late iiift| 
 the evenings, a few at a time, and th^i 
 plants are always fresh and vigorous. 
 Even if the plants cost more than they 
 would to buy them, the advantage above- 
 mentioned would overbalance ; but the 
 fact is, that with reasonable success, it 
 will be found quite profitable to sprout not 
 only for your own planting, but for the 
 neighborhood. The writer has had 20 
 years' experience in sorouting swtet pota- 
 toeSj and has made many failures, but for 
 several years has had almost unvarying 
 success, and believes he can state so 
 plainly " how to do it," that an}- one with 
 a little care can succeed. The great dan- 
 ger with the novice is, that he will burn 
 the potatoes by getting the bed too hotil 
 and if the bed is left uncovered in the^ 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL, 27 
 
 middle of the day, the heat of the sun 
 from above and that of the manure from 
 below is almost sure to be too much for 
 them. 
 
 About five years ago we adopted the 
 plan of covering- the bed as soon as made 
 with straw and corn-stalks to a depth of 
 a foot or more, and have found that b\ 
 this means we^ could preserve a uniform 
 temperature, and in addition the evapora- 
 tion of moisture is checked, so that the 
 bed will require no watering until the 
 plants begin to come up. 
 
 Our beds are made perfectly flat, by 
 simply nailing together four boards, two 
 16 feet long for the sides, and end boards 
 6 feet long. A bed of this size is large 
 enough to hold one barrel of medium- 
 sized ]7otatoes. 
 
 The manure should be thrown in a pile 
 about ten days before the bed is made, 
 and after it is well heated should, if very 
 strong, be turned once and thoroughlv 
 mixed, and when put in the bed (which 
 should be from the loth to the 20th of 
 April,) should all be hot; shake thorough- 
 ly and pack solid, until you have 10 
 inches in the bed. The packing should 
 be done by having two pieces of board 4 
 feet lonof and a foot or so wide; lav one in 
 
38 (/Ardener's pocket manual. 
 
 the bed and get on it and jump up and 
 down; then lay down the next one touch- 
 ing it, and step on that ; then take up the 
 first one and put in front, and so on, until 
 you have gone all over the bed. Now 
 put on four inches of good soil — not too 
 light; cover the bed with fine straw a few 
 inches deep, if wet all the better, and 
 over the straw lay your corn-stalks, bound 
 in bundles. They should be plenty 
 enough and so arranged as to turn oft' 
 water if a heavy rain falls. 
 
 As soon as the bed is warm enough to 
 feel comfortable to the hand, take oft'your 
 covering and lay on the potatoes so that 
 they will nearly touch each other and 
 cover with about three inches of light 
 wood dirt that will not bake; then replace 
 your covering, and if you find the tem- 
 perature right, it need not be uncovered 
 again until the plants begin to come 
 through. If the bed seems too cold, open 
 in the middle of the day and let the sun 
 shine on it till about two o'clock. 
 
 The bed may be examined by running 
 the hand into it without removing the 
 cover. If not more than ten inches of 
 manure is used, and it has been properly 
 handled, there will be but little danger of 
 the bed heating too much when covered. 
 
(;AKl>i:.\Eli S I'OCKET MAMAL. 2C) 
 
 When you draw the plants, lay a strong 
 board across the narrow way to sit on, so 
 as to reach the middle ones without 
 tramping the bed. After the plants be- 
 gin to come up, take oft' the cover, and if 
 the nights are warm leave it open, but if 
 cold put on the bundles of corn-stalks, 
 but the straw will not be needed. 
 
 (jive plenty of water when the plants 
 are coming up, but it will harden the 
 plants to let them get somewhat dry when 
 large enough to pull. Always water 
 freely a short time before pulling the 
 plants. 
 
 If care is taken not to disturb the pota- 
 to, a second drawing of plants may be 
 had. 
 
 I plant my main crop from May 30th to 
 June loth, but they do well planted later, 
 and I have raised a fair crop set the 4th of 
 July. 
 
 For the earliest sweet potatoes, trans- 
 plant the first plants that sprout, and set 
 them in a frame three inches apart each 
 wav. 
 
30 GAKDENEU S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 VEGETABLES ; THEIR VARIETIES AND 
 MANAGEMENT. 
 
 I propose in this chapter to take up in 
 alphabetical order the different garden 
 vegetables, describing those varieties that 
 have proved the best in my experience in 
 gardening, and also give the methods of 
 culture that I have found to succeed best. 
 
 ASPARAGUS. 
 
 It seems strange that this excellent 
 vegetable should be found in so few 
 gardens and that it is neglected in 
 many gardens where it has been planted. 
 It is propagated from seed and is best set 
 out at one year old. Instead of putting it 
 in some out of the wa}^ corner, I would 
 recommend that a row or two be planted 
 at one side of the garden. Prepare the 
 ground by deep and thorough working 
 and liberal manuring; stretch your line 
 and make holes with the spade large 
 enough so that you can spread the roots 
 out, and deep enough set that the crown 
 of the plant will be covered two inches. 
 1 would recommend setting the rows 
 
GARDENERS POCKET MAXLTAL. 3I 
 
 thiee feet apart, and the plants in the row 
 nine inches. The bed should be planted 
 in the vSpring, and the sooner after the 
 land is in working order the better. Salt 
 is a valuable manure for this plant, and 
 may be applied at the rate of a bushel or 
 more to the square rod." A liberal appli- 
 tion of coarse manure in the Fall to pro- 
 tect the bed will be valuable in causing it 
 to start earlier than it otherwise would. 
 As soon as the frost is out of the ground 
 in the Spring, dig the surface over lightly 
 a few inches deep, taking care not to in- 
 jure the crowns of the plants. Cut for 
 use when the shoots are from four to six 
 inches high. Cut a little below the sur- 
 face and be careful not to injure the young 
 buds. The cutting should cease by the 
 middle of June. 
 
 BEANS BUSH. 
 
 Perhaps no one vegetable is so ex- 
 tensively used on the farmers' table 
 as this. It can be grown on almost any 
 soil, but the garden varieties will respond 
 to liberal manure and culture as well as 
 any other vegetable, and will be improved 
 both in yield and quality. 
 
 It is a tender vegetable, easily killed b\' 
 frost, but we usually plant the Black Wax 
 in April, as it is a hardy variety. They 
 
32 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 should be planted once in two weeks up 
 to the first of August. We generally 
 plant three in a hill, with the hills just far 
 enough apart to cut between with a hoe. 
 The rows should be i8 inches apart. 
 
 Beans should never be worked when 
 the vines are wet. 
 
 The following varieties will be found 
 excellent and sufficient: 
 
 Early Valentine — Has round pods, ten- 
 der, and of good flavor. If planted after 
 the ground is warm it will be fit for use 
 in five or six weeks. Salmon color, with 
 pink spots ; a prolific bearer. 
 
 Germa7i Wax — We have used this in 
 the family almost exclusively for several 
 years. It seems to possess all the virtues, 
 being hardy and prolific, and also tender 
 and of excellent flavor ; the pods are 
 stringless and of a rich waxy yellow; 
 seeds glossy black ; a little earlier than 
 the Valentine. 
 
 Golden Wax — grows a little larger than 
 the former, and is wonderfully prolific , 
 pods the same color as German Wax bean, 
 one side white the other is red specked; 
 a little later than German Wax. 
 
 Royal White Kidney. An excellent 
 late variety; pods long and well filled 
 with long white kidney-shaped beans. 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 3/ 
 
 quantity rather than quahty. Planted 
 this distance apart will give al^out iS,ooo 
 roots to the acre, and if they can be grown 
 to average from two to three pounds each \ 
 there will be an enormous yield of food, 
 for every pound each that the roots aver- 
 age you will have nine tons of beets. I 
 doubt if as much food can be grown on a 
 given amount of land in any other crop 
 as this. A man with a village lot where 
 manure can be had in abundance, could 
 keep a cow and several pigs the larger 
 part of the year, as the thinning would 
 go far toward feeding them through June 
 and July, and the surplus leaves in August 
 and September, and then he would have 
 from ten to twenty-five tons of good, 
 sweet roots for Avinter feed, and while 
 turnips and some other roots soon begin 
 to depreciate in quality, the beets will be 
 as good in March and April as when put 
 away. 
 
 Beets that are to be kept for Spring use 
 should be buried out-of-doors, and those 
 intended for winter use should be cover- 
 ed with earth in a box or barrel in the 
 cellar. 
 
 The varieties most esteemed are 
 Early Egyptian — This variety is com- 
 paratively new. Shaped like a flat tur- 
 
38 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 nip and of the deepest red color; very 
 sweet and tender ; seeds very sm:.ll. 
 
 EGYPTIAN BLOOD TURXIP 
 
 Improved Blood l^uniip — This was 
 produced by selecting the finest speci- 
 mens of the old Blood Turnip. A little 
 larger than the Egyptian ; blood red ; of 
 very perfect form ; small top ; good for 
 early use, and also a fine keeper. 
 
 Early Turnip Bassano-^-A\\y and pro- 
 ductive. Root, flat turnip-shaped, light 
 red ; flesh white, marbled with bright 
 pink ; leaves, small light green, veined 
 with red. 
 
 I have grown this variety on very rich 
 black land to average six pcunds each, 
 taking 100 roots as they grew in the row, 
 and as they will bear closer planting than 
 the field beets, I should recommend the 
 
(;ARDENER S POCKET MAMAI. 
 
 man with a single cow to feed and rich 
 land, to sow this variety for Fall and early 
 Winter feeding, but they will not keep 
 well through the' whiter unless sown late. 
 Long Blood — Is the standard winter 
 variety, and cannot be excelled. The 
 roots are uniform in size, and blood-red 
 color ; very sweet, tender and delicious. 
 
