 Section 6 of the Family Kitchen Gardener. This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kalinda. The Family Kitchen Gardener by Robert Buest. Section 6. Eggplant. Soldnum melongena. Melongen, French. Tolapfel, German. The eggplant was introduced from Africa and is called by some the guinea squash. It is generally cultivated and becoming more so every year. They are cut into thin slices and fried and have a taste very similar to oysters. Others use them in stews and soups. They are fit for the kitchen when they attain the size of a goose egg and are in use till they become nearly ripe, which is easily known by the seeds changing to a brown color. Many individuals are exceedingly fond of them, while others will not taste them in any form. The following varieties are cultivated. Large, prickly stemmed, purple, grows larger than any of the varieties and is frequently seen two feet in circumference. Shape oval, color, dark purple. Smooth stemmed, so-called because it has no prickles on the stem, does not grow so large as the former. Shape long oval, color dark shining purple, a few days earlier than the prickly. Long purple is considered by some superior in flavor to either of the former. It is 8 to 10 days earlier, a very prolific variety and the best for family use. White eggplant. The name eggplant is taken from this variety, which is, when in a half-grown state, very like a hen's egg in shape, color and size. Culture. There is a great ambition among growers to have this vegetable in early use. I delight to encourage this emulation whenever it is manifested. Competition promotes industry and industry promotes health. Man possessing these ingredients is very rarely unhappy. Sow the seeds on a gentle hotbed about the first of March on a rich, light soil. Give a good watering and keep the frame close for a few days till the seed comes up. Be careful to give the soil a sprinkling of water whenever it appears to be dry. As soon as the plants grow, give air freely, covering the glass in cold nights. When they attain the height of two inches, thin them out to three inches apart or transplant them into another bed, where there is plenty of room. The latter is the best method. They can be transplanted out from the first to the fifteenth of May into a warm border of rich ground, from whence the early lettuce or radishes have been taken. Give a good watering after being removed. Ho well, keep clean, as they grow, draw earth to their stems. They will cut about the end of June or first of July. For a late crop, sow in April on a warm border where they are to remain or transplant in June during moist weather. Plant in rows two feet apart and two feet from plant to plant. The seed will keep for three or four years. Sow Valentine beans between the rows. Endive The garden endive is a native of northern China and has been cultivated in Europe the past three centuries for a winter salad. The French are particular fond of it, using it raw, pickled, fried and boiled, exceedingly wholesome in every form and agreeing with every constitution. There are four varieties which we will name in the order we esteem them. Green Curly has beautiful curled or lancinated leaves. It is a fine, stocky and hardy variety, is the principle sort for salads and when well cultivated is very beautiful. Broadleaved has a plain thick leaf, slightly wrinkled and turning inwards. It is preferred for stews and soups. White Curled is rather a delicate variety and cannot well be carried through the winter. Its principle use is therefore for the early autumn crop. It will blanch in a few days. Batavian is a broad, plain-leaved sort, principally cultivated for cooking and makes a fine head. Culture For the early crop, sow about the first of July. It will do on the ground where early cabbage or peas have come off by giving it a coat of manure. Draw drills the depth of the hoe one foot apart and sow therein. Sprinkle a little earth in the bottom of the drill sufficient to cover the seed which will be up in a few days. If dry weather ensue, water once or twice till the plants get hold. Thin them out when about two inches high to ten inches apart. Hoe freely and keep clear of weeds. Being grown in these shallow drills, they are more easily earthed up and grow better in warm dry weather. When the leaves have attained about eight inches long, they are fit for blanching. For this purpose, a dry day must be chosen. Gather up the leaves in your hand in a close and rounded form. See that there is no earth or litter in their center. Tie them up with a piece of cotton twist or mating times around the plant, causing it to close at the top to prevent the rain from penetrating too and injuring its center. Then, draw a little earth round its base for support. If the leaves are not perfectly dry when tied up, they will rot or become so stained as to be unfit for the table. They will take about ten days in warm and twenty days in cool weather to blanch for use. A judgment may thus be formed of the quantity to be tied up at a time. For late crops, sow about the end of July. If the ground is not ready, they may be sewn in a bed and transplanted during moist weather, giving a few waterings if the season be dry. To have it in perfection through winter, it should be planted in frames in August and allowed to grow there, or removed from the ground into the frames about the first of November, lifting a portion of soil with their roots. Keep them rather dry during winter as they are liable to damp off. Cover with shutters or sash. Sprinkle a few dry leaves among the plants and tie them up as demand requires. Give plenty of air in sunshine or mild weather. They require protection only from heavy rains and severe frosts. Observe, the leaves must not be tied up when they are in a frozen state. They may also be blanched by covering them with a pot of any description, which is often used as a precautionary method in winter. Penal. Annette, French. Dillkraut, German. Is a native of Europe and may be seen growing wild on the banks of rivers and near the seacoasts. It is an indispensable ingredient in French cookery, and extensively used by the English, but comparatively in little demand with us. Its tender stalks are used in soups and fish sauces, also as garnishes for dishes. It is conspicuous as a medicinal plant and admitted into the Materia Medica. Its virtues are stomachic and carbonative. Culture. Penal is cultivated by sowing the seeds early in spring in shallow drills half an inch deep and ten inches wide, covering with fine earth. They should be sown where they are intended to grow. Thin out the plants to four inches apart. A dozen of good roots will supply any family, and when once established there is little fear of losing it, being a perennial and will last many years. Seedlings will also come up plentifully around the old plants, though it is not advisable to allow the plants to go to seed unless it is wanted for use. If the flower stems are cut off as soon as they appear, it will encourage a production of young leaves below. Garlic. A lilium sativum. Eil, French. Knobloch. German. The term garlic is given to this vegetable on account of its powerful and penetrating scent. It is a native of many parts of the world and has been in general use for two centuries. Many very excellent and medicinal qualities are attributed to this root, and it would no doubt be more generally used if it were not for its unpleasant odor. The French use it in sauces and salads. Culture. There are two varieties cultivated in the name of large and small. As either of them is large enough for any purpose, one variety only is necessary. The root is bulb, divided into parts called pseudobulbs or cloves. It is propagated by planting these cloves in drills two inches deep, six inches apart, and four inches from plant to plant, early in spring, on light, rich ground. It requires to be frequently howed and kept free from weeds. About the end of July, the bulbs are generally grown, which will be evident from the yellow appearance and withering of the leaves. They must then be taken up, cleaned and dried, and afterwards tied in bundles to be hung up in a shed or room and preserved for use. Horse radish. Cachcana amordicia. Crançon, French. Meretic, German. Horse radish is a native of Europe, growing in deep soil and marshy places. It has been long cultivated in our garden, either for medicine, salads or sauces. The root, scraped into shreds or grated fine and soaked in vinegar, is a well-known accompaniment to roast beef. Its medicinal effects are to stimulate the glands to activity, and on account of its warm nature, it is good in numerous cases arising from cold and viscid juices. The root, when fresh-grated, assists digestion. It may therefore be properly employed as a condiment at the table. It is also considered of great service in rheumatic cases and on the first appearance of scurvy. Culture. In a commercial point of view, it has become of late extensively cultivated. Acres are yearly planted and allowed to grow two or three years. When it is lifted and sold by weight to pickle manufacturers who grind it up and pack it in jars with vinegar for home use and exportation. It grows best in deep, rich soil and clining to moisture. On low ground or contiguous to water. It is propagated by the tops or crowns or any part of the root cut into pieces two inches long will grow. When a convenient spot of ground is chosen, take out an opening at one end 15 inches deep in the common way of trenching and two feet wide. Plant therein two rows, one foot apart and nine inches from plant to plant. Put over them from the next trench 10 inches of soil and so continuing till the hole is finished. Another method of planting is readily done by trenching the ground as above and leveling and raking it properly. Then take a dipper 15 inches long and have sufficient thickness to allow the sets to drop into the bottom of the holes so made and fill up the holes with fine earth. This method makes a very clean and handsome root. To make the most of every part of the garden, a good crop may be sown on the ground early in spring after being planted such as spinach, radish, lettuce, etc. which will be off in time not to injure the roots. As spring has its multitude of operations we recommend the horse radish to be planted in November. When the roots are required for use open a trench on one side of the row then clear the plants down to the roots from once they spring and cut them off leaving a small portion to form another plant the following season. Though it is decidedly preferable to make a new plantation every two years as when the roots become old they have a hard, bitter taste. Before the winter sets in there should be a sufficient supply lifted for use and stored in the root cellar in moist earth. If they are allowed to become dry they lose their sprightly flavor. Indian corn, zea mice, French. This vegetable is universally cultivated for the table throughout the United States. Its varieties are numerous and yearly increasing. Those particularly adapted for the table have been greatly improved the past few years. It is an indispensable dish for both the rich and the poor in its season. By a knowledge of its culture and attention to repeated sowings it may be had from June to November. The following three varieties are the best for the purpose. Extra Early This is the earliest variety, grains large and pure white, cob small, ears short. If planted from the 15th