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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 Agricultural Experiment Station. 
 
 URBANA, JANUARY, 1901. 
 
 BULLETIN No. 61. 
 
 THE FARMER'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
 BY JOHN W. LLOYD, B.S.A., INSTRUCTOR IN HORTICULTURE. 
 
 The farmer's garden differs from that of the market gardener 
 in that its purpose is to furnish a continuous supply of vegetables 
 for the owner's table rather than to supply the market with those 
 vegetables on which the most profit can be realized. In fact, the 
 farmer usually should not consider the matter of profit and loss in 
 connection with each particular garden crop. He should grow the 
 vegetables he likes and make sure of having an ample supply, even 
 if some surplus may go to waste. 
 
 Since the market gardener grows his vegetables to sell, earli- 
 ness, productiveness, and shipping qualities are of more importance 
 to him than are the eating qualities of his products. With him a 
 difference of three or four days in the time of ripening of a crop of 
 peas or sweet corn may mean the difference between a handsome 
 profit and a dead loss. With the farmer it is not so. He grows the 
 vegetables for his own use, and quality should be of more import- 
 ance to him than mere earliness or productiveness. He may make 
 small plantings of extremely early varieties to supply his table at 
 the beginning of the season, but his main plantings should be of 
 varieties noted for their fine quality. 
 
 The farmer's garden will differ from that of the man who lives 
 in town in its size, arrangement, and method of cultivation. The 
 city man will usually have to confine his garden to a small area, 
 
2 BULLETIN NO. 61. [January, 
 
 plant it in a manner to economize space, and work it almost entire- 
 ly with hand tools. The farmer has plenty of land, and should 
 manage his garden with a view to economizing- time rather than 
 space. To this end, he should plant his vegetables in long rows 
 far enough apart to admit of cultivation with a horse. 
 
 In order to secure data regarding the amount of labor involved 
 in the care of a garden, and the amount of produce it would yield, 
 a "farmer's garden" was planted upon the grounds of the horti- 
 cultural department of the University of Illinois last spring, and 
 was managed with a view to furnishing a continuous supply of 
 vegetables throughout the season. The following pages are devot- 
 ed chiefly to an account of this garden. 
 
 PURCHASE OF SEEDS. 
 
 In planning for a garden, one of the first things is to select 
 and procure the seeds necessary for its planting. It is usually 
 more satisfactory to select these from the catalog of some reliable 
 seedsman and order by mail than to depend upon the stock usually 
 carried in the country store. In the selection of varieties due con- 
 sideration should be given to the matter of securing a succession of 
 the same vegetable for a longer time than one planting of one var- 
 iety will provide. The two methods of securing a succession in the 
 case of vegetables having a short period of edibility are (1) plant- 
 ing varieties of different degrees of earliness, and (2) planting the 
 same variety at different times. The greater the number of vari- 
 eties planted, the greater will be the expense for seed. The fewer 
 the number of varieties, the greater the number of plantings which 
 it will be necessary to make in order to secure the desired succes- 
 sion. A combination of the two methods will Usually be found the 
 most satisfactory. This combination method was the one decided 
 upon for the farmer's garden upon the horticultural grounds, and 
 the following bill of seeds, etc., was ordered from one of the lead- 
 ing seedsmen of Chicago. 
 