 SWISS CHARD, OR SEA KALR 
 
 S%viss Chard — This is a variety that 
 makes no root, but has a luxuriant growth 
 of leaves and stalks, which are used as 
 gieens. The stems are very large clear 
 white and very tender, and are used as a 
 substitute for Asparagus. .The plants 
 should be thinned to one foot apart. 
 
 Red Mangel Wnrtzel — A large, long 
 variety, grown for stock feeding. Most 
 of the I eet o-rows above sfi'ound. Plant 
 
'i 
 
 40 GARDENERS POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 in rows two and a half feet apart and on< 
 foot in the row. 
 
 TcUoiv Globe Alangel Wiirtzcl — A 
 larg^e. round, orano-e colored variety. A 
 fine yielder and an excellent keeper; best 
 for late Spring- feeding. 
 
 White Sugar — A large, field variety ; 
 excellent for stock. 
 
 .1 
 
 CABBAGE 
 
 fills an important place in the family gar 
 den. It is perfect!}' hardy, enduring hard 
 frosts in the early Spring, and will stand 
 without injury till the ground freezes in 
 early winter. It can be grown large 
 enough for use in June, and can be kept 
 in good condition until the following May. 
 The waste of the crop is valuable food 
 for cattle or hogs. It may be planted 
 from the first of April until August, and 
 can be grown as a second crop after early 
 beans, peas, potatoes and other crops. 
 
 Culture. Cabbages require a rich, mellow 
 soil, and too much pains cannot be taken 
 in the preparation and manuring of the 
 soil. 
 
 For early cabbage, sow the last of Feb- 
 ruary or early in March, either in hotbed 
 or in a box in the house, and if fine, stocky 
 plants are wanted, transplant into cold 
 frames when well into the second leaf 
 
GARDENER S POCKE'J" MANUAL 
 
 41 
 
 setting them three inches apart each way. 
 Thev may be planted in the open ground 
 as soon as the ground will work mellow^ 
 if they have been previously hardened by 
 exposuic to the air. 
 
 The early varieties may be set eighteen 
 inches apart, and the wnnter varieties 
 about two feet ; or if very large, like the 
 Marblehead Mammoth, two bv three feet. 
 
 EARLY WIXNIGSTADT 
 
 In transplanting cabbage always set in 
 tJic grou72d up to the -first leaf, no mattei- 
 Jwv: long the ste?n may be. 
 
 Some years ago it was very difficult to 
 grow the plants, on account of the black 
 flea that destroys them as soon as thev 
 make their appearance above the soil. 
 Constant watchfulness will generally save 
 them. The very morning that they make 
 their appearance be on hand while the 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. ^2 
 
 dew is on. and sprinkle them thoroughly 
 with air-slaked lime or sifted ashes. Fol" 
 low this up daily, until they are well into 
 the rough leaf. 
 
 If plants are wanted for the family only, 
 sow in boxes set up a few feet above the 
 ground, and you will find it a perfect pro- 
 tection. 
 
 For two or three years past, the green 
 worm has attacked nearh' all the cabbasfe 
 grown in Southern Ohio, and much of it 
 has been ruined. I am not prepared to 
 give an infallible remedy, but the follow- 
 ing are recommended and are worth try- 
 ing : 
 
 Sprinkle your cabbages with boiling 
 water poured from a water pot ; dust 
 with buckwheat flour, or sprinkle with 
 strong lime water. All these remedies 
 are said to be effective, but I have not 
 yet had occasion to test them. 
 
 The best way to keep cabbages through 
 the winter is by burying them, as they 
 retain their tenderness and crisp flavor 
 much better than when kept in a cellar. 
 If the heads are solid and well matured, 
 turn them upside down in a dry place — 
 two rows together. Pack as close to- 
 gether as possible, then throw the earth 
 upon each side. The outside leaves will 
 
(rAHDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 43 
 
 protect the head, and if some boards or 
 hay is put over the top to keep out the 
 rain, they will keep with but little earth. 
 If you have loose cabbage that has just 
 begun to head, set them in beds four feet 
 wide, covering the roots well, and pack 
 them as closely as possible, (heads up.) 
 
 PREMIL .M FLAT DUTCH. 
 
 Raise the earth at the sides a little higher 
 than the top of the cabbages, then gather 
 leaves from the orchard or forest and 
 cover the top six inches deep, and above 
 this fix a shelter of boards or corn fodder. 
 Managed in this way, loose cabbage will 
 head and be of the finest quality. 
 
 The varieties of cabbage are so numer- 
 ous that I might fill several pages with a 
 
44 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 list, but the following will be found suffi- 
 cient and satisfactory: 
 
 Eai-ly Jersey Wakejield — Heads of 
 medium size, generally cone-shaped, but 
 sometimes nearly round and very solid. 
 It is reliable for heading, and will bear 
 close planting. 
 
 Early Sugar Loaf — Heads conical ; 
 
 STONE MASON MARBLEH EAD. 
 
 leaves spoon shaped ; color bluish green. 
 An excellent variety for the North, but 
 does not succeed w^ell in the South. 
 
 Early l^ork — A well known and popu- 
 lar variety. Early ; of excellent flavor, 
 and may be planted close — from 15 to iS 
 inches. 
 
 Early Winnigstadt — This is one of the 
 best varieties of cabbage in general use in 
 cultivation. It comes early, and may also 
 
CtARdener s i»ocket manual 
 
 45 
 
 be planted for winter. It makes a large, 
 resrular conical head, often attaining a 
 
 MARBLF.HEAD MAMMOTH DRUMHEAD. 
 
 weight of 20 pounds. It bears the heat 
 well and keeps either in hot or cold 
 weather. Qiiality excellent. 
 
 CABBAGE WINTER. 
 
 Stone Mason — This variety is noted for 
 its sweet and delicate flavor, and its relia- 
 bility for forming a large, solid head, near- 
 ly every plant heading up fine and solid 
 when well cultivated. It is very hardy, 
 and will endure the cold of extreme 
 Northern climates. One of the best for 
 family or market. 
 
 Premium Drumhead — This variety has 
 been greatlv improved under the careful 
 
46 GARDENEU'S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 management of our best seed growers, 
 and now for size and general excellence 
 ranks among the best. 
 
 Preiniuvi Flat DutcJi — Perhaps no 
 varietv of cabbage has given as good 
 satisfaction or is so universally cultivated 
 as this. It is earlier than the Drumhead, 
 and has proved to be as reliable and 
 profitable as any variety grown in Amer- 
 ica. 
 
 Ma7'blcJiead Mammoth £>ru//ihead-Th.\?, 
 is the largest cabbage grown. Heads 
 have been produced weighing over fifty 
 pounds, and under good cultivation it has 
 been grown bv the acre to average thirty 
 pounds. Mr. Gregory w^ho originated 
 this variety, says that it does better when 
 sown where it is to grow than to be trans- 
 planted. 
 
 Red Dutch — This variety is valued for 
 pickling. It is of medium size, and makes 
 a very solid head. It should be sown 
 early, and planted two feet apart each 
 way. 
 
 CAULIFLOW^ER. 
 
 This is a vegetable seldom found in the 
 farm garden, and yet it is worth a trial. I 
 have succeeded in getting splendid heads 
 from it. It is the most delicate of any of 
 the cabbage family. It produces within 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 47 
 
 its long, pale green leaves a white head 
 resembling a basin rounded full of the 
 curd known as cottage cheese. 
 
 The seed should be sown in AjM-il, and 
 
 EARLY ERFURT. 
 
 transplanted and treated as cabbage. It 
 requires, however, more water, and if 
 drouth occurs, they should not be allowed 
 to suffer. 
 
 The Early Paris and Erfurt Large Early 
 White will be found reliable varieties. 
 
 CARROT. 
 
 The carrot is worthy of a place in the 
 farmer's garden. It is an excellent in- 
 gredient in soups, and is relished by many 
 when boiled wnth meats. Itis unsurpass- 
 
48 
 
 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL, 
 
 EARLY SCARLET 
 HORN . 
 
 ed for feeding both horses and cattle. 
 With rich land and thorough culture it is 
 very productive. I have grown 600 
 bushels to the acre. They 
 should be sow^n early in 
 May, in drills 15 inches 
 apart, and thinned to 4 
 or 6 inches in the row. 
 The Early Scarlet 
 Horn will be found the 
 best early sort. It is of 
 deep color, fine grain and 
 will do well on shallow 
 soil. 
 
 The Improved Long 
 Ora7ige is best for the main crop. It has 
 regularly tapering roots, and deep orange 
 color. For field culture, the rows should 
 be iS inches apart, and the plants 8 inches 
 in the row. 
 
 CELERY. 
 
 This plant is one of the best and most 
 healthful salads in use. When blanched 
 it is used raw, and it is also excellent for 
 seasoning soups. 
 
 The seed may be sown in the open 
 ground in April, and to make the plants 
 stocky they should be transplanted when 
 three inches high, setting them three or 
 four inches apart. 
 
GARDENERS POCKET iMAMAE. 3^ 
 
 The best shelling- bean, and also good t'or 
 winter use. 
 
 jVcivy — This is the standard bean for 
 field culture, and 
 brings the high- 
 est price in the 
 market. 
 
 In my experi- 
 ence there is no 
 crop that leaves 
 the land m better 
 condition for 
 
 wheat than this. 
 The heaviest 
 crops of wheat 
 grown under my 
 observation for 
 the last two years have been on bean stub- 
 ble. They will also produce a profitable 
 crop on land too poor to grow anything 
 else on, and as they do not need to be 
 planted early, a crop of rye can be grown 
 to full size and plowed under before 
 planting them. 
 
 We find from the loth to the 15th oi 
 June is the best time to plant, and wt 
 harrow and roll until the land is in fine 
 condition, and then sow with the wheat 
 drill iS inches apart, and use about one 
 bushel of seed per acre. After drilling in 
 
 3 
 
 GERM AX WAX 
 
^4 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 the seed, roll, and if the season proves 
 favorable, they w^ill need no cultivation, 
 and can be cut with the scythe. 
 