to the 25th of April it will be ready about the same days in June. But when planted about the 15th of May it will be ready about the 1st of July if the weather is favorable. Fine Flavored Adams Early, very similar to the above but a few days later. Grains not so full though equally as fine flavored. Sweet or Sugar There are two varieties of this the one that has eight rows of grains on the cob is the best. It remains sometime in a milky state and therefore the same sowing is fit for the table a longer period. The grains of the sugar corn when in a dry state are small and shriveled and are consequently easily distinguished. Culture The ground must be in good condition if not make it so or put a shovel full of decayed manure or rich compost into each hill. Plant in hills three feet apart five or six grains in each when up allow three only to stand for a crop hoe deep and frequently drawing some earth to the stalks when about a foot high. If they incline to sucker or make side shoots break them off. Plant every two weeks till August. This crop can be used to fill up all vacancies in the ground and to follow other crops as they come off in June and July. Indian Crest or Nosturtium Trapaulum Magus Kapudnu French Kapucinibrume German The botanic name is derived from a Latin word signifying a war like trophy. This idea might have originated with botanists from its shield like leaves and its brilliant golden helmet shaped flowers pierced and stained with blood. It is a native of Peru and Chile where there are many curious and fanciful varieties though none so beautiful as the common Nosturtium that has been cultivated for nearly 300 years. It's gay colors and live in the gardens of the rich and the poor. The flowers and leaves have a sharp and warm taste like garden or curled crests used in salads. The seeds, when gathered young and green on a dry day and pickled in vinegar form an excellent substitute for capers and indeed are preferable. It is properly treated as an annual plant and grown for the benefit of its seed, flowers and foliage as well as for ornament. Sow the seed thinly in rows or patches an inch deep about the end of March or 1st of April. It is not particular in regard to the soil or situation. They will thrive almost anywhere if the ground is rich. The plants will run from 5 to 15 feet and require stakes or trellis work to climb upon. They are excellent for a blind to cover any disagreeable object. There are several varieties of yellow, golden or crimson color. The yellow stands the severity of the sun better than the crimson. Jerusalem artichoke Hellianthus tuberosis Poir de terre French Erdapfel German The tuberous rooted sunflower as the name implies is a native of South America and has been cultivated for two centuries. Like many other new vegetables when first introduced it was extolled extravagantly. It was baked in pies with dates, ginger, raisins etc. and of course amalgamated with such good things that it could not taste indifferently. In a simple way of potatoes however they will not form a very palatable dish. The modern way of serving them up is to boil them till they become tender when, after being peeled and stewed with butter and wine they are considered pleasant and taste similar to the true artichoke. They are not so good as potatoes but as a crop for feeding hogs or cattle they are more productive. Culture They are propagated and planted in the same manner as the potato anytime in March and will grow in any soil even under trees. They are best fresh planted every year and require good light ground. The stems grow to 8 or 10 feet high and have the appearance of the sunflower. They are in use from October to April. Anytime in November a quantity may be lifted and packed away in sand or earth for winter use or cover the ground with rough litter to keep out severe frost and they can be lifted as required. The frost does not injure the tubers. End of Section 6 Recording by Kalinda in Lüneburg, Germany on March 23rd, 2009 Section 7 of the Family Kitchen Gardener This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Kalinda The Family Kitchen Gardener The Family Kitchen Gardener by Robert Buist Section 7 Leek Alillium Forum Poro French Lauch German This is a branch of the onion family a native of the north of Europe is very hardy and from its mild qualities is preferred by many families to the onion. History records it as having been cultivated many hundred years. The Welsh indulge in leeks on their patron St. David's Day in commemoration of a victory which they obtained over the Saxons which they attribute to the leeks they wore by order of St. David to distinguish them in battle. There are two varieties the London Leek so called from the preference given to it in the London Market it is a strong growing variety with the leaves all round alike the Scotch or Flag so denominated from the preference given to it in the Edinburgh Market so from the leaves being on two sides of the plant only flag like they are both equally good and either of the sorts is sufficient for a family. Culture There is no part of the garden too rich for leeks they require the best ground well worked and manured the full depth of the spade so the seeds thinly on a small bed of light rich ground in drills six inches apart and half an inch deep rake it evenly and give it a beat when they come up they should stand an inch apart if thicker thin them out when grown to about eight inches high they will be of sufficient size to plant out as we have remarked choose the best ground draw there on drills a foot apart and as deep as the hoe will go when ready the plants are to be taken up from the seed bed shorten their roots to about an inch from the plant and cut two inches or more from the extremity of the leaves both these operations are done for convenience and neatness in planting dibble them in the drills eight inches apart and as deep as the plant will admit of not to cover the young leaves pushing from its center choose moist or cloudy weather for the operation but if dry give the plants a copious watering hoe the ground frequently to keep down weeds and as the plants are observed to grow draw the soil around them by good culture they will be fit for use in early October on the approach of severe frost lift sufficient for winter use and store them away in earth or sand lettuce le tucca sativa le tu French garden salate German this plant is named from the Latin word lac on account of the milky juice with which it abounds it is considered very healthy of the year there are some of the family natives of all the warm and temperate latitudes of the globe the leading cabbaging kinds were originally introduced from Egypt those of upright growth from the islands of Kos hence the name of Kos lettuce is applied to all the sorts that approach that character some of the varieties have been extensively cultivated for opium preparations the plant is allowed to shoot up till just on the eve of flowering when the top is cut off in the afternoon in 36 hours there is a brown crust found on the wounded part of the stem which is carefully collected the stem is again cut and repeatedly till the plant ceases to yield its milky substance it is unquestionably the best of the salating vegetables many varieties are cultivated in Europe and not a few in this country but several kinds grown there are not adapted to our high and dry temperatures the following cabbaging sorts are the best cultivated at the present time brown dutch two kinds the white and the yellow seeded the latter the best both very hardy resists the severity of winter without any production early cabbage or white butter a very early sort does excellent for forcing on hotbeds the leaves of a pale green the heads white royal cabbage a large dark green variety two weeks later than the former there are two kinds of it the white and the black seeded the latter preferred it does very well for a summer salad while the early cabbage goes to seed without heading drum head is a very fine large variety does well in summer and forms a noble plant for a dish green hammersmith is a very hardy variety heads well and matures early victoria is a new cabbage lettuce that promises well large heads of a white crispy nature it appears to withstand the heat we have only grown it in one season white salessia though not so delicate in flavor as some of the former yet is very acceptable in the heat of july when nearly every other variety fails it is early hearts well and very crisp large indian this appears to be the only variety we have that is perfect through the whole heat of summer in fact it requires heat to make it well for in may and june it is much too coarse for the table along with the other fine sorts the following are cost lettuces all very celebrated in europe but with us they do not appear to retain their reputation our long dry warm summers prevent their coming to a crisp head in fact many of them never had unless very early in the season they should be tied up like an endive 8 or 10 days before they are cut unless they show a disposition to head white cost of strong upright growth stands the heat well and if tied for 10 days blanch is beautifully brown or bath cost a very hardy sort can be cultivated under a wall or fence all winter when it will come to use very early in spring Paris cost a fine variety grows strong and upright very crisp and one of the best of the cost it is improved by tying up 8 or 10 days before it is cut green cost a very hardy sort rather coarse growing but when tied up a few days before being cut it becomes much more tender culture the soil best adapted for the growth of lettuce is a light, deep, rich sandy loam well worked and manured the roots are very fibrous and go in search of food to a great depth and breadth where there are only a few sorts cultivated they will require a continued succession of sowings but where there is a proper variety 4 or 5 sowings in the year will keep the table well supplied it is one of the few vegetables that can be had in perfection throughout the year by judicious management it is a crop too that can be introduced between other crops without any disadvantage by transplanting from the seed bed on every suitable occasion for sorts that will be in use in June July and August so early cabbage royal cabbage, drum head seletian and indian on a set of rich light ground as early in March as the season will admit so a few of each again about the end of April so early cabbage royal cabbage and victoria in August and about the 15th of September a general sowing of all the sorts the brown dutch and other heading kinds for planting in drills to stand out all winter as recommended for early york cabbage the early cabbage lettuce for heading in frames during winter and the other sorts to be transplanted in boxes very closely about the middle or end of October and protected with boards or shutters during winter giving plenty of air every mile day see that they are not preyed upon by slugs if so a dusting of air slacked lime or soot will destroy them they should be planted out as early in spring as the season will admit the varieties of the cost lettuce can only be successfully grown by sowing late in September protecting them in winter and transplanting them out early in spring the seed should always be sown thinly and evenly on fresh dug ground in very shallow drills 9 inches apart rake it smoothly and if in dry weather press it gently with the back of the spade when they have grown