 100 one-year-old asparagus roots, Barr's mammoth $ .60 
 
 I pkt. rhubarb seed, Myatt's Victoria 05 
 
 30 horse-radish sets 10 
 
 pt. onion sets, Egytian or perennial tree 15 
 
 qt. onion sets, yellow bottom 20 
 
 pt. beans, stringless green pod 15 
 
 pt. beans, saddleback wax ... .15 
 
 pt. beans, Henderson's bush lima 15 
 
 oz. beets, Crosby's Egyptian lo 
 
 oz. beets, long smooth blood 05 
 
 pkt. cabbage, select Jersey Wakefield io 
 
4 BULLKTIN NO. 6l. \JiUlUiiry, 
 
 i pkt. cabbage, all head early , 10 
 
 I pkt. cabbage, autumn king 05 
 
 i pkt. cauliflower, Vaughan's snowball 25 
 
 i pkt. carrot, early scarlet horn 05 
 
 i pkt. carrot, select Danvers 10 
 
 i pkt. celery, giant pascal 05 
 
 i pkt. cress, curled garden 05 
 
 l / 2 pt. sweet corn, mammoth white Cory 06 
 
 Yz pt. sweet corn, Chicago market .06 
 
 l / 2 pt. sweet corn, Stowell's evergreen 06 
 
 Y 2 pt. sweet corn, country gentleman 06 
 
 i oz. cucumber, the emerald 10 
 
 i pkt. lettuce, improved Hanson 05 
 
 i oz. muskmelon, emerald gem 10 
 
 i oz. muskmelon, champion market 10 
 
 i oz. watermelon, Cole's early 10 
 
 i oz. watermelon, Mclver's sugar 15 
 
 i oz. onion, Australian brown 20 
 
 i oz. onion, extra early flat red 10 
 
 i oz. parsnip, improved Guernsey 10 
 
 i pkt. parsley, champion moss curled 05 
 
 i qt. peas, Nott's excelsior 25 
 
 i qt. peasi Hosford's market garden 25 
 
 i qt. peas, improved stratagem 25 
 
 i pkt. pepper, ruby king 05 
 
 i oz. radish, brightest long scarlet 10 
 
 i oz. radish, earliest white 15 
 
 i oz. radish, Cincinnati market 10 
 
 i oz. radish, new white Chinese (winter) 10 
 
 i oz. spinach, long standing 05 
 
 i pkt. salsify, Sandwich Island mammoth 05 
 
 1 pkt. squash, summer crookneck 05 
 
 2 oz. squash, Chicago warted Hubbard 15 
 
 i pkt. tomato, stone 10 
 
 i oz. turnip, purple top strap leaf 06 
 
 Total $545 
 
 No seed potatoes were purchased because there were plenty in 
 the cellar available for the purpose. The fanner should usuall} 7 
 save his own seed potatoes and perhaps the seed of a few other 
 vegetables, but in the case of most of the garden crops it is cheaper 
 to buy the seed than to raise, harvest, cure, and clean it. And, 
 furthermore, better results can usually be secured from seed grown 
 by men who make a business of seed-growing than from home grown 
 stock. 
 
 LOCATION AND SOIL. 
 
 The garden should be located near the house so that it will not 
 be necessary to walk half a mile to get a head of lettuce for break- 
 
I90I.J 
 
 THE FARMER S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
 fast, or a dozen roasting- ears for dinner, or a few tomatoes for sup- 
 per. To be at their best, most vegetables should be used very soon 
 after they are gathered. The garden will be appreciated most if 
 it is not far from the kitchen, not only because the vegetables may 
 be used fresher, but also because the products of the garden will 
 enter more largely into the daily bill of fare, if they are within 
 easy reach. 
 
 The soil for the garden should be rich and in a high state of 
 cultivation. The ground selected for the garden of the horticul- , 
 tural department was one-half acre of black prairie soil. This area 
 was naturally a little low, but had been thoroughly tile-drained 
 and plowed the preceding fall, and was therefore well suited to the 
 growing of vegetables. In shape it was a long rectangle, being 280 
 feet long and 77 feet wide. 
 
 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL FOR PLANTING. 
 
 Early in the spring twenty loads of partially rotted manure 
 were applied to the half acre, and on April 7th, when the soil had 
 become just dry enough to crumble readily without sticking to the 
 
 SLED MARKER. 
 
 hand, the land was plowed, disked, and planked. April 9th, it 
 was harrowed and again planked. This treatment brought the soil 
 
6 BULLETIN NO. 61. [January, 
 
 into excellent condition for the reception of seeds, without the use 
 of a single hand tool. 
 