 If heavy rains come on and start the 
 weeds before the beans are large enough 
 to shade the ground they must be work- 
 ed, which can be done with a small shovel- 
 plow once in a row, as with a little care a 
 gentle horse can be made to walk in a 
 row iS inches wide. 
 
 If they are cultivated it will be neces- 
 sary to pull them, as the surface will be 
 too uneven for a scythe. If they are 
 mowed, it should be done before the pods 
 are dry, or they will shatter. 
 
 Should the weather be unfavorable at 
 o-athering time, they may be started so as 
 To cure with little damage. The way to 
 do it is to set stout poles (three inches in 
 diameter) in the ground by punching 
 holes with a crow-bar. Let the poles be 
 six or eight feet high and sharpened at the 
 top. Put something at the base of the 
 poles to keep the beans off the ground, 
 and keep slipping them down from the 
 top, the stack will be so narrow that there 
 will be no danger of heating or molding, 
 and the top bunches can be so arranged 
 as to shed the water perfectly. 
 
 We have, for many years, practiced 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 35 
 
 threshing our beans by tramping with 
 horses, and find it much easier and more 
 rapid than using a flail, and if care is 
 taken to keep the barn floor well covered 
 there will be found but few split beans. 
 
 I am aware that the Navy bean is not a 
 garden bean, but as this work is intended 
 largely for farmers I have thought that 
 this digression would be acceptable. 
 
 BEAN POLE. 
 
 We have so many good varieties of 
 Bush beans and the labor of poling is so 
 great, that it is not worth while to plant 
 any but the best, which undoubtedly are: 
 
 Large Lima — A well-known and pro- 
 ductive bean. 
 
 Small Lhna — Which is as rich, and 
 much more prolific, besides being more 
 easily shelled. And the 
 
 Giant Wax — A very rich bean, with 
 clusters of large, flat, waxy, yellow pods, 
 equal if not superior to the German W^ax 
 in flavor. This variety may be grown as 
 a corn bean. 
 
 The Lima beans are tender and should 
 not be planted until settled warm weather, 
 and it is best to make a hill raised a few 
 inches, as they are very sensitive to cold 
 and w^et, and the seed will not germinate 
 unless the conditions are favorable. It 
 
36 (iARDENEirS POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 will increase the yield to pinch back the 
 vines when they reach the top of the pole. 
 
 THK BERT 
 
 Is a valuable and important vegetable. 
 The early varieties are perfectly hardy 
 and may be sown as soon as the ground 
 can be worked, as they will endure a hard 
 freeze without material injury. It is well 
 to sow thickly at the first sowing, as if a 
 severe freeze comes usually some will 
 escape if others are killed. 
 
 Beets may be sown from early in March 
 until July. I have grown good crops 
 sown as late as July 4th, and it is well to 
 make a late sowing to preserve for win- 
 ter, as they will be sweeter and tenderer 
 than those that have attained their full 
 
 growth. 
 
 When beets are grown for stock, or a 
 large yield is desired, I have found the 
 best time to plant to be early in May. 
 
 In the garden they may be grown in 
 rows i^ inches apart, and they may be 
 sown quite thick in the rows, and thinned 
 for early greens. The turnip-rooted 
 varieties will bottom well on rich soil at 
 six inches apart. 
 
 For field culture, I prefer to plant two 
 and a half feet wide, and thin to a foot in 
 the rows, as for feeding stock we want 
 
(;aki)i:\i:k's I'oeKi/r mamai.. \(j 
 
 It niav ho platitcil In tlu- trcnclu's w lu-rc 
 
 it is to <^ro\v from the middle of June to 
 
 the michlle of Au^^ust, hut the \j. 
 
 hitter part of Jul\ is the hest ^ 
 
 time. Dig trenches ten inches 
 
 deep, a foot wide, and five or 
 
 six feet apart. Spread several 
 
 inches of well composted ma- ^' 
 
 nure in the hottom of the / 
 
 trenches, and mix well with >- 
 
 J the soil. 
 
 ' The roots of the plants 
 
 I should he shortened and also , 
 
 I the leaves cut hack at trans- 
 
 I plantinj^. Water thorouo:hly, 
 
 j and protect from the sun for a Vx 
 
 I few days till the plants become fe 
 
 . established ; then give con- ^;- If 
 
 I start and thorough culture. 
 
 ' About the first of Scptem- r-_^' 
 
 I ber begin to earth up. Hold ^?M 
 
 1 the leaves tiffht with one hand 
 
 to prevent gettmg the soil in- 
 
 ! to the center of the plant — 
 
 j which causes it to rot or rust \ 
 
 I — and with the other hand long 
 
 I draw the earth round the '*^•^"^;J' 
 cARRoT. 
 
 (stem. Keep earthing up 
 
 I through October, and as cold weather 
 
 * approaches, cover with straw or litter, so 
 
 I . 
 
c;o gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 as to prevent freezing. The varieties thai 
 will give best satisfaction are: Incom- 
 parable Dv^^arf White and Superb White 
 Solid. 
 
 CORN, 
 
 It must be remembered that it takes a 
 much richer soil to grow^ a good crop ot 
 sweet corn than of field corn. It is not 
 profitable to plant on any but well ma- 
 nured soil, and not until the weather be- 
 comes warm, and settled — after the first of 
 May. A planting should be made every 
 week until the middle of July. 
 
 Plant Blood Red Sweet or Early Min- 
 nesota for tbe earliest and latest plantings, . 
 and Stowell Evergreen for the main crop. ' 
 
 The first two named varieties are not 
 only early, but of excellent flavor. 
 
 Blood Red Sweet has remarkably large 
 ears for an early variety. 
 
 Stowell Evergreen possesses the rare 
 merit of remaining a long time fit lor use, 
 and as it bears large ears and often two to 
 the stock, and will bear closer planting ^ 
 than field corn, it can, on rich ground, be | 
 grown profitably for early feeding of 
 stock. 
 
 The early varieties may be planted two 
 by three feet, and the Stowell a littl 
 
 ic 
 
 w 
 
 ider 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 51 
 
 White Pop Corn is a niost excellent 
 variety ; small, clear strains; very prolific; 
 and, when popped, very tender. 
 
 CUCUMBER. 
 
 The cucumber is a ve:y tender plant, very 
 sensitive to cold, and it is of little use to 
 plant in the open grround until the weather 
 is warm and settled, which, in this lati- 
 tude, is often not until nearly or quite the 
 first of June. There is always great risk 
 from the striped bug if planted early, but 
 the\- rarely disturb them if planted after 
 the middle of June. 
 
 For pickles, we plant from June 15th to 
 July loth, and usually grow them as a 
 second crop where early peas have been 
 raised, and then invariably sow turnips 
 between the rows at the last hoeing of the 
 cucumbers. For many years I have fol- 
 lowed this plan, growing from half an 
 acre to an acre each year, and making it 
 very profitable. It will be found neces- 
 sary to manure liberally where land is 
 cropped in this way, but with three crops 
 to be marketed, it will pay. 
 
 We select a dry, rich piece of land, if 
 possible, underdrained black land, and 
 plow under a good coating of manure in 
 the Fall. We then give it a light coat of 
 finely composted manure, and let it remain 
 
52 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 until Spring. As soon as the land can 
 be worked in the Spring, even if as early 
 as the last of February, we work mellow 
 with cultivator, or double-shovel and har- 
 row, and put in our peas, either Tom 
 Thumb or Early Philadelphia, sowing the 
 former twenty inches and the latter two 
 feet apart. These come into market from 
 the 25th of May to the 5th of June, and 
 we pick them twice, and then plow under 
 what is left and prepare for the cucum- 
 bers. As the ground dries out very rapid- 
 ly at this season of the year, we take the 
 harrow and roller to the field with us, and 
 use them while the land is freshly plow- 
 ed. We then mark off five feet apart 
 each way and drop at each check a 
 shovelful of fine manure, and over this we 
 raise a hill some four inches high and a 
 foot broad ; on this hill we drop a dozen 
 seeds, and cover by stepping on it and 
 pressing it firmly down into the soil, and 
 then with the side of the foot cover with 
 a half inch or so of earth. 
 
 For pickles, we always plant the Early 
 Cluster, as they are very prolific and make 
 a very symetrical pickle, and do not run 
 to vine so much as many other varieties. 
 In ten days they will be large enough to 
 thin and hoe. We leave four planis in a 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 53 
 
 hill, and at each working draw a little 
 fresh earth to the plants. 
 
 They should be worked once a week, or 
 oftener if rains fall to make a crust and 
 
 EARLY CLUSTER. 
 
 start the weeds. In about five weeks, the 
 vines will begin to run across the rows ; 
 some time between the 25th of July and 
 the loth of August, as soon as the ground 
 can be washed after a rain, sow turnip 
 seed, at the rate of one pound per acre. 
 If you can get through between the rows 
 with a one-horse harrow do so, and follow 
 with hoes, and hoe lightly all the ground 
 that the harrow does not stir. If the 
 vines have run so that the harrow^ cannot 
 be used, the entire surface must be lightly 
 hoed over. 
 
 In six weeks from planting you can be- 
 gin to gather pickles, and as long as the 
 weather is warm, they must be picked 
 every day. We pick in the forenoon on 
 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and 
 
54 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 in the afternoon on the last three days ot 
 the week, so as to finish up as late as pos- 
 sible on Saturday, or there will be a great 
 many large ones on Monday. 
 
 You need not be afraid of hurtmg the 
 turnips by tramping them, for in ten years 
 experience I have grown my best crops in 
 this way. 
 