an inch high thin them out to 2 inches apart after they begin to touch each other give another thinning when they can be transplanted if required into other compartments for a crop as it is an article of everyday demand a few seeds should be sprinkled in with the more permanent crops such as beets onions, carrots, etc lettuce are impatient of being transplanted during warm weather the late spring sowing and the early fall sowing should therefore be made where they are intended to grow and thinned out as they advance in growth I need scarcely add that howling deep and frequent is indispensable to secure a good crop in this vicinity there are hundreds of acres transplanted out in October and November on the south side of deep drills drawn by the hoe after the ground has become hard these drills have straw strewn lightly across them during winter early in spring it is removed when the plants grow rapidly head early and are off the ground in time to plant it with eggplants and tomatoes thereby having two very profitable crops off the ground in one year should it happen by accident or neglect that there are no plants for spring crops recourse must be had sowing on a slight hotbed in February when the plants are up thinned out and properly hardened they are planted out about the end of March or 1st of April and treated as before directed lettuces may be had in perfection throughout the whole winter if planted in a sunk pit see page 15 or frame early in October and protected from frost by a glass sash and straw mats giving plenty of air during sunshine but never allowing a draft from front to back with severe frost the earth should be within 8 inches of the glass to keep the plants as near the light as possible the best sorts are the early cabbage and royal cabbage plant them 8 to 10 inches apart each way and alternately opposite give occasional watering picking off all decayed leaves if the winter proves very severe surround the frame or pit with dry leaves from the woods this precaution can nearly always be conveniently adopted leaves being everywhere plentiful a store should always be at hand in all the southern states every variety of lettuces perfectly hardy and can be grown in perfection from October to May the varieties of cost heart freely if tied as recommended for endive and are greatly benefited by that simple operation end of section 7 recording by Kalinda in Lüneburg Germany on March 23rd 2009 section 8 of the family kitchen gardener this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the family kitchener gardener by Robert Birst section 8 Marjoram Oregon Marjoram Marjalan French Zürn German sweet marjoram is a native south of Europe it has a pleasant odor and a warm arithmatic bitterish taste it is used for seasoning soups and other matters of cookery and considered a wholesome ingredient and beneficial in nervous complaints there are two varieties the sweet and the pot marjoram the former and annual and the latter a herb plant or a plant that lasts from year to year culture marjoram seed is of the very smallest description and has to be sown early in April on ground finely prepared make a mark along the line with a point of a stick merely to show where the seed is to be dropped which do very thinly and evenly then cover up with the back of the rake the rose should be 10 inches apart as soon as the plants appear thin them out to 2 inches apart when the plant offers to bloom cut the stems and dry them in the shade when dry tie them in paper bags and hang them in a dry room for use let a few plants ripen for seed pot marjoram or winter marjoram is propagated by dividing the roots early in spring and planting in beds cut it when in full bloom dry in the shade wrap it up and preserve it for winter use melon cuckoos mellow melon French millen German the melon in some character is to be found in all tropical countries but the finest varieties are supposed to have come from Persia and Afghanistan it has been cultivated in Europe nearly 400 years and in the south of that continent in its season it constitutes the principal part of the food of the lower classes proving that it is both wholesome and nutritious the flesh of a well-grown melon is delicious it is eaten with ginger, pepper, sugar, salt or as fancy and taste dictate its nature is cooling there are many varieties in culture which with artificial aid can be bought to perfection but when left to unassisted nature and exposed to heavy rains and scorching suns but is very limited indeed they are confined to the indifferent or improved culture and purity of three or four sorts musk melon so called from its peculiar scent is nearly round colour a yellowish green rind smooth and the fruit very slightly ribbed it used to be extensively cultivated for its productive qualities but now gives way to better varieties Early Cantaloupe takes its name from a village near Rome where it has been grown for many centuries and from thence distributed to this western world there are many varieties that readily distinguish from the former by having small warts on the rind the flesh greener and more firm well-flavoured netted citron is an olive fruit roughly netted all over have a pale yellowish green when ripe grows to a good size from two to five pounds flesh green, firm juicy and hardly favoured this variety commands the highest price in Philadelphia market and its quality depends on its genuine purity seeds should be two years old before sowing rock melon fruit of an oval round shape rind green with large white warts or rocky appearances there on hence its name fresh solent of a yellowish colour rich in melting in size equal to the former culture the melon is cultivated in a similar manner to the cucumber the soil and treatment that grows the one will grow the other though the melon prefers a drier atmosphere and is more liable to die off after heavy rains than the former to have it in perfection it should not be grown in the vicinity of squashes, gourds, pumpkins cucumbers or any variety of the family or it will invariably become impregnated with the inferior flavour of its cojourners in a small garden it is not possible to grow all their sorts without contamination it is therefore better to plant all squashes and pumpkins in the field a bad 22 feet square will grow 16 hills each six feet apart mark the spaces by the line each way dig out the earth one foot deep and two foot wide spreading it about then fill up the holes thus made but six inches higher than the surrounding ground with rich light compost very old rotten manure sand and garden earth in equal parts will do into these conical heaps or hills about the first of May so eight or ten seeds half an inch deep and a few inches apart as soon as the plants have made two rough leaves thin them out leaving four only to each hill when each has made four or five rough leaves pinch the point of each shoot to make the plants branch out on fruit earlier that is what gardeners call topping which strengthens the vines draw earth around their stems to support them from the wind when they begin to run they require no further assistance except it may be to thin out the shoots where they become too crowded and confused hoe and stir up the soil and keep clear of weeds as no garden should have a foot square of lost ground crop between these hills Valentine or snap short beans is very suitable three sorts so and now will be off the ground in June and July before the melon vines occupy the hole this plant with the cucumber is very subject to be attacked with a yellow striped or black bug we are not yet aware of an infallible remedy but a dusting of soil wood ash will retard their progress until the plants begin to grow freely if they are thus attacked as soon as the vines show their rough leaves it would be imprudent to top the plants as it stops their growth an insect would then entirely overcome them melons may be forced in the same way as directed for the cucumber when it can be conveniently done and to my taste it is a preferable plant the finer sorts that will not bear the open exposure of rain or heat should be sown such as the green fleshed and rock melon some of the latter and as fine as ever I saw took the first premium at the New Jersey Horticultural Society at Princeton the past season they were from the garden of A. H. Stevens, a squire of Hoboken and did great credit to the grower when growing under glass the sash should have a very thin mat thrown over it from 11 till 2 o'clock and from the middle of April till the fruit is out and although the leaves may droop it is not always a sign that the plant is in want of moisture it is not advisable to pour water around the neck of the plant to a very common practice and a very inconsistent one the extremity of the roots and leaves are the absorbing organs of the plant supply the former by watering the soil and the latter by frequently sprinkling with a syringe or from the rows of a watering pot the red spider is a pest to the melon it is a very minute red insect quick in its movements generally on the underside of the leaf observe, lift up the vines and turn them over exposing the under surfaces of the leaves then give them a syringing with soap sense one or two such doses will destroy it when pure water may be more frequently used for this too dry an atmosphere that generates this pest of the gardener within a few years past Europe has resonated with the praise of very extraordinary melons from Persia and Kabul so much so that we were induced to support two varieties to test their merits in this climate one variety was very small about half a pound weight of a fine smooth round form flesh quite yellow and highly favoured but too small for general culture the other was opposite in every character being large oval with a rough white rind flesh reddish yellow look very tempting tasted much like a pumpkin each seed cost sixpence sterling watermelon kukubita citrullus melando french butter melon germany the watermelon is purely a tropical fruit wisely adapted to the wants of the inhabitants of those countries who greatly appreciate it for its refreshing coolness and delicious flavour it is a great full bear region warm weather it is in no way nutritious but its seeds are considered a valuable remedy in urinary complaints there are several sorts cultivated extensively in New Jersey even to thousands of acres for the supply of the Philadelphia and New York markets there is long green mountain sprout, carolina, spanish and occasionally white variety all fine sorts though we prefer the spanish in this round very dark green having a very thin rind but it is also a good solution black seeds it does not grow so large as some others but is more rich in sugary flavour and commands a better price it was introduced to this country about 18 years ago the seed of the first that I saw was bought from Portugal by a supercarga of one of the ship of the late Henry Pratt a squire of Lennon Hill who freely distributed the seeds to his friends they require a light sandy soil not over wrench plant them in hills as directed for melons giving them more room as their vines extend much further the seed should be 2 years old before planting if they are wanted of a large size 3 or 4 fruit from each plant will be sufficient and when one fruit only is taken they will grow to from 20 to 30 pounds weight each it will injure the flavour of the fruit if they are grown near to other varieties of the melon mint mint the verdice mint French and