 Beginning- at the east side of the garden, rows three feet apart, 
 running lengthwise of the area, were laid out by means of a sled 
 marker drawn by hand. If a guide stake is placed at each end of 
 the row to be laid out, and one in the middle, it is easy to mark the 
 rows as straight as they could be made by the use of a line, and with 
 much less trouble. Three rows were marked at a time, and the 
 drills made by the runners were of just the right depth for the 
 planting of radishes, beets, onions, and other small seeds. Where 
 these small seeds were to be planted the rows were made only one 
 and a half feet apart, by straddling the marks already made. For 
 planting the asparagus roots and the potatoes, furrows were opened 
 with a one-horse plow, and for the peas, with the plow attachment 
 on a wheel hoe. 
 
 So far as possible each vegetable not needing a full row (280 ft.) 
 was given one-half, one-third, or one-sixth of a row. Conspicuous, 
 stakes were set at the proper places on either side of the area so 
 that any given row in the garden could be divided into halves, 
 thirds, or sixths by simply sighting across the stakes. 
 
 PLANTING. 
 
 Beginning at the north end of the east row (three feet from 
 the east boundary) the following vegetables were planted April 9th. 
 
 Row I. y?. row asparagas, \ row perennial onions, \ row horse-radish sets, \ row 
 
 rhubarb. 
 
 Row 2. Yz row parsnips, J row parsley, l / 3 row salsify. 
 Row 3.^ row onion sets, 20 ft. cress, \ row lettuce, y 2 row spinach. 
 Row 4 Onions: % row extra early red, % row Australian brown. 
 Row 5. Y^ row early beets, % row early carrots. 
 Row 6. Left to be planted with late beets and carrots. 
 Row 7. Peas: Ys row Noll's excelsior, % row Hosford's market garden, '/j row 
 
 improved stratagem. , 
 
 Rows 8 and 9. Early potatoes. 
 
 Radishes were planted with the parsnips, parsley, salsify, onions, 
 beets, and carrots to mark the rows so that cultivation could begin 
 before the plants from the slower germinating seeds became visible. 
 
 All seed was dropped by hand. The small seeds were covered 
 by means of a rake, and then the soil firmed over them with the back 
 of a hoe or the ball of the foot. The wheel hoe was used to cover 
 the peas, and the one-horse plow, the potatoes. 
 
igot.j TIIK FARMER'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 7 
 
 Planting 1 was resumed on May 1st, and the following 1 vegetables 
 put in. 
 
 Row 6. - Yz row late beets, y 2 row late carrots. 
 
 Row 10. -85 Wakefield cabbage and 19 cauliflower plants (% row), l /$ row all 
 
 head cabbage (seed sown). 
 Row n. Beans: % row Henderson's bush lima, X row stringless green pod, X 
 
 row saddleback wax. 
 Row 12. % row autumn king cabbage (seed sown), \ rowspinach.J row radish; 
 
 the spinach and radishes to be followed by cauliflower set later. 
 Row 13. Peas: X row f each variety as before. 
 Row 14. Left for tomatoes and peppers. 
 Row 15. Sweet corn: % row mammoth white Cory, y 2 row Chicago market. 
 
 Radishes were planted with the beets and carrots as before. 
 
 May 23d, the unplanted area west of row 15 was harrowed, 
 and the balance of the garden planted. Twelve pepper and 69 
 tomato plants were set in row 14. These plants were grown in a 
 hotbed, as were also the cabbage and cauliflower plants set out 
 May 1st. If no hotbed had been available, they could have been 
 grown in boxes in the house. Rows 16 and 17 were planted to sweet 
 corn, Y?. row each of the four varieties. The rest of the garden, com- 
 prising 1 rows 18 to 22 inclusive, was devoted to vine crops. The 
 rows were made six feet apart, and the hills six feet apart for the 
 cucumbers, summer squash, and muskmelons, and eight feet apart for 
 the winter squash and watermelons. No special preparation was 
 given the hills, in the way of fertilizer, compost or manure. The 
 seeds were simply planted in the ground the same as corn or beans 
 would have been. Better results would probably have been secured if 
 compost had been used, and special fertilizing of some kind would 
 have been necessary if the land had not been fairly rich; but the 
 results obtained will indicate what can be done without an undue 
 amount of labor at planting time. The plantation consisted of 
 40 hills of cucumbers, 10 of summer squash, 30 of winter squash, 50 
 of watermelons (25 each of the two kinds) and 80 of muskmelons. 
 