 I have, for fifteen years, sold pickles at 
 300 for a dollar, delivered to my customers 
 at their houses, and ■ have found them a 
 very profitable crop. 
 
 If we pick more any day than we can 
 sell, we put them down in salt, filling a 
 barrel with alternate layers of salt and 
 pickles, using about three pecks of salt to 
 a forty gallon barrel. 
 
 The most profit will be found in a 
 pickle about three or four inches long, 
 and from three to four thousand can be 
 salted in a forty gallon barrel. 
 
 The following varieties comprise all 
 that the farmer will need. 
 
 Early Russia}! — This is our earliest 
 variety ; quite small ; grows in pairs ; 
 good for the table, and makes a fine, small 
 pickle. 
 
 White Spine — A good variety for table 
 use; early and prolific ; growth uniformly 
 
(iARDENERS POCKET MANUAJ. 
 
 55 
 
 a good variety 
 
 for 
 
 GHERKIN 
 
 straicrht and smooth 
 
 o 
 
 forcing under glass. 
 
 Early Clustei' — The best of all for 
 pickles; ver\' early 
 and productive ; 
 makes but little 
 vine, and bears in 
 clusters. 
 
 hnproved Long 
 Green — The best 
 large variety in cultivation; a good bearer; 
 grows about a foot long, and is of excel- 
 lent flavor ; makes a hard, brittle pickle. 
 Must be planted six feet apart each way. 
 Gherkin — A small, oval variety, grcwn 
 exclusively for pickles. They should be 
 picked when young and tender, and about 
 an inch long. 
 
 GOURD. 
 
 Although gourds cannot be classed as 
 garden vegetables, yet they are useful and 
 convenient. 
 
 They should not be planted until the 
 weather is settled, unless they are started 
 in pots or on squares of inverted sod, as 
 described in Chapter VIII. 
 
 If you want straight handles, the dipper 
 gourds should be furnished a brush or 
 trellis to run on, but for several years I 
 have grown them on the ground, as I do 
 
56 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 squashes. Some of the handles will be 
 straight and some curved, so that the 
 gourd can be hung by the handle on the 
 edge of a barrel or wash 
 boiler, and by taking 
 pains in cutting them, 
 the curves in the handle 
 are advantageous. The 
 SUGAR TROUGH, larofc varlctv should 
 always be allowed to run 
 on the ground, as they are too heavy for 
 the vines to support. The handle varieties 
 are very prolific, and a single hill will 
 furnish all the dippers a family needs. 
 
 The Sugar Trough varieties should be 
 planted ten feet apart each way, and but 
 two plants allowed to the hill. 
 
 Gourd Dipper — This variety varies in 
 size from a pint to two quarts, with han- 
 dles from six to fifteen inches long. They 
 are convenient for dipping hot liquids, as 
 the handles do not heat through readily. 
 They also make good homes for birds, if 
 a hole is cut in one side, and they are tied 
 securely in trees about the house. 
 
 Sugar Trough Gourds have no handles, 
 but grow to a very large size. I have 
 grown a thousand, in a single year, that 
 would hold an average of four to five gal- 
 lons each, and I have selected manv 
 
GARDENER S POCKE'J' MANUAL. ^^7 
 
 specimens that held from seven to ten 
 gallons each. They make a thick, strong 
 shell to which a bail can be fastened, so 
 as to use them for baskets. Thev are very 
 light, but durable. 
 
 In the early times, in many parts of the 
 West, they were used for catching sugar 
 water, and I have seen them that had been 
 in use for ten years. 
 
 We have used them for many years for 
 nest boxes, sawing them down low and 
 secure them in place with a shingle nail to 
 keep them from tipping over by the hen 
 stepping on the edge. 
 
 They are also convenient for many 
 household purposes, and when cut 
 through the middle horizontally, so that 
 in holding them the thumb is inside the 
 divided handle, they make capacious and 
 convenient dippers. 
 
 They should be sawn apart before 
 freezing weather in the Fall, and the seeds 
 removed, and then inverted and left till 
 Spring, and the freezing and thawing will 
 cause the pith to peel out of them, so that 
 they can be easily cleaned. 
 
 LETTUCE. 
 
 This vegetable needs a rich soil if you 
 would have it form a head, and as a very 
 small amount of land will produce all that 
 
58 gardp:nek's pocket manual. 
 
 any family can use, we can certainly afford 
 to make it rich. 
 
 It may be sown as soon as the land can 
 be worked in the Spring, in the open 
 
 FARLV PFIZ^ HFAD 
 
 ground, and may be sown in September 
 and kept through the Winter with a 
 slight protection. 
 
 The early varieties run to seed quickly, 
 and it is best to sow at the same time 
 some of the head varieties for late use. It 
 may be sown quite thick, but should be 
 thinned to a foot apart before it becomes 
 crowded, if you would have fine heads. 
 
 Early Curled Silesia — This is the best 
 early sort. Hardy, of strong growth, and 
 excellent flavor. 
 
 Large Drumhead — Heads large, some- 
 what flattened; pale green outside ; white 
 
(iAKDENERS POCKKT MANUA1-. 
 
 S9 
 
 at center ; crisp and tender ; an excellent 
 summer variety. 
 
 jFc?'r-ys Prize Head — I believe this to 
 be the best Summer Lettuce known. It 
 forms a large head of the very finest 
 flavor, and as it is slow to run up to seed, 
 
 L\R(iE DKIMHEAD. 
 
 remains in use longer than any other 
 variety. 1 recommentl this above all 
 other varieties. 
 
 MUSTARD. 
 
 Chinese — To those w^ho are fond of 
 early salads this plant deser^.-es to be bet- 
 ter known. It grows with tender, crisp 
 leaf stems, and may be used with lettuce, 
 or alone, and will be found excellent. Sow 
 once in two weeks through the season, 
 and if dry, water, as it requires a good 
 deal of moisture. 
 
6o GARDEN Eli's POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 I 
 
 MELON. 
 
 Neither Tvlusk or Water Melons should 
 be planted in the open ground until the 
 weather is warm and settled, and if they 
 are to be started in pots 
 or on sods. I would 
 not advise plantmg be- 
 fore the first of May. 
 They may be planted 
 under a single pane of 
 glass, as described in 
 jEXNv iiM) Chapter VIII, and if 
 
 this is done, and careful attention given 
 them, they may be planted a week or two 
 earlier than otherwise. 
 
 Melons require a rich soil, and it is best 
 to mix a shovelful of fine, rich manure in 
 the hill, and if they do not appear thrifty, 
 use liquid manure. Jf your soil is a heavy 
 clay, it will pay to haul sand to be used in 
 the hills. 
 
 Musk Melons may be planted six feet 
 apart each way, but Water Melons should 
 be from eight to ten apart. 
 
 The greatest enemy that the melon 
 grower has to contend with is the striped 
 bug, and some years it is almost impossi- 
 ble to secure a stand. I would always 
 recommend a free use of wheat bran, and 
 from my experience I think it will save 
 
 i 
 
(JAKDKNKK S POCKKl MAMAl.. 6l 
 
 them. Just as soon as they arc up. aj)pl\ 
 a handful to each hill, heaping it round 
 the stem up to the leaves. Go over them 
 everv t'ew days with a tVesh application, 
 antl particularly after each rain. 
 
 As seed is not expensive, I would re- 
 commend always to plant at one side of 
 the hill, and when the melons be^i^in to 
 
 GRFKN NT 'I- MEG. 
 
 come up, plant again the opposite side of 
 the hill. If the first planting should be 
 destroyed, the second will often escape. 
 
 Melons may be. planted among early 
 potatoes by omitting every third row, as 
 the potatoes can be dug before the vines 
 run much. 
 
 Melons may be planted late in June and 
 will mature, as they make a very rapid 
 growth during the heat of Summer. o 
 
63 
 
 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 MELON MUSK. 
 
 yenny Lind — The earliest of all 
 
 the 
 
 green-fleshed kinds ; sweet, and of de- 
 hcious flavor ; size, small ; skin, thickly 
 netted and thin. One of the best for the 
 home garden. 
 
 Early 7'elioiv Cantaloupe — This variety 
 is earlier than the green-fleshed kinds; of 
 
 CASABA 
 
 good size, nearly round ; flesh, salmon 
 color and thick, musky flavor. 
 
 Green Citron — Nearly round ; six to 
 eight inches in diameter ; flesh, green and 
 of delicious flavor. 
 
 Improved Green Nutmeg — This has 
 been much improved on the Seed Farm 
 of D. M. Ferrv, by careful selection, and 
 it is nov^'' regarded as the best of its kind. 
 It is of large size, thicklv netted, and 
 
GAKDENEirS POCKET MANLIAL. 63 
 
 (lecplv ril)hccl : llcsh, deep green, rich 
 and sweet. 
 
 Ci7SS(7/h7 — One of the largest and best 
 varieties in cultivation, attaining- a \vcii;ht 
 of 12 to 15 pounds. Flesh o^reen, sweet 
 and delicious. 
 
 MELON — WATER. 
 
 Ph'uuicvs J\a)'l\' — A very early variety 
 
 ol medium size and <4-()()d form , a very 
 prolific bearer ; skin, smooth with narrow 
 white mottled and dark i^reen stripes ; 
 flesh, light red, and very sweet. One of 
 the best for family use, but the rind is so 
 brittle and thin that it does not bear carri- 
 age well. 
 
 Mountain Sweet — An excellent family 
 variety. Light, green mottled ; flesh, 
 scarlet and very solid, and of delicious 
 flavor ; rind, thin. 
 
64 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 Mountain Spout — A large, striped 
 variety, with drab -colored seeds and 
 bright scarlet flesh. One of the best for 
 market, as it will yield a greater weight 
 to the acre than any other variety, and 
 
 
 PKERLKSS 
 
 bears transportation, and will keep a 
 longer time than most others. 
 