several varieties of mint but the one on consideration is commonly known as green mint or spear mint from its long pointed leaves in its green state it is used in sauces, salads and frequently in soups when dried and taken as tea it is very efficacious in stomach complaints far surpassing any alcoholic preparation culture it is a perennial plant and propagated by parting the roots in spring it will grow in any kind of soil where moisture abounds and if in a sheltered spot will come forward more early for use if required to be cultivated extensively draw drills 2 inches deep and one foot apart drop their in small pieces of the root 6 inch apart cover them with the soil and give the ground a good top dressing every year with manure or rich earth a bed will keep bearing 5 or 6 years when new plantations must be made it is cut when the shoots are a few inches high if the plants are wanted for drying they must be allowed to grow till they are in full bloom when they are to be cut and the stalks laid out thinly to dry in a shed or area outbuilding when they are perfectly dry and have a brittle feeling tie them up in a paper to keep to a wanted when green mint is very desirable it can be taken up and planted in boxers and forced in a hot bed with very little trouble in 2 weeks the plants will be fit to cut 2 years ago I was forcibly struck with the abuse of this very healthy herb my physician prevailed upon me a visit to one of the springs in the interior of this state to try the effect of its waters upon my system then greatly reduced by accident to me every table appears meagre unless it has a very liberal supply of good holes and vegetables on this occasion the table of my host appeared to have very homeopathic dishes of my favourites when my strength began to recruit I sailed forth to the garden to observe the cause when behold it contained almost exclusively green mint I could not conceive what extensive use they made of it to on being more familiar with the establishment I observed that it was carried in arms full as for feeding cattle to the bar room where it was liberally saturated with brandy ice and sugar to foster an appetite for the sons of Bacchus made at Boniface lived to learn that beans and peas are better for health and happiness than mint juleps Morel, Escalante's Champignon French Esparre German these vegetables are native of this country and closely related to the mushrooms from which it is extinguished by the cap being hollow within and adhering to the stem by its base and that is on the surface with irregular sinuations The height is about 4 inches it is in perfection and will be found from May to September in wet banks in woods and in moist pastures and should not be gathered when wet with dew or soon after rain if gathered dry they will keep several months either used fresh or dried as an ingredient to harden the flavour of gravies, ragus etc Culture we are not aware that this vegetable has been introduced into garden culture like the mushroom but there can be no doubt of the attempt being attended with success The spawn should be collected in June and planted into dung beds or ridges of soil differentially composed in order by experiment come to the best mode of cultivation those who have practiced the growing of mushrooms will find no difficulty in cultivating the Morel or Mascul plant The mushroom A Gankus camprestus Champignon cultive French Putes German The mushroom has afforded a wide feed of speculation for botanists and naturalists who had disputed of its perfect or imperfect carpenter the peculiar method of its propagation and growth and its close assimilation in taste to animal matter the transformation of this humble plant is the most remarkable in the vegetable kingdom They are extensively used for making cats up esteemed as a pickle and when stewed with rich gravies are considered by some very delicious They are extensively cultivated in Europe, particularly in Britain where they are grown all the year round They have also drawn the attention of the more scientific gardeners in this vicinity within these few years past and basketfuls have been bought before the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in our winter and spring exhibitions The genuine mushroom is found in autumn on rich old pastures It has a small round brownish white head of a delicate pink colour underneath The stem is generally from 2 to 3 inches high There are frequent accounts of deaths caused by this vegetable attributable either to excess in eating it or to a want of care in selecting the pure article which grows invariably in open fields such as over topped by trees or growing in the shade must be avoided also those that grow rapidly 5 or 6 inches high bladder like or have a brighter red fine wrought network underneath and of a disagreeable scent Those possessing such characters are bad and even poisonous Mushrooms spawn We copy from the transactions of the London Horticultural Society the following approved method of making mushrooms spawn In June or July take any quantity of fresh horse droppings, the higher fed the better mixed with short litter 1 third of chaos dung and a good portion of mould of a loamy nature Cement them well together and mash the whole into a compost Spread it on the floor of an open shed to remain till it becomes firm enough to be formed into squares fat bricks which done set them on end and frequently turn them till half dry Then with a dibble make two or three holes in each brick and insert in each hole a piece of good old spawn about the size of a walnut or the spawn which consists of fine white threads which may be found where the mushrooms are growing in pastures The bricks should then be left to layer dry This being completed level the surface of a piece of ground under cover three foot wide and a sufficient length to receive the bricks on which layer bottom of dry horse dung six inches thick Then form a pile by placing the bricks in rows one upon another with the spawn side uppermost till the pile is three feet high Next cover it with a small kind of warm horse dung sufficient in quantity to diffuse a gentle glow of heat throughout the hole When the spawn has spread itself through every part of the brick the process is ended and the bricks may then be laid up in a dry place for use Mushroom spawn made according to this direction will preserve its vegetative power many years if well dried before it is laid up but if moist it will grow and exhaust itself Codchum of late years the cultivation of this luxury has become so simplified that it is in the power of every farmer and cottager to grow the article for use or sale Anytime in October or November collect from the stable daily the fresh droppings throw them into a heap which prevent from hitting violently by frequent turnings and spreading it out thinly defending it from rain or water of any kind When the quantity of 1, 2 or 3 loads according to resources has accumulated and is laying in a heap 2 or 3 weeks which time it will most likely require for all the parts to get an equal fermentation As soon as it is observed that the fiery heat and rank steam of the dung are gone off it is ready for use Mushrooms can be grown in cellars, sheds, stables or any other such building where they will be protected Where it is intended to cultivate them permanently a covered shed will be found the most convenient place from which to perform the necessary work For this purpose a dry situation should be chosen the more sheltered the better on which to build a shed of sufficient dimensions A bed 4 foot wide and 12 foot long will give an ample supply for a moderate sized family The shed may however be erected 10 feet wide and 16 feet long giving space for working materials and two beds if required The shed should run from north to south having a closed roof and weather boarded With the exception of four apertures windows to be covered with shutters direction might be made ornamental by having a portion for a toolhouse Having marked out the space for a bed throw out the earth about 6 inches deep laying it regularly at the side and if good it will do for earthing the bed In the trench lay 4 inches of good dung not too short for forming the bottom of the bed Then lay on the prepared dung about 6 inches thick regularly over the surface beating it down firmly with the back of the fork put on another 6 inches and so on till 18 or 24 inches thick In that state it may remain 10 or 15 days during which time the heat should be examined about the middle of the bed by thrusting a small stick in several places and when found to be of a very mild heap the bed may be spawned The spawn bricks for this purpose should be broken regularly into pieces about an inch and a half or 2 inches square These pieces are best put in with the hand raising the dung up a few inches with the one while with the other the spawn and covered This ought to be done in every 6 inches of the surface of the bed If the sides of the bed are made of sloping form they can also be spawned After spawning level the surface with the back of the spade beating it gently after which it may be earthed Percure that of a sandy loamy nature if from a pasture so much the better Break it up and make it fine laying it on 2 inches thick level it very neatly with the rake and beat it closely and evenly When the hole is finished the bed must be covered a foot thick with good clean straw or natural hay over which lay mats or canvas in severe weather Examine the bed every few days and if the heat increases diminish the covering of straw which is better than to take it off altogether In about 5 weeks if the bed be under proper cultivation mushrooms will make their appearance and in 2 days more they will have grown to a sufficient size for use Some people cut them but it is decidedly better to give them a gentle twist in the ground and draw them out filling up the cavity with a little fine mould gently pressed in level with the bed This method of gathering is much better than cutting As the part left generally rots and breeds insects particularly the wood louse which is very destructive to mushroom beds Sometimes it happens that a bed suddenly ceases to be productive This may arise from various courses but most frequently from the cold state of the bed in winter or a dryness of soil In the former case an additional covering should be given In the later water in a milk warm or tapered state should be applied moderately for 2 or 3 mornings in succession After each watering leave the covering off for about an hour Soft water should be used for the purpose In summer the beds will require watering every 2 days though in winter they may not need it in as many months A good bed will be productive for 3 months that it may occasionally wear out in half the time From these observations an ingenuous mind can make a mushroom bed in a multitude of situations all obtainable where there are cellars, stables or other buildings We would not despair even in the open air during winter covered with plenty of litter under a few boards to ward off cold rains In spring and summer any quantity may be grown in this way It will be observed in the cultivation of every other vegetable we either sow or plant some evident material of reproduction But in the cultivation of mushrooms we neither sow or plant any antecedent production of seed, plant or root yet it is certain that the mushrooms are reproduced by a process in which the dung of certain animals forms the chief