 It may seem to some that an undue proportion of the garden 
 was planted to melons; but a melon patch to be worthy of the name 
 should be large enough to furnish all the melons the family and the 
 hired men can eat, and leave plenty to give to the neighbors' boys. 
 If a person is stingy with his melons, the boys are likely to help 
 themselves. If they know they will be treated to melons if they call 
 at the house, there is little danger of trouble in the patch at night. 
 
 The arrangement of the garden is shown in the accompaning 
 diagram. It will be observed that, with the exception of rows 2 to 
 6 the whole garden was planted in rows far enough apart to admit 
 of horse-cultivation. The perennial crops and those to be left in 
 
BULLETIN NO. 61. [January, 
 
 the ground over winter were together and at one edge of the gard- 
 en, so that they would not interfere with the preparation of the 
 land for the next year's planting. The crops were arranged near- 
 ly in the order of planting, so that the unplanted portion could be 
 harrowed and thus easily kept in fine condition until it was needed 
 for planting. The early maturing vegetables were planted in 
 rows either alternating with those of later crops, or grouped so 
 that when the early crops were harvested, the land could be cleared 
 and a second crop put in. 
 
 CULTIVATION. 
 
 As soon as the plants were up so that the rows could be easily 
 seen, cultivation was started. A one-horse cultivator with very 
 narrow teeth was used, and was found to be just the tool for work 
 
 NARROW-TOOTH CULTIVATOR. 
 
 among small plants, since it could be run very close to the row 
 without destroying the plants by uprooting them or covering them 
 with dirt. The soil was stirred with this tool as often as was 
 necessary to keep the weeds in check and the top soil loose and 
 open. Cultivation usually took place as soon as the soil was suffici- 
 ently dry after each heavy rain, and was continued throughout the 
 season wherever the growth of the plants did not prevent it. Most 
 of the vegetables in the garden were cultivated as many as six 
 times. 
 
 Considerable hand howing was done between the narrow 
 planted rows, and close about the plants in the case of cabbage, 
 tomatoes, melons, etc. In fact, the whole garden was kept in a 
 high state of cultivation regardless of the amount of time required, 
 although the latter was carefully noted and charged against the 
 garden. 
 
igoi.] 
 
 THE FARMER'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
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io iiULLEtiN NO. 61. [January, 
 
 Weeding- also was necessary, as it is in every garden, to some 
 extent at least. All the smaller growing- plants, such as parsnips, 
 beets, carrots, onions, etc., were weeded once, while yet quite small; 
 and somewhat later they were thinned. 
 
 THE FIGHT WITH THE STRIPED BEETLE. 
 
 Everything went smoothly until the cucumbers, squashes, and 
 melons began to appear above the ground, and then the striped 
 cucumber beetles came out in full force and proceeded to devour 
 the patch. Paris green was applied by means of a dry powder 
 gun, while the plants were wet with rain. It killed a good many 
 of the beetles, but the plants soon began to show signs of injury, 
 and within a few days it became necessary to replant nearly the 
 whole patch. Later on, air slaked lime containing a little turpen- 
 tine was applied to the plants when the beetles appeared; and it 
 seemed to be at least partially effective in protecting the plants. 
 Toward the end of June, when the beetles became exceedingly 
 aggressive in their attacks, spraying with Bordeaux mixture was 
 resorted to, and it seemed to be the most efficient remedy tried. 
 This mixture, composed of four pounds of lime and four of copper 
 sulphate (blue vitriol) to fifty gfallons of water, is primarily a 
 fungicide, but it seems either to kill or drive away the striped 
 beetles better than do the usual insecticides. 
 