 Black Spanish — Roimd, with scarlet 
 flesh and black seeds ; size, medium. 
 
 D. M. Ferry s Peerless — This is claim- 
 ed to be the best melon grown. Size, 
 medium ; of good form ; light, mottled 
 green ; thm rind ; small, white seeds ; 
 scarlet, solid flesh, and deliciously sweet. 
 
 ONION, 
 
 Until quite recently the idea has pre- 
 vailed that onions could not be grown 
 from seed in the latitude of Southern 
 
(jahokner's pocket mania I.. 65 
 
 Ohio. It has been demonstrated, how- 
 ever, that larger and better onions can be 
 grown from seed than from sets. 
 
 As the growing of onions from sets is 
 well understood, I shall pass itb^- and tell 
 how to grow them from seed. 
 
 The soil for onions should be clean and 
 rich, and it is best to select a spot and 
 keep it for this purpose, as onions, unlike 
 most crops, may be grown on the same 
 land for many years, and the crops will 
 improve. 
 
 The seed should be sown early ir April 
 or as soon as the ground can be put in 
 good condition. Sow in drills far enough 
 apart so that you can hoe between them. 
 Scatter the seed in the row so as to have 
 a seed every inch. 
 
 In cultivation, keep the surface mellow 
 and free from weeds, but there is no need 
 of cultivating more than inch deep. 
 
 If but a few for family use are to be 
 grown they can be sown and cultivated 
 by hand, but if a large crop is to be grown 
 a seed drill and hand cultivator are indis- 
 pensible. 
 
 Where a small amount of ground is oc- 
 cupied, I would recommend a top dress- 
 ing of sifted manure to be applied after 
 they were up, just before hoeing. When 
 
 5 
 
66 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 the bulbs are nearly formed, and the tops 
 begin to fall down, ripening will be has- 
 tened by rolling an empty barrel over 
 them to break down the tops. A second 
 crop can be grown on the land by plant- 
 ing late cabbage between the rows the 
 latter part of July. 
 
 The following varieties are the most 
 popular, and will give satisfaction : 
 
 Large Red Wether sfield — This is the 
 best keeper, and the standard variety for 
 the general crop. Large size, deep pur- 
 plish red ; flesh, purplish w^hite ; very 
 productive ; strong: flavor. Not so good 
 for family use as Yellow Danvers or 
 White Portugal. 
 
 Tellozv Danvers — I think this the best 
 variety for general culture. It is of 
 globular foim ; above medium size; flesh, 
 white, and of mild flavor ; a good pro- 
 ducer. I have seen six hundred bushels 
 grown on an acre from seed sown in 
 April. 
 
 White Portugal — A large, flat onion, 
 of excellent flavor. Fine for family use 
 in Summer and Fall, but does not keep 
 well. When sown thickly so as to pro- 
 duce small bulbs, it is excellent for pickles. 
 
 PARSNIP. 
 
 Plant early in Spring, in deep, rich 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 67 
 
 soil, using plenty of seed, as it is slow to 
 germinate, and if heavy rains occur to 
 beat down the ground, the plants will not 
 all come through. Cover 
 the seed evenly about an 
 inch deep. When three or 
 four inches high, thin to six 
 inches. 
 
 Let them remain in the 
 bed all winter, as the frost 
 improves them. 
 
 If you have more than 
 the family needs, the cow 
 will appreciate them. 
 
 Long White Dutch^ or 
 Sugar — Is the common 
 variety, and is too well 
 known to need a descrip- 
 tion. 
 
 Hollow Crown — A long, 
 very symetrical variety, 
 with smooth, tapering root crown. 
 and a cavity at the crown, from which it 
 takes its name. 
 
 PEAS. 
 
 Early peas should be planted as soon as 
 the ground can be worked, and on a warm 
 dr} soil, and while some of the late kinds 
 will bear profitable crops on moderate 
 soil for the early varieties, the ground 
 
68 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 cannot be too rich, and as they ripen in 
 time to grow a full crop afler them, you 
 can afford to manure heavily. 
 
 The tall varieties that need sticks should 
 be planted in rows four feet apart, using 
 about a pint of seed to lOO feet of row. 
 
 The small, early varieties may be plant- 
 ed much closer. Tom Thumb and Mc- 
 Lean's Little Gem 15 inches, and Early 
 Philadelphia and Carter's First crop 30 
 inches apart, using a pint of seed for sixty 
 feet of drill. 
 
 The wrinkled peas are of more delicate 
 flavor than those that remain full and 
 plump, and they also remain longer in 
 season than other kinds. 
 
 At the first planting plant Tom Thumb 
 or Early Philadelphia, and at the same 
 time McLean's Little Gem and Dwarf 
 Blue Imperial. These will follow each 
 other in regular succession, and furnish 
 peas for three or four weeks. All of 
 these may be grown without sticks, but 
 Philadelphia and Blue Imperial will do 
 better with support. 
 
 Early in May plant Champion of Eng 
 land and Large Marrowfat, and you will 
 prolong the season many weeks. 
 
 These varieties are described as fol- 
 lows : 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 69 
 
 Extra Early Torn Thurnb — This, with 
 me, has proved as early and more profita- 
 ble than any other variety. I have gather- 
 ed five pecks of green peas, in the pod, to 
 the square rod, but to succeed with them 
 the g7'oimd must be 1 leh, and they must 
 be planted early. They grow but nine 
 inches high and stand erect, so that in 
 gathering them you can use both hands, 
 as you do not nee.1 to support the vines 
 with the other hand as with the taller 
 varieties. Very productive, and of good 
 flavor. 
 
 Carter's Elrst Crop — This is as early 
 as Tom Thumb ; grows two feet high, 
 and bears abundantlv ; of g-ood flavor. 
 
 Early Philadelphia — This variety is 
 also called Extra Early and Early May. It 
 is but little diff'erent from Carter's First 
 Crop, but possibly a few days earlier. 
 Grows 2\ feet high, and ripens evenly. 
 
 McLeafi's Little Gem — This is a dw^arf, 
 green, wrmkled variety. The peas are 
 large and very sweet and rich ; nearlv as 
 early as any ; grows one foot high. It is 
 really a valuable acquisition. 
 
 Large Bhie Imperial — Grows three 
 feet high ; pods large, containing eight or 
 nine peas ; seed, large blue and a little 
 flattened. A good bearer, and of excel- 
 
70 gvvhdenek's pocket manual. 
 
 lent flavor. Must be planted early, or it 
 will mildew. 
 
 Champion of England — This is one of 
 the richest and most productive peas 
 grown. Grows from four to five feet 
 high ; seed, pale green and much shrivel- 
 led. There is no better variety cultiva- 
 ted. 
 
 Large Marrozvfai — ^Vn excellent vari- 
 ety ; grows five feet high, with large 
 pods well filled with large, rich peas ; a 
 great bearer ; should be found in every 
 garden. 
 
 PEPPER. 
 
 Sow in April, under glass, and trans- 
 plant when the weather is warm and set- 
 tled. 
 
 The large variety should l)e planted 
 eighteen inches apart ; the small, one 
 foot. 
 
 Long Red Cayenne — A long, slender, 
 pointed pod ; extremely pungent ; color, 
 bright red. 
 
 Large Bell, or A/a?igo — A large sort, of 
 square form, with thick shell and mild 
 flavor ; quite early. 
 
 RADISH. 
 
 Sow the first crop as soon as the ground 
 can be w^orked, and every two weeks 
 through the season. 
 
(JARDEKEr's pocket MANUy\J- 7I 
 
 The soil best suited is a sandy loam, 
 made rich and light by good, strong 
 well-worked manure, as a quick growth 
 makes a sweet, tender radish. 
 
 Sow in drills twelve inches apart, and 
 thin to two or three inches in the 
 tow. 
 
 Thevwinter varieties may be 
 sown from the first to middle of 
 August. 
 
 Early Long Scarlet.^ Short Top 
 — This is a standard variet}' ; 
 grows on good soil from six to 
 nine inches long, about half above 
 ground. Color, bright scarlet ; 
 roots, taper regularly, and is ten- 
 der and crisp. 
 
 Red Tiirnif — A small, round, 
 red variety, with a small top ; 
 very earlv, and of remarkably 
 quick growth. 
 
 White Z2^r;2/^-- Like the above ^"^f^^^ 
 but pure white in color ; a little scarlet 
 later than the red, and bears the ^"^'^'^^ 
 
 ' TOP. 
 
 heat better. 
 
 Rose, Olive- Shaped — Skin, fine scarlet, 
 flesh, rose color, tender and excellent. 
 
 New French Breakfast — A medium- 
 sized, olive-shaped radish, with small top 
 and of quick growth. A beautiful scarlet 
 
72 
 
 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 color, except the root, which is pure 
 white. One of the very best in cultiva- 
 tion, as well as the most handsome. 
 
 California Majumoih White China, 
 
 frp:nch 
 breakfast. 
 
 KARl.V ROSK, 
 OT.IVE-SHAPED. 
 
 Wititer — This was introduced by the 
 Chinese in California. It is pure white, 
 about a foot long and two to three inches 
 in diameter, tapering regularly to the 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 73 
 
 root. Keeps well through the winter. 
 A valuable addition to our list. 
 
 Rose ChiJta^ Winter — Of conical form 
 and smooth skin ; a lively rose color ; 
 flesh, firm. This and the above keep best 
 buried in the ground. When kept in the 
 cellar they should be covered with sand. 
 
 SPINACH. 
 
 This vegetable deserves a place in every 
 garden. It is easily cultivated, and will 
 furnish a delicious dish at a time when 
 the appetite craves for something green. 
 
 It may be sown in September for early 
 Spring use, and will need but slight pro- 
 tection through the winter. Sow again 
 as soon as the ground can be worked, and 
 once in two weeks for a succession. 
 