instrument and in the goodness and strength of that ingredient in whatever weight is made, chiefly depends the crop We are that this vegetable appears in certain situations without any apparent cause and we feel satisfied that there are inherent ingredients that only require a combination of influences to produce certain results and these results in nature are unerring The young horticulturist would never desist from making moderate and well considered experiments Let him never suppose that perfection has already been obtained Achaemen and Perseverance should be preeminently conspicuous in the gardener who has many vicissitudes by weather, insects and accents to encounter and should be prepared with resources to resist them all Mustard Cinnopus, Alba and Negra Mutard, French, surf German Mustard seed was first obtained from Egypt and has been known and cultivated for many hundreds of years It is extensively used both in its natural state and manufacture and is considered a wholesome condiment in whatever way it is taken or prepared It assists digestion warms the stomach and promotes appetite In the spring in its green state when mixed with salads it is very refreshing and ought to be extensively cultivated for that purpose In Europe it is vastly appreciated but with us little attention is given to the subject There are two varieties the white is generally used for garden purposes and the seed used medicinally We can speak practically of its beneficial effects in constipation of the bails One or two tablespoons a day sipped from half a tumble of water and swallowed whole is a great relief and dyspeptic cases and many have been completely cured by its constant use The London or Durham table mustard is made from the species Black mustard is of the same flavour and considered of equal of focacity with the white From the flour of this variety the American mustard is made culture This salad is cultivated in the same manner as recommended for cress at all times of the year sowing every week or two or for early use in hot beds or boxes in the windows of a warm room The seed should be covered very slightly and frequently watered as moisture is indispensable to its growth It should always be cut when about an inch high using a sharp knife and cutting close to the ground holding the tops in one hand while the knife is used with the other They should be carefully washed from earth or sand allowing them to be as short time as possible Neither should they be gathered long before using for their flavour would be thereby impaired As much of this seed is generally required a portion should be sown very early to produce it A bed three feet wide and twenty feet long having the plants four six inches apart will produce a sufficient seed for every domestic purpose End of section nine of the Family Kitchen Gardener This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Linda Ferguson The Family Kitchen Gardener by Robert Buist section nine New Zealand Spinach Tetragonia Expansor Epenard Diet French The great advantage this spinach possesses over the other varieties is that of supplying a crop of leaves in the driest weather when crops of other sorts have failed From its rapidity of growth a few dozen of plants will afford a supply during its growing season If a few leaves of soil are boiled with it the flavour is improved Culture It is a spreading, towering plant growing in a circular form between the height of four or five feet So the seed very thinly enrows one inch deep and two feet apart about the first week of April in an open, rich piece of ground hoe freely and keep clean of weeds The seeds in a green state make an excellent pickle for which alone it is worth cultivating Onion Allium sepa Onion French Siebel German Onion was anciently called siepe on account of the form of its bulb It was also termed onion because the bulb never divided Hence the English name onion is derived It is supposed to be a native of Spain though its native country and date of introduction is not certainly known No vegetable is more intensively known and cultivated than the onion It has been the common seasoning for meats and soups of all nations from the earliest period to the present gracing the table of all classes of society in some form or other For flavouring it is indispensable in cookery Besides imparting its flavour to other preparations, it affords considerable nutriment and is considered to possess medicinal properties of considerable value However, when improperly taken and in two great quantities it loses its virtues and becomes unwholesome and indigestible Used in its crude state it often remains in the stomach 48 hours before being dissolved by the gastric juice and in this state has been known to produce basins They are most agreeable when boiled and served up with sauce or drawn butter When cooked in this way they are greatly improved by the water being changed when they are about half boiled Pour on the second water from a boiling kettle, throwing in a little salt When onions are used as stunting in combination with other substances they should first be chopped very small and thrown into boiling water and boiled for about five minutes They should then be put into a colander to drain and pressed till not a drop of water remains If they are then mixed with the other ingredients they can be eaten without any inconvenience or injury to the stomach Roasted and fried onions should be avoided by persons of weak digestive powers There are a multitude of varieties in cultivation but the most useful are the following Strasburg or yellow onion Large, oval inclining to flat very hardy keeps well and of strong flavour Silver skinned White flat, medium size very generally used for pickling Red Dutch Dark red medium size inclining to flat keeps well very hardy extensively grown in the eastern states for export flavour Portugal is very large globular mild flavour does not keep well Potato or underground onion produces a quantity of young bulbs on the parent root which should be planted in rows in March three inches deep below the surface and six inches from bulb to bulb 18 inches being left between the rows Keep them clear of weeds and earth them up like potatoes as they continue to grow They will be fully grown about the first of August when they may be treated as other onions Welsh or tree onion Much grown in cold countries where the onion does not seed freely This variety shoots up a stem on which small bulbs grow in place of seeds These pea bulbs are kept till next year when they are planted and produce very good roots of considerable size while the stem gives a father supply for next year's planting There are other varieties such as Globe, James Keeping Tripoli, Reading and Depthford but none of them for this climate surpass or even equal those described Culture The soil in general cannot be too rich for this esteemed vegetable and however good it may be it requires more or less manure for every crop It is a plant with a number of roots that ramify to a great extent absorbing nourishment from every particle of the soil In regard to rotation of crops the onion is an anomalous case The same ground has been known to produce yearly for nearly half a century heavy crops I have seen instances of 22 successive crops of onions from the same ground it having had every season a supply of cow, hog or barnfowl manure There are hundreds of acres grown in this vicinity for shipping to the southern market The system pursuit is to manure the ground heavily with the best of dung Deagle plough the ground early in spring level it well with the rake or harrow then with the beet rake draw drills about one and a half inch deep and about nine inches apart leaving a space of about 15 inches between every three drills called an alley Plant these drills with young onions about the size of beans and do not cover them They will be green in a few days hoe frequently and keep clear of weeds In June dig the alleys and plant them with late drum head cabbage for a winter crop or large york for a fall crop The onions will be ripe in July when they are pulled and cleared off the soil must then be dug up and well broken to allow the cabbage crop to extend and grow freely This is the system pursued by our market gardeners but one error they all commit and in consequence are not able to keep full grown onions over winter the bulbs rotting and decaying from the drills having been drawn too deep and pulling the crop two or three weeks too soon My method is after the ground has been well dug and raked even to roll it before the drills are drawn which must not exceed half an inch deep being merely a mark whereon to lay the sets hoe to keep down the weeds lift the crop after the tops are fully dried off expose them in the sun for a few days to harden them take them to a shed and spread them out thin to dry or tie them up in ropes and hang them up for use perfect throughout the whole winter sowing seed the general method is to sow the seed very thickly in shallow drills early in April the bulbs grow to the size of peas or beans by the middle of July when they are lifted and put away in an airy loft to keep till next spring they are then planted out in drills for a full crop as above onions may be grown from the seed in one season fully large enough and where the soil is of a deep mellow loam on a dry bottom which is most genial to the growth of this bulb they will grow equally as fine as those that have taken two seasons to mature for this purpose sow the seed very thinly half an inch apart is thick enough and an ounce of seed will be ample supply for a family in drills nine inches apart and as shallow as they possibly can be drawn tread the seed in with the foot to make it firm a very small portion of fine earth over the seed and finish by raking it evenly within three weeks the onions will make their appearance when, if many weeds rise among them they must be cleared with a small hoe observing not to hoe deep for the more the onion rises out of the ground it is the finer and keeps better as soon as the plants are three inches high thin them out to two inches apart if the weather is moist the thinnings may be transplanted into other ground they too will attain a full size but observe in planting to put the roots only underground the plants being now two inches apart as they grow every alternate one should be pulled for immediate use either for soups or salads leaving the crop four inches apart in the row nothing further will be required until they are pulled up for drying except the keeping down of weeds which must be strictly attended to in moist seasons onions are apt to grow what is termed thick net in such cases they should about the end of July be gently bowed down with the handle of the hoe or the head of a wooden rake which will check their rapid growth and cause them to bulb sooner about the middle of September sow a row or two of onion seed for early spring use before any other green salading or seasoning can be obtained the plants will be four inches high before winter sets in severely they will have a little rough litter thrown over them or a row of spruce branches stuck among them for protection they will come very acceptably into use in March and April or a few of the large onions can be planted in September they will divide into several roots or scallions and can be drawn for use as above and a few more can be planted early in spring to draw for the same purpose seed saving it is very important to have