 OTHER INSECTS. 
 
 Few insects besides the striped beetle caused any very serious 
 trouble. The cut worms nipped off a few newly transplanted 
 cabbage plants, but were dug from their hiding places beside the 
 destroyed plants, and killed. Cabbage worms were somewhat 
 troublesome, especially on the late cabbage, but succumbed to two 
 doses of hellebore mixed in water at the rate of one ounce to a gallon, 
 and sprayed on the plants. The mixture was made stronger than 
 usual because the hellebore was not very fresh. Squash bugs 
 became numerous late in the season and were at least partially 
 responsible for the almost total failure of the winter squash crop. 
 Potato beetles were very scarce and it was unnecessary to spray the 
 potatoes at all. A few tomato worms appeared, but were picked off 
 and killed before serious damage was done. 
 
 TRAINING TOMATOES. 
 
 After the tomatoes had become well established and were begin- 
 ning to send out side branches, a stake six feet long and two inches 
 in diameter was driven firmly into the ground beside each plant. 
 All the side shoots were cut off and the main stem tied to the stake. 
 
tgoi.] THE FARMER'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. ii 
 
 The pruning- and tying- were repeated as often as was necessary in 
 order to keep the plant to a sing-le stem and supported by the stake. 
 In all, the plants were pruned and tied four times. This method of 
 training- keeps the tomatoes off the ground, and exposes them to the 
 sun and air so that they ripen earlier than they would if the vines 
 were allowed to spread over the ground. The crop is also more 
 easily gathered, and in an unfavorable season there would be less 
 rotting- of the fruit than in the case of untrained vines, where con- 
 siderable of the fruit comes in contact with the ground. 
 
 LATE CROPS. 
 
 After the early peas were picked and the potatoes dug, the land 
 on which they were grown was cleared of vines, plowed with a one- 
 horse plow, and pulverized by means of the narrow-tooth cultivator 
 and a one-horse planker. It was then planted to late crops as fol- 
 lows: YT. row celery, 1^ rows turnips, y* row winter radish, ^ row 
 spinach, ^ row lettuce. This was on July 23d. On the same day 
 string beans were planted in the space previously occupied by the 
 early planting of the same crop. This half row was not replowed; 
 the old vines were simply hoed off and the ground hoed over. A 
 few cucumbers for pickles were also planted in the vacant spaces 
 among the early cucumbers. 
 
 For the celery, a furrow was opened with the one-horse plow, 
 and the plants (which had been grown in a seed bed) were set in 
 the bottom of the furrow. A few days after the plants were set, a 
 heavy rain washed the dirt into the furrow and nearly buried them. 
 The earth had to be loosened around each plant by means of a 
 knife. Not many days later, another heavy rain necessitated a re- 
 petition of the operation. As the celery grew, the furrow was 
 gradually filled up by means of the cultivator and hoe. When 
 the plants were about a foot high, they were "handled" and earthed 
 up for blanching. The stalks of each plant were drawn close 
 together and held with one hand while earth was packed about the 
 base of the plant with the other hand. Then earth was drawn up 
 to the plant with a hoe until only the tops of the leaves were left 
 exposed. Two weeks later it was necessary to again bank up the 
 plants, since they had grown considerably in that time. It was 
 then past the middle of October, and no further banking was neces- 
 sary to blanch the stalks. 
 
 LABOR. 
 
 An accurate account was kept of all the time spent in prepar- 
 ing the land, planting, and caring for the garden. The time spent 
 in harvesting the products was not recorded, for in practice, vege- 
 
12 
 
 BULLETIN NO. 6l. 
 
 [January, 
 
 tables would be gathered from one to three times a day as they were 
 needed at the kitchen, and usually by those doing the kitchen work, 
 
 CELERY. 
 
 so -that aside from the digging- of potatoes and harvesting of winter 
 crops, the farmer would not have to spend much time in gathering 
 vegetables. If the farmer raises the vegetables, his wife will 
 usually see that they reach the table. 
 