 There are but few varieties, and for 
 general use the round Summer variety 
 will be found the best. Leaves large, 
 thick and fleshy ; stands the winter well; 
 sow quite thick, and thin for use until the 
 plants are six inches apart. 
 
 The soil should be rich. 
 
 SAGE. 
 
 Sow early in Spring, in shallow drills ; 
 press the seed firmly into the soil and 
 cover half an inch deep. In the Fall, or 
 the following Spring, transplant, setting 
 eighteen inches apart each way. 
 
74 
 
 GARDEN EKS POCKE'l' MANUA: 
 
 SQJUASH. 
 
 Squashes require the same general 
 treatment as melons. 
 
 They need a rich soil, and warm tem- 
 perature, and must not be planted until 
 
 the ground is warm and the weather set- 
 tled. 
 
 Their greatest enemy is the striped bug, 
 and constant watchfulness will be re- 
 quired to save them. 
 
 The Summer varieties may be planted 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 75 
 
 five feet apart, but the winter varieties 
 should be ten feet apart. 
 
 Of Summer varieties there are two 
 Early Bush Scallops. An early, fiat, 
 scallop-shaped variety ; color, white or 
 
 yellow ; good flavored ; and very pro- 
 ductive. 
 
 SQUASH SUMMER. 
 
 Summer Crookneck — The richest and 
 best sort for Summer. It is of a yellow 
 color, with a rough, warty surface. It is 
 used only when young and tender. When 
 
^6 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 ripe it has a shell almost as hard as a 
 gourd. 
 
 Squash Winter — The best winter 
 squash known. Flesh, bright orange, 
 fine ground, dry, sweet and rich flavor. 
 Keeps perfectly well through the winter. 
 The skin is of a dark, bronze color. 
 
 MarbleJicad — This is an admirable new" 
 variety. It is the finest grained squash 
 
 WINTER CROOKNhCK 
 
 and the best keeper known. About the 
 size of the Hubbard, and of a bluish green 
 color, wi.h a bright orange flesh. Re- 
 quires the whole season to mature. 
 
 Boston Mari'ozv — An excellent Fall and 
 Winter variety. Bright, orange color, 
 with salmon colored flesh. Dry and fine 
 grained. 
 
 Winter Crookncck —This is the easiest 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 77 
 
 cultivated of all the squash family, as it is 
 seldom troubled by bug of any descrip- 
 tion. It yields enormously, and will ma- 
 ture if planted as late as July loth. I have 
 grow^n enormous crops of them after early 
 peas. They may be planted also between 
 early potatoes so late that they will run 
 but little before the potatoes are dug. 
 They are fine for pies, and ot fair quality 
 for the table, and make a cheap and ex- 
 cellent food for hogs. 
 
 TOMATO. 
 
 For the early crop, seeds should be 
 sown in March, in hot-bed or in a box in a 
 warm window. When two inches high, 
 transplant, setting them three inches 
 apart each way. This gives them good, 
 fibrous roots, so that the final transplant- 
 ing does not check their growth. 
 
 If extra fine and early tomatoes are 
 wanted, a second transplanting is advisa- 
 ble, giving them still moie room before 
 the final transplanting. 
 
 Water copiously. 
 
 New varieties, each said to be earlier 
 than its successor, have been brought out 
 each year, and while much has been 
 claimed that did not stand the test, no 
 vegetable has been more improved than 
 this. o 
 
^S gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 The following varieties include the 
 
 best : 
 
 Canada Victor— T\\\^ has sustained its 
 reputation for earliness, and possesses a 
 good form and flavor ; ripens well, and 
 colors up to the stem. 
 
 Ferry's Early Smooth Red— One of 
 the earliest ; medium size, deep crimson, 
 
 TROPHY. 
 
 smooth skin, and perfectly smooth sur- 
 face ; solid, and of uniform size. 
 
 Hathaway s Excelsior — Qiiite early ; of 
 medium size, smooth and solid ; a desira- 
 ble variety. 
 
 Trophy — This variety has sustained its 
 reputation better than any nevs^ variety 
 originated for years. It is medium early, 
 of large size, and uniformly smooth and 
 solid. One of the very best. 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 79 
 
 jyiden — This variety ripens early, keeps 
 a long time after it is gathered, and bears 
 carriage well. It is very productive; Mr. 
 Tilden, of Iowa, who originated it, claims 
 to have grown 500 bushels to the acre of 
 it. Fruit, large, roundish oval ; skin, 
 smooth ; color, bright red. 
 
 La?'ge Tellozv — A large, flatish tomato 
 
 CANADA VICTOR. 
 
 of bright, yellow color ; used for preserv- 
 ing. 
 
 Tellotv Phim—A small, plum-shaped, 
 yellow tomato. Fine for pickling and 
 preserving. 
 
 TURNIP. 
 
 This crop should occupy a more im- 
 portant place on the farm than it does. I 
 have often sold turnips, by the car-load, at 
 from twenty-five to thirty-five cents per 
 
So GARDE nek's POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 bushel, and liave made more clear profit 
 per acre from them than from any crop I 
 ever grew. 
 
 If there should be no demand for them 
 in market, they can be easily wintered in 
 
 PURPLE TOP, STRAP LEAVED. 
 
 pits and fed to cattle and sheep, and will 
 be found profitable food. 
 
 They may be grown as a second crop, 
 and require moderately rich land, finely 
 worked. 
 
 I have grown large fields of them to 
 average 300 bushels to the acre, and sin- 
 gle acres that yielded 500 bushels. 
 
 I have also grown them successfully by 
 plowing clover sod after a crop of hay 
 
gardener's pocket manuai.. 8i 
 
 had been cut, or by burning off wheat 
 stubble and then working the surface fine 
 with the cultivator and harrow. 
 
 To succeed well with them, there should 
 be a light coat of finely worked manure 
 spread on the surface and harrowed in. 
 
 I prefer to sow during the first ten days 
 of August, but if I have a large crop to 
 put in, or there are indications of a dry 
 
 EARLY WHITE, FLAT DUTCH. 
 
 Fall, I sow a part of my land at any time 
 after the middle of July, when the ground 
 is in order. 
 
 The common practice is to sow just be- 
 fore a rain. It is the worst possible time. 
 The rain forms a crust, and also brings up 
 a crop of weeds ; the turnips do not make 
 a thrifty start, and are often destroyed by 
 the garden flea, and if they make a stand 
 there will always be a crop of weeds with 
 them. 
 
 I have grown turnips for twenty years 
 6 
 
83 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAT.. 
 
 without a single failure, and some years 
 have had a crop when no one else in the 
 township did, and I attribute it to this 
 rule : 
 
 Ahvays sow your iuriiips as soon after 
 a rain as the ground can be zvorked witli- 
 out packing. 
 
 Have your land fine and smooth, no 
 matter how much it is packed if there is 
 an inch or two of fine, mellow earth at 
 the surface. Sow one pound of seed to 
 the acre, and cover with a light drag, or if 
 a small piece of ground, by raking lightly 
 with a orarden rake. If it does not rain 
 
 o 
 
 heavily until your turnips get a little start- 
 ed, they will rarely need any cultivation ; 
 but if the ground is very weedy, it will 
 pay to hoe them on foul land. 
 
 I would recommend sowing in drills 
 fifteen inches apart. 
 
 To keep them through the winter, we 
 pile in ricks three teet high and narrow 
 at the base so that the sides will slope at 
 an angle of forty-five degrees, and throw 
 a fool of earth on them without any 
 straw, and then protect the outside with 
 straw, corn fodder, or coarse manure. 
 
 From the many varieties in cultivation 
 I have selected the following as the best: 
 
 Early White Flat Dutch — Sow in 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 83 
 
 Spring, and use as soon as large enough. 
 It is spongy when full grown. 
 
 Purple Top^ Strap Leaf — This is the 
 best variety for the main crop. It makes 
 a quick, vigorous start, so that it is seldom 
 destroyed by the " flea," yields largely, 
 and outsells any other in the market. It 
 is purely an American variety, and with- 
 out doubt the best for the main crop. 
 
 Improved Purple Pop, Rut a Baga — 
 Probably the best variety of Swedish 
 turnip in cultivation. It is of fine shape 
 and flavor, large size, with solid flesh. 
 Should be sown from June 20th to July 
 15th, on dry, rich land. They succeed 
 best on low ridges, two and a half feet 
 apart. Thin to ten inches in the row and 
 cultivate. 
 
gardener's pocket manuai.. 85 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
 
 '• Bring Plowers. 
 
 Thej speak of hope to the famishing heart, 
 With a voice of promise thej come and part. 
 Thej sleep in dust through the winter hours, 
 They break forth in glory, bring flowers, bring 
 
 flowers." 
 
 The last ten years has witnessed a great 
 advance in the cultivation of flow^ers. Not 
 only have florists introduced new varieties 
 and improved many of the old ones, but 
 the cultivation of flowers has become 
 general, so that it is the exception to find 
 a home unadorned by them. 
 
 There is no cheapei nor purer pleasure 
 than that which is found in the cultiva- 
 tion of flowers. The tired mother who 
 can spend a little time in the flower-gar- 
 den in the cool of the evening, will find 
 herself rested by it far more than if she 
 sat down with hands and mind unoccu- 
 pied. 
 
 There is now such a variety of flowers 
 that the taste of every one can be gratified 
 
86 gardener's pocket manuai . 
 
 — some preferring the old, standard vari- 
 ties, and others desiring to experiment 
 with the new kinds. 
 
 It is a good plan for the farmer's wife 
 to have a small flower gaiden so located 
 that she can see it when about her daily 
 work. 
 