good seed therefore select the most uniform roots in September and plant then fully underground in rows one foot apart and two feet from row to row let the ground be in excellent condition for the stronger the plants the finer the seed which will be ripe in July or August according to the weather as soon as the heads begin to open and show the black seeds they must be cut off and put into a sheet to dry clean it out well when perfectly dry all seeds keep best in bags hanging in an airy room and onion seed will be perfectly good for three years to grow onions for pickling sow the seed thinly in a bed in March or April at the same time that the general crop is planted no further culture is required except hand weeding as their thickness in the bed will prevent their growing large and will cause them to come to maturity sooner they should be lifted in clear sunshine weather as it improves their colour the white or silver skin is the sort usually grown for this purpose the onion crop is an interesting portion of gardening to every good housewife she is ever solicitous that it should be full and certain as it requires to be powerfully manured we throw out the following hints for her special use as we have intimated onions will grow on the same soil year after year without any deterioration provided it is liberally supplied with nutrition for this purpose the following ingredients always plentiful about every house and generally thrown to waste can be most beneficially applied soot spread over the ground either before or after the crop or thinly over the young plants urine thrown over the ground during the winter season soap suds anytime in fall or winter in like manner these are not mere theoretical ideas they are practical facts which could be illustrated by any person who has the materials at command I have seen guano used to this crop both with bad and beneficial results at the rate of 400 pounds to the acre the onions were greatly improved in size though not in their keeping qualities applied at the rate of 800 pounds to the acre the roots of the crop suffered the plants got yellow and did not fully recover their appearance this manure should always be used in a liquid state and about the strength of 25 pounds to a hog's head of water to be applied after having stood 24 to 48 hours urine can be used in the same manner after being reduced with six parts of water every good householder who cultivates a garden should have a large cask in some retired corner to form a deposit for the refuse of the wash house which can be reduced with a part of water and applied to all vegetable crops in time of need or where the soil is not rich enough the plants can be fully watered with it once a week while they are in the growing state this plant has been introduced to our notice and table from the West Indies where it has cultivated to some extent as a vegetable the green seed pods are put into soups or stewed and served up with butter it is becoming very popular with us and grown to a great extent by some gardeners for supplying the market culture the seeds are sown thinly on dry warm soil in shallow drills two feet apart about the same time as the lima bean cover the seeds lightly sometimes they come up and are cut off with the frost if so plant again an ounce of seed will supply any family after the plants are up thin them out to nine inches apart hoe freely and draw a little earth to the stems as they continue to grow they will reach the height of five feet in good soil the pods must be gathered when about an inch and a half long and quite green as soon as they become brown and hard they are useless for the kitchen End of Section 9 Recording by Linda Ferguson Please visit LibreVox.org Recording by Jennifer Stearns The Family Kitchen Gardener by Robert Buist Section 10 Parsley Abium Petrostulum Purcell French Petersil German The Garden Parsley is a biennial plant a native of Sardinia and is a very useful and pleasant vegetable It is esteemed for many qualities besides that of garnishing its seasoning flavor for soups and stews is very agreeable to many it also counteracts the smell of the breath after eating onions it may be preserved for seasoning by drying it till crisp in summer then rub it up fine between the hands and put it away in a bottle for winter use Culture The curled variety only should be cultivated It is more beautiful as a garnish than the plain and requires very little more attention to keep it pure Seed growers are not generally particular enough with this simple article they ought before the plants go to seed to pull up all those that offer to be plain considering only those that are beautifully curled So it in drills half an inch deep early in April These drills may form an edging around any compartments of vegetables or along the walks It will remain from 6 weeks before it vegetates and what is rather remarkable seed 4 years old will vegetate sooner than seed of the preceding year As soon as the plants get 3 or 4 inches high then them to 6 inches apart cut down about a third part at a time by which means a young stalk will be kept constantly for use Should any of the plain leave up here root it out An ounce of seed will suffice for any family To have fresh green parsley at all seasons should be the aim and ambition of every gardener and it is rather a matter of surprise that our markets and tables are not more liberally supplied with its valuable winter garniture Keep it only from severe frost and it will grow the whole winter For this object select a warm spot of ground light and rich 4 feet by 6 Sow it early in the season treat the plants as directed above over in September Surround the bed early in November with boards and cover it with mats or shutters If glass can be obtained so much the better By this process a sufficient supply in the severest weather will be always obtainable If a frame and sash are out of reach procure some branches of spruce pine or cedar and cover the bed during December, January and February it will grow tall and blue well under such protection Parsnip Pastanaca sativa Penace French Pastanaca German The parsnip is a biennial plant that is a plant that lives 2 years seeds and dies like the onion, carrot and turnip it is a native of Europe and is a profitable and desirable root for family use in winter and spring being both wholesome and nourishing and should be cultivated abundantly in every kitchen garden Parsnips contain a considerable portion of sugar and are more nourishing than either carrots or turnips they make it excellent marmalade wine also to some extent is made from them they are principally used at the table with boiled meats though they make a very excellent dish after being boiled, sliced thinly and dipped into a thin batter of flour and butter or eggs and afterwards fried brown In my native country, Scotland has been up with potatoes and butter and eaten with milk making a very agreeable cottage dish in an agricultural view they are valuable for milk cows, eat them with avidity and yield an abundance of milk of rich and pleasant flavor being preferable to the carrot or turnip for the purpose which impart their taste to the milk there are three varieties of the parsnip two only of which are desirable Guernsey parsnip grows large and in deep light soils will attain the length of two feet sugar or halo crown this is the best variety for garden culture it is of a more uniform growth has a smoother and cleaner tuber and is equally as hardy and better flavored than the former from which it is easily distinguished by the leaves arising from a cavity on the top or crown of the root culture any soil suitable for carrots or vegetable for the parsnip deep sandy loam is their delight if it is not naturally so it should be dug 20 inches deep as directed for trenching page 8 sow any time from March to May in drills 1 inch deep and 14 inches from drill to drill scatter to the seeds thinly and cover neatly and evenly with the rig as the plants grow thin them out occasionally and finally till they stand 8 inches apart in the row in 3 weeks the seeds will appear from which period till the leaves cover the ground the soil must be stirred with a hoe every week or two in October the leaves will begin to turn yellow which is a certain sign of their maturity they may then be dug up for use as they are wanted they will stand any severity of frost so that it is necessary only to lift as many as will supply the family till the frost leaves the ground they should be lifted their full length and not cut with a spade which injures them store away a sufficient supply for winter use in time of severe frost leaving a balance in the ground for spring supply and some to go to seed the seed keeps only 2 years and ounce will supply the family pea, pissum settivum pois, french herbs, german the pea is of great antiquity as a culinary vegetable and is familiar in the domestic cookery of every country it is an annual the seed being sown and matured in the same season in some varieties in an incredibly short space of time they are considered a pleasant and nourishing food having the character of purifying the blood and correcting skewer-butter cumbers in flavor and quality there is as great a difference in the pea as in any vegetable with which I am acquainted though from observation cultivators and even cooks have little knowledge of the quality and flavor of the different varieties in cultivation some when merely plain boiled and seasoned are of themselves a luxury others require more assistance from the culinary art to make them palatable it is not our object to detail the various modes of cooking yet we confess that we have seen them mist-boiled the earlier sorts take from half an hour to three quarters the marrow fats from 15 to 20 minutes according to age to have their flavor perfect they should be picked shelled and cooked all within three or four hours when kept overnight their quality is greatly impaired some prefer them boiled with a bunch of mint the only seasoning emitted by others is a little salt in the water we will not detail the numerous sorts we grow or are acquainted with but the following will be found most useful for market or family supply they are those most noted for the quality and are arranged in the order in which they come to serve the variety Prince Albert a dwarf grower pods and P small four days earlier than any variety we have yet tried good flavor extra early a very early P that has been cultivated in this vicinity about 50 years and was exclusively for a long period in the possession of a Mr Cooper near Camden, New Jersey who I am informed obtain the seed from a German immigrant it is the sort most extensively cultivated in the market and for that purpose is preferable to any other the crop being nearly already at once when the ground can be cleared for a crop of beans or late tomatoes early grotto a very superior family early P both in size and flavor three or four days later than the former and continues a much longer time in bearing early May a fine early variety good flavored and very productive early frame a very celebrated P in Europe where it hardiness makes it a general favorite it is an abundant bear and an excellent family P early Charlton a very handy early P which comes in well as a secondary crop Bishop's dwarf a very remarkable dwarf variety requiring no stakes nor support of any kind except the earth drawn to its stems it is very prolific but does not do to so late as it is subject to mildew