 The following is a summary of the work bestowed upon the 
 garden. The item "fighting insects 1 ' includes the time spent in re- 
 planting where the insects had destroyed the plants. 
 
THE FARMERS VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
 LABOR ON FARMER'S GARDEN, igooHouRS. 
 
 
 April. 
 
 May. 
 
 June. 
 
 July. 
 
 Aug. 
 
 Sept. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Work with team: 
 Hauling and spreading 
 manure 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 Plowing, harrowing, etc.. 
 
 7 
 
 # 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 1 A 
 
 Total team work 
 
 27 
 
 & 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27 1 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Work with one horse: 
 Cultivating 
 
 
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 A 
 
 2M 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 1 A 
 
 IO 
 
 Fitting land for planting- 
 
 
 
 
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 lH 
 
 Total work with one horse 
 
 
 i"X 
 
 4 
 
 3% 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 y* 
 
 nH 
 
 Hand labor: 
 Planting 
 
 IO 
 
 liV 2 
 
 H 
 
 4 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 3*M 
 
 Hoeing and other hand 
 tillage 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 i~\ l A 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 \ 
 
 
 43M 
 
 Weeding and thinning... 
 Fighting insects 
 
 
 I 
 
 7Y* 
 *% 
 
 u 
 
 8 
 Vz 
 
 
 
 23^ 
 
 6^ 
 
 Training tomatoes 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 I 
 
 V& 
 
 
 
 6V2 
 
 Clearing land after crops. 
 Hand work on celery 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 IO 
 
 Total hand labor 
 
 10 
 
 27^ 
 
 2QM 
 
 25^ 
 
 21 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 124^ 
 
 Estimating- the cost of labor at the prices ruling- in this vicin- 
 ity, the total cost for labor on the garden would be: 
 
 Team work, 27}^ hrs. at $3.00 per day, $ 8.25 
 
 Work with one horse, 11^ hrs. at $2 per day, 2.30 
 Hand labor, 124>^ hrs. at $1.25 per day, 15.56 
 
 $26.11 
 
 THE HARVEST. 
 
 The first products of the g-arden were g-athered on May 12th, 
 and from that time until October 17th ( when the first killing frost 
 occurred ) a supply of veg-etables was brought in nearly every day. 
 The accompanying- diagram graphically represents the succession 
 of veg-etables as they were gathered throug-h the season. Most of 
 the vegetables for winter use were harvested October 16th and 17th. 
 They ar not included in the diagram. 
 
 All of the vegetables included in the original planting, except 
 the cauliflowers and winter squashes 5 g-ave satisfactory results. 
 The climate seemed to be too hot for the cauliflowers and the bugs 
 too active for the squashes. If the cauliflowers had been set out 
 earlier, it is possible that they might have formed heads before the 
 excessively hot weather came on; and if the squashes had been 
 started on inverted sods in a cold frame and transplanted when eight 
 inches hig-h, they would have had more chance against the bugs. 
 This method was successfully employed with other squashes at the 
 
BULLKT1N NO. 6 1. 
 
 [January, 
 
 Radishes 
 
 MAY 
 
 JUNE 
 
 JULY 
 
 AUG. 
 
 SEPT 
 
 OCT. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cress 
 
 
 
 Green onions 
 
 Lettuce 
 
 
 _- 
 
 
 
 Spinach . . 
 
 Beet greens 
 
 Peas 
 
 Early beets 
 
 
 
 Early potatoes 
 
 
 
 String beans 
 
 
 
 Cabbage 
 
 
 
 Early carrots 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sweet corn 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tomatoes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Summer squash 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Muskmelons 
 
 
 
 
 \Vatermelons 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DIAGRAM SHOWING SUCCESSION OF VEGETABLES. 
 
 Station grounds. The late cauliflowers also were a failure, and it 
 is doubtful if they could have been brought to perfection in this 
 climate under any method of treatment. 
 
 The spinach and lettuce planted July 23d failed to grow. 
 The turnips did well until about the first of September, when the 
 hot weather caused the leaves to turn yellow at the tips, and finally 
 die. The crop was almost an entire failure. 
 