 A bed of Portulaca, Phlox, Verbenas, 
 Petunias and Dwarf Convolvulus, all of 
 which are easily cultivated, will make a 
 brilliant show for many months. A row 
 of the old-fashioned Four O'clocks, a cir- 
 cle of Cypress, a window or trellis cover- 
 ed with Morning Glories, Ornamental 
 Gourds or Balloon Vine, a few plants of 
 Zinnia and Coxcomb, and a hedge of 
 Sweet Peas will beautify the home and 
 furnish flowers for cutting. 
 
 While the cultivation of flowers is sim- 
 ple, yet it requires the exercise of judg- 
 ment as well as anything else. 
 
 Such seeds as Balsam, Phlox, Convol- 
 vulus, Aster, Zinnia, Four O'Clock, etc., 
 may be sown in the open grciund, but the 
 soil must be well prepared, and the seeds 
 sown after the weather is warm and set- 
 tled. 
 
 Verbena should be sown early in a 
 frame or box in the house, and the earth 
 
gardener's pocket manuaj, 87 
 
 pressed firmly with a board, and kept 
 always moist. 
 
 Small seeds, such as Portiilaca, Cam- 
 panula, Dianthus, etc., should be i-prinkled 
 on a smooth surface, and barely covered 
 out of sight, by sifting light mellow soil 
 over them and then protect them from 
 the sun with cloth or green branches. 
 
 Most varieties of flowers can be easily 
 transplanted, but a few such as Poppy, 
 Sweet Peas and Mignonette should be 
 planted where they are to remain. 
 
 In sowing small delicate seeds of any 
 kind it is of the utmost importance to 
 have the soil in fine condition, and to 
 press the earth with a piece of board, so 
 that it will be brought in close contact 
 with the seed. 
 
 The flower garden usually occupies so 
 little space, that the labor will be small to 
 bring it to a good condition. Tt should 
 be deeply dug, and enriched with 
 thoroughly decayed manure, and sand and 
 fresh mould from the woods should be 
 added until it is rendered pliable and 
 porous. 
 
 The flowers that I have described in 
 this work while they comprise but a small 
 part of those found in our modern cata- 
 logues, w^ill give a sufficient variety, and 
 
88 GARDENEJl's POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 be found to include those that are most 
 easily cuUivated. 
 
 I have arranged them for convenience^ 
 under different heads, classing Climbers, 
 Foliage Plants, Everlastings, etc., by 
 themselves, 
 
 To succeed with many of the delicate 
 flow^ers, a frame and glass will be found 
 a necessity in starting them, so that theyf 
 can be protected from cold winds an 
 rain, and the heat of the sun. 
 
 1 
 
 FLOWERS BLOOMING THE FIRST SEASON. 
 
 Ah'onia — A trailing plant with Ver- 
 bena-like flowers. A native of California. 
 Half-hardy annual. Mixed colors. 
 
 Adonis^ (Pheasant's Eye) — A hardy 
 annual growing about one foot high. 
 Floweis deep red. Delicate foliage. 
 
 Ageraium — A flower of bush-like ap- 
 pearance, prized because it blooms so 
 long and abundantly ; mixed colors. 
 
 Agrostem7na — A hardy, free blooming 
 plant. Flowers resembling a single pink 
 on long, slender stems. Twelve inches 
 in hight ; mixed colors. 
 
 Alyssum — Sweet Alyssum has pretty 
 little white flowers, useful in making up 
 all kinds of small bouquets. It has a very 
 delicate fragrance. 
 
(JAKDENEr's roCKKT MANUAL. S9 
 
 AiitirrJiiniini, (Snap Drai^on) — ()ncof 
 the most showy and useful liordcr jJants, 
 blooming abundantly from the first of 
 v"^ummer until after frost. Ilalf liardN- ; 
 mixed colors. 
 
 /)i.L'i7rf A /f I i r r hi N i< n/- i\h(n\i six inches 
 hi^h ; mixed colors. 
 
 .•l.v/<r — The Aster is now a general 
 faxorilc. It blooms under favoiable cir- 
 cumstances until tVost comes ; mixed 
 colors. 
 
 Balsam —A magnificent annual, need- 
 ins: I'ich soil and ijood cultivation ; mixed 
 colors. The side branches should be re- 
 mo\ ed. 
 
 Bartouia — Very showy, half hardy an- 
 nual. Leaves, gray and downy ; flowers, 
 a bright, metallic yellow. 
 
 Broivallia — Half hardy annual ; very 
 handsome ; an abundance of rich and 
 beautiful flowers during the Summer. 
 Blue and white mixed. 
 
 Cacalia, (Tassel Flower) — Pretty, half 
 hard} annuals, with small, tassel-like 
 flowers, often called Flora's Paint Brush. 
 Scarlet and yellow. 
 
 Calandi-ijiia — Fine dwarf growing 
 plants ; natives of South America. Pur- 
 ple and white, mixed. 
 
 Calliopsis — These plant- are usiudly 
 
90 
 
 GARDENEK S POCKET MANUA] 
 
 two or three feet in hight, of slender 
 habit and vigorous growth. The flowers 
 are of every shade of yellow, orange and 
 rich, reddish brown. Makes a fine show. | 
 Candytuft — All varieties of Candytuft ' 
 
 COCKSCOMB 
 
 are hardy and easy to cultivate. Very 
 pretty for beds and for cutting ; mixed 
 colors. 
 
 Celosia, (Coxcomb,) — Half hardy an^, 
 nuals; magnificent for conservatory decor-f 
 ation, producing elegant plume-shaped 
 
(^ A KDK nick's VOi KK'l" MANUAL. CJl 
 
 spikes of flowers. Every shade of scarlet 
 and crimson. 
 
 Clarkia — Annuals ; universally grown 
 and admired ; of easy culture and profuse 
 bloomers. 
 
 Coll nisi a — A \ er\ prettv, free-bloom- 
 ing, hardy annual. The marbled or many- 
 colored flowers are in whorls of five to 
 six blossoms. 
 
 Coiivolvuhis Minor — A beautiful plant 
 oftrailinor habits, with handsome larg-e 
 flowers, two-thirds the size of the Morn- 
 ing Glory. The flowers close in the after- 
 noon. Mixed colors. 
 
 Crc/)is — A pretty hardy annual, with 
 flowers yellow, pink, purple and white. 
 Plants about one foot in hight. 
 
 Datura — Half hardy perennial ; re- 
 markable for the extraordinary size of its 
 trumpet-shaped flowers ; generally white, 
 (Sometimes tinted with delicate blue. 
 I Roots can be preserved in the cellar the 
 I same as Dahlias. 
 
 I Daisy Double — A well known flower 
 I blooming most of the season; prefers a 
 ; cool, sheltered place , needs some protec- 
 tion in Winter. Flowers, white, red or 
 variegated. 
 
 EschscJwltzia — One of the most splen- 
 did flowers known. Leaves, finely cut. 
 
^2 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 Blossoms two Inches in diameter ; a deep 
 yellow. Hardy perennials, blooming first 
 year if sown early. 
 
 Eutoca — A showy, Iree blooming plant; 
 flowers intensely blue. A branch placed 
 in water will l)loom many days. 
 
 Evening J^ri))irosc — Very useful free 
 flowering plants for beds or borders. 
 
 Gaillardia — Showy, and universally 
 admired among the gayest ornaments of 
 Summer flower beds ; flowers, creamy 
 yellow and orange. 
 
 Gilia — Delicate in leaf and flov\er; 
 free-flowering hardy annuals, from six to 
 ten inches in hight ; mixed colors. 
 
 Godctia — Beautiful, hardy annuals . 
 easily cultivated ; should be tieated like 
 Calliopsis. 
 
 Gypsophila — A free flowering plant 
 adapted to baskets. Hardy annual; flowers 
 pink and white ; very small and delicate. 
 
 Ilibiscns — A hardy annual ; large : 
 flowers, cream color with ricii brown 
 center. 
 
 Larkspur — Very handsome ; in large 
 gardens indispensable. The brilliancv of 
 some of the colors is unsurpassed. 
 
 Ice Plant — The flowers are small and 
 white ; leaves, thick and fleshv, covered 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 93 
 
 with ice crystals. Suitable for hanging 
 baskets. 
 
 Lhium, (Scarlet Flax)— A fine, half 
 hardy annual with crimson flowers. Plants 
 of a slender and delicate growth. 
 
 Lobelia — Annual, of a trailing habit, 
 bearing numbers of small flowers. Fine 
 for baskets and rockeries. 
 
 Marigold— 1:\\\^ plant is almost indis- 
 
 MIGNON KTTI~ 
 
 pensable where a rich display of bloom is 
 desired. Flowers, double, yellow, orange 
 and brown. 
 
 Mignonette — A well-known fragrant, 
 hardy annual, with blossoms of a light, 
 delicate brown. Very desirable for 
 bouquets. Blooms the entire season ; of 
 exquisite fragrance. 
 
 Mirabilis^ (Four O'clock) — Fragrant 
 flowers and desirable colors. Grows tw^o 
 feet in hight. 
 
 Mimosa, (Sensitive Plant) — A singu- 
 
94 
 
 (JAKDENKIi S POCKEl MANUAL 
 
 lar annual ]:)lant. The leaves close up and 
 droop in damp weather or when touched. 
 The foliage is its greatest lieauts . 
 
 Nastiirtiu?u — An annual of dwarf habit. 
 Varieties of compact habit an- becoming 
 verv po])ular. 
 
 Xcniof^hila — A verv 
 
 pretty, delicate, hardy 
 
 mnual. The flowers are 
 
 f ^ nainh' blue and white. 
 
 /^ Do finely all Summer. 
 Jl^ Xii^cila^ (Love in a 
 Mist) — Hard) annuals, 
 with finely cut leaves, 
 and flowers inclosid in a 
 NK.Moi'iiiLA feathery involucre. .^ 
 
 Pctufiia^ (Blotched and Striped) — 'I'his 
 1km(1\ annual is a very showy plant, and 
 will bloom from June to Autumn. 
 