it can be sewn in rows 18 inches apart draw the earth more to one side of the plants than the other which will lay them all in one position from which the crop can be more conveniently gathered the above varieties with the exception of Bishop's dwarf should be sewn about three feet apart give them all stakes or rods for the double purpose of protecting them from the wind and to support the vines with stakes the crop can be gathered and the plants will mature every pod a quart of early P's will sew four drills each 30 yards long royal dwarf this succeeds the early varieties it grows between three and four feet high blue marrow a fine large P very prolific and well flavored sewn about first of May will be fit for the table about the fourth of July white marrow very generally cultivated but is far surpassed by the matchless marrow being larger equally as productive and superior in flavor grows five feet high white marrow very generally cultivated but is far surpassed by the matchless marrow being larger equally as productive and superior in flavor grows five feet high woodford marrow a very green P and boils without losing color it makes the most beautiful dish of green P's and is an excellent bear surprise if sewn about the 20th of March will be fit for the table about the 12th of June a very excellent late P of large size and superior flavor sugar P so called from its flavor it is usually boiled in the pod's hole only drawing the thread from the back of the pod before it is put into the water it can also be cooked in the usual way a very sweet P grows five feet high ninth dwarf marrow this is called dwarf though it grows five feet and should be sewn in drills at least that distance apart ninth wrinkled marrow there are several varieties of this all the first rate excellence though the ripe seed are peculiarly wrinkled and very untempting yet the green fruit are exceedingly fine flavored scimitar a large P and abundant bear this name from the shape of the pods it is well flavored sewn about the first of May it will be ready about the 6th of July new mammoth a very tall growing P requiring rods six feet high a great bearer of large size and perhaps the very best flavored P grown the only objection to it is a quantity of grounded occupies they should be planted two inches apart in the drills and six feet from row to row a quart will plant three rows each 30 yards long if sewn about the first of May it will be ready about the 12th of July British queen a wrinkled marrow P of large size and luscious flavor grows five to six feet high a new P of great excellence there are 20 or 25 other varieties of the P but to go into a detail would be merely repeating what we have already said they are generally mere varieties of those given and so closely assimilated that a name constitutes in most instances the only difference the above list embraces varieties that become fit for the table in from six to ten weeks and by repeated sowings judiciously made the garden will be supplied with peas from May to frost we believe that there isn't a vegetable in the catalog so universally agreeable as the P we have never heard anyone say they could not eat well cooked green peas and it should be an emulation to have them always at least in their season culture the soil in which an early crop of peas is sown should be light, dry, and well sheltered I have had great success with early peas by sewing a row along the south or east side of a board fence this is done as soon as the frost is out of the ground in some seasons about the first of March while in others as late as the 19th such was the spring of 1846 yet I had peas fit for the table on the 17th of May there is no criterion of the earlyness of the pea for in 1844 I sewed peas on the 30th of April which were fit for the table on the 10th of June being within six weeks and on heavy, lomy ground ground for peas should be well maneuvered the previous year if it is heavily maneuvered for the crop it causes them to grow more to straw than seed as soon as they are two inches high, draw earth to them and when they have grown a few inches more repeat it again when they are eight or ten inches high this earthing greatly protects the vines and keeps the wind from driving them about after the final earthing has been completed stake them the stakes or branches more properly should be of a fan form and put in the ground in a slanting direction on the other side of the row reverse the position of the stakes which affords the vines more protection and security when they show their first blossoms it is a good plan to top off the point of the vine it then ceases to grow and throws all its strength into the pods by which they swell off more readily early peas should be sewn in drills two inches deep and the seeds about one inch apart in the drills and two and a half feet from drill to drill if stakes are scarce two rows of peas can be sewn six inches apart and then two rows the same way four feet between each pair of rows this is the general system though I do not see what are its advantages if the same quantity of seed you put into one row it appears evident the product will be the same but I have not satisfactorily tried the experiment the height to which peas grow very much depends upon season and soil early sorts in a dry spring will grow two feet season they will grow four many of the marrow peas in some seasons will grow six feet and in others ten the spaces between the rows of early peas can be planted with lettuce or beans the late kinds where the rows are four or six feet apart can be planted with early celery the vines are partially shade the young plants so they have taken root the late peas can also go on ground whence early lettuce or spinach has been taken the plants we have named be sown from early in spring to the tenth of May a crop of young peas will be in constant succession from May to the end of July August in the first two weeks of September in this vicinity and so will be in want of green peas which is very liberally supplied with a variety of beans early peas may again be sown about the fifteenth of August if the weather be dry soak the peas 24 hours in water before sowing indeed this is an excellent practice with all the tribe when the ground is dry the drill should have water poured into them before being planted the seed will then grow at once and not be in the least retarded should the season continue dry it will greatly prevent mildew if the peas are watered and continued droughts the following motives of staking the tall varieties of the pea is both cheap and simple and possesses many advantages procure a number of steaks and drive them into the ground on each side of the row at a distance of six feet pass a small line of cotton or onion twine along the poles taking a turn on each as the peas advance raise the next line higher and so on till they have attained their full height two lines will be enough as the one line can be raised over the other the air can circulate better through the vines than by the common method of staking it can be successfully cultivated by artificial means and a good crop produced either in pits or very gentle hotbeds for this purpose bishops' early dwarf is most suitable sow in ponds or boxes rather thickly and place them close to the glass till they are sufficiently strong for transplanting when they may be carefully taken out with the roots as entire as possible and planted in frames or pits from front to back and two inches from plant to plant give plenty of air by day should the weather admit of it but keep them well covered at night it may be observed that in whatever way peas are raised for forcing they should invariably be transplanted the temperature should be from 40 to 60 when they appear dry moderate waterings will be necessary more especially in time of bloom and when the pods are setting and smelling those who pay some attention to the cultivation of this very luscious vegetable can very readily have them on the table from May to November in all ordinary seasons this universal vegetable is a perennial well known upon every table it is a native of South America in the vicinity of Quito they are known under the name of Papus they appear to have been known in Virginia as early as 1584 and were at that period cultivated by the colonists it is very amusing to observe the remarks of early writers upon their character some saying they are only fit for swine while others recommend them as a delicate dish it is a species of a very extensive family of plants inhabitants of every part of the globe all of a forbidding aspect and not a few of them of the most deadly poison while others are being extensively cultivated both its food and luxury to man among them are the eggplant and the tomato we are now arrived at a period of the history of the potato when there appears to be a universal scourge of blight or blight passed over the crop in every country where it is cultivated universal in its effects and as universally unaccounted for some attributing it to one cause while others take it all together opposite view we are now arriving at a period where we take it all together opposite view it is always and does still appear to me to be an atmospheric disease a kind of cholera as I tend led it two years ago which has threatened the past year needing to extirvate the whole crop we now predict that it has come to its height and another season will produce a more healthy crop cultivation may promote health that will not avert the calamity new soil in the past year has been more genial to the production of sound tubers than old cultivated fields though the former has not been entirely exempt from disease the vines have always been affected after a few dull cloudy moist warm days these succeeded by strong sunshine made visible the first blighting effects to cut off the stems close to the ground as soon as the disease appeared has invariably benefited and in many instances entirely saved the tubers and we still hope that this root which has been for many years a luxury to the rich and bread to the poor will yet continue to improve as it has done during the past hundred years on the quality of the potato as used for food a few words were suffice it is the most nutritious of vegetables where it agrees with the constitution which is almost invariably the case except in some few instances where there is a spare or thin habit of body to those who take much exercise in the open air it is excellent food and yields a very considerable amount of nourishment too little attention is generally paid for the dressing of it for an indifferent potato becomes good when well cooked and a superior one gains every attraction that an appetite can desire an untinned iron saucepan is preferable to any other for boiling potatoes in preparing them they should never be peeled or much of the nutritious quality is lost they only require to be washed clean and it bothers to be slightly scraped after soaking in water for an hour put them into the saucepan with cold water sufficient to cover them when it begins to boil let a cup full of cold water be put in which will check the boiling and allow time for the potatoes to be done through without their being in any danger of breaking when they are sufficiently soft which may be known by trying them with a fork pour off the water and let the pot with potatoes continue for a short time and the heat will cause any remaining moisture to evaporate when after being peeled they will