 A few peas planted August 18th, on the land previously occupied 
 by early cabbage, made a very dwarf but healthy growth, and pro- 
 duced a small crop early in October. 
 
 Of the late planted vegetables, the celery, winter radishes, 
 beans and cucumbers produced satisfactory crops, so that although 
 
THE FARMERS VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
 some of the crops failed, the late planting- as a whole was not un- 
 profitable. , 
 
 Below is a summary of the products of the g-arden, giving- the 
 time during- which each vegetable was used, the total yield, and a 
 conservative estimate of the value of the crop at retail. 
 
 PRODUCTS OF FARMER'S GARDEN, AND THEIR VALUE, 1900. 
 
 
 Period of use. 
 
 Total product. 
 
 Retail 
 price. 
 
 Value 
 of crop. 
 
 Radishes 
 
 May 12 to June 14. . 
 
 60 doz 
 
 ? cts. 
 
 $3 oo 
 
 Cress 
 
 May 18 to June 14. . 
 
 Supply 
 
 
 
 Onions-- 
 Green 
 
 May 24 to Aug. 18. . 
 
 14 doz 
 
 :; cts. 
 
 .70 
 
 Ripe 
 
 After Aug. 18 
 
 2 bu. 
 
 71; cts. 
 
 I HO 
 
 Lettuce 
 
 May 29 to June 25. . 
 
 12 baskets* . . . 
 
 10 cts. 
 
 i 20 
 
 Spinach 
 
 May 31 to June 22. . 
 
 qYz baskets. . . . 
 
 10 cts. 
 
 .OS 
 
 Beet greens 
 
 June 5 to June 16. . . 
 
 2 baskets 
 
 10 cts. 
 
 .20 
 
 Peas 
 
 June 9 to July 16 . . . 
 
 23 pecks 
 
 25 cts. 
 
 5 7^ 
 
 Early beets 
 
 June 13 to July 25. .. 
 
 14 doz 
 
 10 cts. 
 
 1 dO 
 
 Early potatoes 
 
 Tune 2T. to Tuly 21 . . 
 
 8# bu 
 
 75 cts. 
 
 6. io 
 
 String beans 
 Early 
 
 June 30 to July 13 . . 
 
 8 pecks 
 
 30 cts. 
 
 2.40 
 
 Late 
 
 Sept. 18 to Oct. 5 . . 
 
 3^ pecks 
 
 30 cts. 
 
 I OS, 
 
 Cabbage 
 Wakefield 
 
 June 30 to Aug 18. . 
 
 65 heads 
 
 3 cts. 
 
 i .0? 
 
 Later varieties . . . 
 
 Aug. 28 to Oct. 16 . . 
 
 74 headst 
 
 ^ cts. 
 
 2 22 
 
 Early carrots 
 
 July 6 to Oct. 16 
 
 20^ doz 
 
 5 cts. 
 
 1 .02 
 
 Sweet corn 
 
 July ii to Sept. i ... 
 
 72 doz 
 
 to cts. 
 
 7. 2O 
 
 Tomatoes 
 Ripe 
 
 July 27 to Oct. 8 
 
 6% bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 3.38 
 
 Green 
 
 Oct. 8 
 
 % bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 ."V7 
 
 Lima beans 
 First crop 
 
 July 31 to Aug. ii .. 
 
 7X pecks 
 
 30 cts. 
 
 2. 17 
 
 Second cropj 
 
 Oct. I to Oct. 17 
 
 8^ pecks 
 
 30 cts. 
 
 2.63 
 
 Peppers . 
 
 Julv 31 to Oct. 8.. . 
 
 6 pecks 
 
 25 cts. 
 
 I . SO 
 
 Parsley 
 
 Aug. i to Nov. i 
 
 Ample supply.. 
 
 
 
 Summer squash 
 
 Aug. 3 to Aug. 22. .. 
 
 44 
 
 i# cts. 
 