 /'/;//• — This beautiful, hardy flow er is 
 admired for the richness of its coloring, 
 and its ilelicate fVagiance. 
 
 Phlox — This half-hardv annual has no 
 equal for a brilliant mass of colors and a 
 constant display of blossoms. The colors 
 range from the purest white to the deep- 
 est purple or crimson, with a great xarictv 
 of markings. 
 
 Pansy — This well-known hartly plant 
 is deservedly a general favorite. The 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 95 
 
 flowers range in colors from black to pure 
 white. Have, during the past year, had 
 
 1'i:tlma 
 
 it in bloom in the open ground for ten 
 months. 
 
 Portulaca — A bed of this flower is one 
 
 I'HLOX DRUMMONDII 
 
96 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 mass of brilliant color durinor the morn- 
 ing hours, and when the blossoms have 
 closed the foliage is very pretty. Hardy 
 annual ; mixed colors of every conceiva- 
 ble shade. 
 
 Portulaca Double — This flower has all 
 the brilliancv of the sino;!^. P(jrtulaca, and 
 
 VERBKNA 
 
 is as double as a rose. All colors mixed. 
 
 Poppy — This hardy perennial is very 
 brilliant. Thc} have a tap root and are 
 hard to transplant. 
 
 Scabiosa, (Mourning Bride) — A hardy 
 plant eighteen inches high ; flowers, 
 hemsphcrical in shape. Mixed colors. 
 
 Stock, Tc?i Weeks — This flower is un- 
 surpassed for brilliancy and diversity of 
 color or for profusion and duration of 
 bloom. Verv fragrant. o 
 
gardener's pocket manual. 97 
 
 Sanitalia — A fine trailing plant suita- 
 ble for baskets. Hardy annual : vellow ; 
 double. 
 
 Verbena — This beautiful plant is half- 
 hardy : very fine for masses, the bright 
 colors contrast finely with the green 
 leaves. Mixed colors. The seedlings are 
 more vigorous and much better bloomers 
 than plants grown from cuttings. 
 
 Verbena Montana — This is a hardy 
 
 PANSEY 
 
 wmrr.AvrA 
 
 variety from the Rocky ^rountains, lives 
 out-doors through the winter. Lilac 
 blossoms. A very profuse bloomer. 
 
 Whitlavia—W^XiXy annual, with deli- 
 cate foliage and small bell-shaped fiower?, 
 rDoes best in a cold situation. Colors, 
 violet, blue and whi<:e. 
 
 Zinnia Double — These plants grow 
 
 about two feet high, and have blossoms 
 
 as double as the Dahlia. The colors run 
 
 through all shr.des of carmine, scarlet, 
 
 7 
 
98 gardener's pocket manual. 
 
 crimson and lilac, to the orange and pure 
 white. 
 
 everlastings. 
 
 Acroclinium — Very pretty, half-hardy 
 annuals, with rose and white, daisy-like 
 flowers. They should be gathered for 
 drying when partially open. 
 
 Globe Amaranth —This is valued for its 
 handsome globular flowers, which will 
 retain their beauty for years, if cut when 
 well matured. Mixed white and crim- 
 son. 
 
 Helichrysums — One of the best Ever- 
 lasting flowers; white, yellow, red and of 
 many brownish shades, 
 
 RodantJie — An elegant Everlasting ; its 
 glossy flowers form a beautiful contrast to 
 its lustrous, heart-shaped leaves. Flowers 
 rosy purple and pure white. 
 
 foliage plants. 
 
 Amaranthus, tricolor^ (Joseph's Coat,) 
 — Red, yellow and green foliage. Grows 
 two feet high. 
 
 Amara?ith7is, melancholicus ruber — 
 Striking blood-red fohage; half-hardy 
 annual from Japan. 
 
 Ainarantlnis, salicifolius — Pyramidal 
 in form ; leaves, long, narrow and wavy, 
 varying from green to bronze. 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 99 
 
 Carina, (Corn Geranium,) — This plant 
 has broad, green, highly 
 ornamental leaves. Half- 
 hardy perennial. 
 
 Euphorbia — A beauti- 
 ful plant for groups, with 
 variegated leaves. Some 
 times called Snow on the 
 Mountain. Two and a 
 half to three feet. 
 
 Honesty — Easy, free 
 cANNA flowering plant ; pretty 
 
 silver-like seed pods when watered. 
 Valuable for winter bouquets. 
 
 Ricinus, (Castor Bean) — This has very 
 ornamental foliage. Grows from five to 
 ten feet hig-h. 
 
 Zea Maisc, (Striped Leafed Corn,) — 
 An ornamental foliage plant of much 
 beauty. Leaves striped with white and 
 green. Five feet. 
 
 CLIMBERS. 
 
 Adlujnia, (Climbing Fern) — One of 
 the most delicate and graceful climbers. 
 Fifteen feet high. 
 
 Balloon Vine — A very beautiful, pale 
 green climber ; delicate foliage. The 
 seed is enclosed in a minature balloon. 
 Morning Glory — This well-known plant 
 
( lOO GARDENER S I'OCKE'l MAM AL. 
 
 1 is the most popular of clinil)ers : all colors 
 niixed. 
 
 Gourd, Mixed — These \ ines hear gourds 
 egg-shaped, pear-shaped, round, etc. 
 Very fine for co\eringold fences, stumps, 
 etc. 
 
 Gourd, I^i^'i{ — These gourds arc white 
 and shaped like an egg ; one is often 
 taken for the other at first sight. 
 
 Cypress — A beautiful climlici" ; dcli(.atc 
 
 f 
 
 1^ 
 
 TMIMU R(,I.\. 
 
 foliage, and small hut striking llowcis. 
 Mixed colors. Do not sow till warm, set 
 tied wea»^her. 
 
 Szccet Peas — One of the iiKist beautiful 
 and fragrant of tlowers, and deservedly 
 popular. Should be planted very early, 
 in the open ground. 
 
 TJninheroia — A very ornamental 
 climber. Flowers, white and orange. 
 Fine for baskets. 
 
gardexer's pocket manual, ioi 
 
 BLOOM I XG SECOND SEASON. 
 
 Canterbury Bdl —A well-known, 
 
 popular, larore, blue, bell-shaped flower. 
 
 Carnation /•/;//'— No plant can surpass 
 
 111 delicacy of marking, form or fragrance 
 
 this richly hued flower. 
 
 Dioritalis—The tall spikes crowned 
 with thimble-shaped puiple and white 
 flowers make a fine contrast to the foliage 
 of the plant. Three feet high. 
 
 IlolIyJiock, (Double,) — In situations 
 suitable for tall flowers, we know of 
 nothing better chan the Hollyhock. 
 
 L 1 'ch n is — H a n d s o m e 
 and ornamental ; very 
 <:^^'^4^rt£^il_^ eflective in mixed 
 i^^beds ; hardy. 
 
 S-vcct William — A 
 beautiful flower; colors 
 ranging from white to 
 scarlet, and \'ariously 
 edged, eyed and spotted. 
 
 Wall 1^1 (KL'cr — If grown in pots sunk 
 to the rim in earth, fine plants can be se- 
 cured. I'^)r Winter blooming, keep in a 
 cool loom, and water treclv. Rich oransfe 
 flowers of delightful fragrance. 
 
 I.Yl MM 
 
I02 (JAliDKNEK S POCKK'J' MANUA 
 
 FLOWERING SHRUBS. 
 
 In closing, we give our readers some 
 excellent illustrations of some [handsome 
 flowering shrubs. The first one, the com- 
 mon Snowball, is too well known to need 
 description. With but little care and 
 
 VIBURNUM OPULUS STERILUS — snOW-ball . ) 
 
gardener's pocket manu7\l 103 
 
 reasonable treatment, it can be grown in 
 almost any portion of our country, and 
 
 DiERViLLA ROSEA — (rose-co!ored weigela ) 
 few ornamental shrubs contribute more to 
 
I04 GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. 
 
 the beauty of a home and its surroundings 
 than this. All the varieties of the Vibur- 
 num form handsome shrubs for lawns or 
 ornamental grounds. 
 
 The Weigelas form another valuable 
 
 HYDRANGEA — (otaska.) 
 
 genus, introduced from Japan as late as 
 1843. The shrubs are of erect growth 
 while young, but gradually become 
 spreading and drooping as they acquire 
 age. The flowers are large and trumpet- 
 
GARDENER S POCKET MANUAL. I05 
 
 shaped, and of every shade from white to 
 red. In borders and groups of trees they 
 are very effective. 
 
 Tje variety ilhistrated (Rosea,) is quite 
 hardy, of robust grow^th, producing in 
 May an abundance of fine rose-colored 
 blossoms. 
 
 The Hydrangea is another valuable 
 genus. Many of them are perfectly 
 hardy, but others, among which is the 
 Otaska, shown in our illustration, require 
 to be grown in pots or boxes, and winter- 
 ed in the cellar. In Summer they may be 
 placed along walks under the shade of 
 trees. The Otaska is specially adapted 
 for this purpose, being a very free bloom- 
 er, and producing immense trusses of 
 rose-colored flowers. The foliage is of a 
 deep green color. 
 
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 SORGO PAN! 
 
 I have patented and ani manufacturing what I 
 beheve to be 
 
 111 llSf SOliO P4I 
 
 In existence. I have had twentv years' experi- 
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 I want every manufacturer of sorgo in the 
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135 ROOMS. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT. 
 
 INDIANA HOUSE, 
 
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 FIFTH STREET, 
 
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 ROOMS, 50 CENTS. MEALS, 4O CENTS. 
 
Within the last two years an entirely new 
 principle has been adopted in heating water and 
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 satisfaction. |tt^"THE BURNS COOKER, 
 while it combines all the advantages of the 
 Smith, is more durable, and has the advantage of 
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