be fit for the table by this method of cooking if strictly adhered to they will be found more palatable than under any other various states and places have their favorite sorts to enter into a general detail of their merits would only produce conflicting opinions for we are certain that what may do well in one state or country would fail in another for Pennsylvania pink eyes and Mercer for New York Winnebago's and blue jackets for more eastern countries but in no part of this country do we find that English, Irish or Scotch potatoes to succeed we must look to our own exertions and industry in raising sorts from seed if we wish to excel in quality there is a very extensive field for improvement and one that we can easily operate upon every year the Mercer in this facility is a universal favorite the genuine sort is of a longish flat and kidney form with a liberal quantity of eyes and pink colored on the tapering end those covered with knotty protuberances are not considered so pure as those of a uniform shape it is very early a good bear and a good keeper Fox's seedling for garden culture and earlyness will be found preferable to the former it is a round white potato with excellent flavor when eaten from the ground but will not retain its superior qualities for winter use Foxite a yellowish white potato with the eyes much sunk it is a great favorite in some situations and soils as a late variety it is an excellent keeper and well flavored no vegetable varies more in quality in different soils than this for a sort that would be pleasant and well flavored in one soil one fact may be observed that white potatoes do best on light soils while red will be most productive on claye or retentive soils culture the first matter to be considered is the soil which, if of a sandy loam is better calculated for the potato than a heavy or very claye soil though any soil will do it must be observed that the roots produced in a light are more dry and sweeter than one in a heavy soil the finest potatoes are grown in a new light rich loam if the soil is heavy the manure used should be composed of well decayed leaves horse manure and ashes well blended and mixed together before using a good crop can seldom be raised if this article is sparingly laid on 2 or 3 inches thick is a good manureing but if that quantity cannot be obtained to cover the whole ground put it 3 or 4 inches thick in the drill only where on the sets are laid it is not our purpose to enter into a labor dissertation on the culture of this eschulant on a large scale or we could easily show that it is but very imperfectly understood our object present is garden culture and our remarks are intended to apply to that branch a gardener or farmer must be very low in the scale of his profession unless he knows what crop is to follow another and it is a point very necessary with potatoes let the ground be roughly dug before winter to have the soil well ameliorated before planting presuming that the ground is clear where the late garbage crop was taken from dig it deeply and turn it up roughly for the action of the winter then early in spring lay on your manure and as soon as the ground can be worked open a furrow the full deep of the spade lay therein 3 or 4 inches of dung on which plant the sets with the eye upward 10 inches apart 18 to 20 inches from row to row dig over the ground and plant as you proceed sets for planting should be cut at least one week before planting and spread out thin on a floor to dry potatoes of medium size can make from 4 to 6 sets there is a great difference of opinion in regard to the size of the potato to be used for the purpose of planting some carefully selecting the largest others preferring the medium the smallest we never put any regard upon the size of the tuber though we are careful in reserving the size of the set in the event of their being small we do not cut them if of medium size we make 4 to 6 sets and if large 8 sets may be made again the point of the potato is considered more early than the root end and some only use those eyes that are in the middle we have never dreamed this advantage worth much attention though for a few very early planting we get preference to those eyes nearest the point of the tuber as soon as they appear above ground get frequent and deep hoings drawing earth carefully to the stems as they advance in growth we assuredly detest the appearance of a weed among this crop and frequently mourn and almost weep over fields of the rank of weeds where the undergrowth is potatoes what can be expected from such slovenly husbandry gardening we will not call it the crop is thereby injured in quality and quantity and not only that but frequently disease ensues which is attributed to the potato degenerating what an idea to degenerate no never all seeds not only of this vegetable but of every other should be changed every 3 years at farthest and we would change the kind of soil or the potato for seed every 2 years a change from light soil to heavy or the reverse and to benefit the quality and if this cannot be affected change with some of your distant friends or make purchase from other states we have said that early potatoes should be planted as soon as the ground can be worked which is from the 1st, 20th of March a few may be planted in a very sheltered place where they would not be much exposed to late frost the main crop should be planted by the 15th to the end of April if left till a later period they are very liable to be affected by the droughts of summer and take on an autumn growth which invariably injures the quality of the tuber the maturity of the crop is readily known by the whitening of the stems though they are fit for the table before that period as soon as they are what is termed half grown a few may be lifted for use those intended for seed are considered better adapted for the purpose if they are not perfectly ripe yet I doubt if this opinion is confirmed by experience writers on this very subject too frequently reiterate the expressions of their predecessors this is very observable among writers on horticultural and agricultural subjects the experience of Abercrombie speechly and night is retailed as new matter for the present age advanced in every other science and is admitted as being as undeniable as a rule of Euclid when passing through Ireland that hot bed of potatoes we observed them transplanting the sternum that had grown six or eight inches from one part of the field to another in the same way that cabbages are planted and I was informed the crop from those were fully as good as from the sets planted in the season this operation can be performed in a country where there is a great deal of moisture or during very cloudy moist weather but in dry airy temperatures it would be a doubtful practice artificial culture various other methods by which potatoes are forced such as in frames pits, hotbeds, under glass or under shutters and mats whichever of these conveniences may be at hand let that be from 20 inches to 2 feet of good manure in the bottom over which place 18 inches of good soil plant thereon your sets of foxes seedling and cover them with 4 inches of earth it is necessary that when finished the material should be within 6 or 8 inches of the glass so over all some early short tops scarlet radish which will be off before the potatoes can be affected by their growth to prevent the becoming long and spindling give air on every favorable occasion when there is no sunshine from 10 to 3 o'clock protecting them at night a few lettuce may also be planted between the rows they can be cut off as soon as they are in the way this is making the most of every inch of ground and every industrious gardener knows the value of time and space new sorts from seed we can never have potatoes entirely suitable to our climate till we obtain such from seed and operation rarely if ever attended to properly for these experiments the field is very large and certain to be crowned with successful results a single apple as they are called collected in September or October will produce 2 dozen new kinds and if even half a pack of apples were collected separate and wash the seeds from the pulp dry them and wrap them up in strong paper till spring about the middle of April prepare a bed of fine earth draw shallow drills thereon 6 inches apart and a quarter of an inch deep sew the seeds thinly and cover lightly with a very fine earth they will come up in 2 or 3 weeks when they are 2 inches high thin out a portion lifting them very carefully with a trowel and transplant them into a piece of well prepared ground 4 inches apart and 8 inches from row to row choose a moist cloudy day for the purpose hoe them freely and earth them up a few times during the season treat the bed in like manner in October the roots will furnish a supply of small potatoes which must be taken up in a portion of the best preserved and sand during winter to be planted next spring in the usual way after they have had the ensuing summer's growth in October their tubers will have attained a sufficient size to determine their properties it will be necessary to consider not only the flavor of each variety but the size, shape, color and fertility also the earlyness or lateness rejecting all that have not every quality combined for only such are worthy of permanent culture it will thus be seen that with very little care and a little labor new varieties may be produced and proven in the short space of 2 or 3 years potatoes intended for keeping should be fully ripened before being taken up when going through the process of lifting drying and storing they should be handled with care not filled up and emptied down as if they were as many atones after having gone through the stone casting process nearly every potato shows its effects when brought to the table being covered with bruised marks in proportion to their rough treatment whereas if they are managed properly every tuber would be a sound as on the day of its removal dry cellars, free from frost are the most appropriate places of storage and if they have a covering of sand they will not lose a particle of their flavor if sand or dry earth is not used give them a covering or straw to prevent the air from giving the outside potatoes an accurate taste toward the end of January and February they should have a regular turning to prevent their sprouting if any have begun to grow pick off the growths they will require this operation repeated every few weeks while they are in the cellar if this is not carefully attended to when the potatoes are allowed to grow to any extent they will lose much of their farinaceous quality it is also very essential to turn over frequently those intended for seed to prevent a premature growth the greater the vegetative power of the set the finer and stronger they will grow pumpkin or Pompeon Cucubita Corge French Curbis German we cannot think of emitting this festival in the precincts of a garden where there are melons, cucumbers, and other kindred plants they would mix with and contaminate the quality of the more valuable sorts if, however, there is an opportunity to plant a few in the field among the corn we would recommend among the many sorts the cacha as being the best there is a variety of a very coarse nature cultivated in the field called the mammoth which frequently attains the enormous weight of 250 pounds and is only fit for pigs or cattle end of section 10 recording by Jennifer Stearns, Cochrane, New Hampshire