 55 
 
 Cucumbers 
 Slicing 
 
 Aug. 3 to Sept. 5 .... 
 
 197 
 
 I Ct. 
 
 i .97 
 
 Pickles 
 
 Sept. 5 to Oct. 10. . . 
 
 600 
 
 1 A ct. 
 
 i. 50 
 
 Muskmelons 
 
 Aug. 22 to Oct. 4 
 
 928 Ibs 
 
 i^ct. 
 
 n.Q2 
 
 Watermelons 
 
 Aug. 23 to Oct. 4 
 
 1408 Ibs 
 
 % ct. 
 
 J'V" 
 
 io. no 
 
 Winter squash 
 
 After Oct. 5 
 
 i^y 2 ibs 
 
 i^ct. 
 
 .29 
 
 Late beets 
 
 After Oct. 16. 
 
 4 bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 2.OO 
 
 Late carrots 
 
 After Oct. 16 
 
 2 bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 I .OO 
 
 Turnips 
 
 After Oct. 17 
 
 i^bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 .25 
 
 Parsnips 
 
 After Oct. 17 
 
 2 bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 I.OO 
 
 Salsify 
 
 After Oct. 17 
 
 i % bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 .62 
 
 Winter radishes 
 
 After Oct. 17 
 
 2 bu 
 
 50 cts. 
 
 1 .00 
 
 Celery . . . . 
 
 After Nfov. 5 
 
 12 doz 
 
 20 cts. 
 
 2.40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 583.84 
 
 *The basket used was a ten-pound climax grape basket, and was crowded as 
 full as it would hold. 
 
 fThe cabbages gathered Oct. i6th and stored for winter are included in this 
 number. 
 
 JAfter the first crop was gathered, the plants blossomed again and produced 
 he second crop. 
 
16 BULLETIN NO. 61. [January, 1901 
 
 About half the parsnips and half the salsify were dug- and the 
 balance of the crop estimated. All root crops for winter use were 
 packed in boxes of dry earth and placed in the cellar. When stored 
 in this manner they will keep until late in the spring- without any 
 sign of wilting-. The cabbag-es intended for midwinter use were 
 cut from the stalks and packed in a similar manner. The celery 
 was dug- with the roots on and set uprig-ht in deep boxes having 
 moist earth in the bottom. It was then placed in a dark cellar. 
 
 DOES IT PAY? 
 
 If nothing- is charg-ed for the use of the land nor for the man- 
 ure, the total cost of the g-arden may be summarized as follows: 
 Seeds and plants, $5.45; insecticides, $.50; labor (p. 13), $26.11; 
 total, $32.06. 
 
 In return for this expenditure the garden furnished a contin- 
 uous supply of fresh vegetables throug-bout the growing- season, 
 with enoug-h sweet corn for drying, tomatoes for canning-, cucum- 
 bers, peppers, cabbage, string- beans and green tomatoes for pickles, 
 besides onions, beets, carrots, parsnips, salsify, winter radishes, 
 cabbage and celery for winter use, and parsnips, salsify and horse- 
 radish left in the ground for use in the spring. As already noted, 
 these vegetables could not ordinarily have been bought at retail for 
 less than $83.84. This leaves a balance of $51.78 in favor of the 
 g-arden. What other half-acre on the farm would pay as well? 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 1. The farmer should have a larg-e g-arden located near the 
 house and planted in long- rows so that it can be cultivated with a 
 horse. 
 
 2. A succession of the same veg-etable may be secured by 
 planting different varieties at the same time, or the same variety 
 at different times. 
 
 3. After an early crop is harvested a later crop may be plant- 
 ed upon the same ground. The cultivation of the late crop will 
 keep the ground free from weeds which might otherwise g-o to seed. 
 
 4. Cucumber beetles may be controlled by spraying- with Bor- 
 deaux mixture, and cabbage worms by spraying with white helle- 
 bore. 
 
 5. The g-arden should furnish a full supply of vegetables for 
 winter use as well as a continuous succession through the growing- 
 season. 
 
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