Home Vegetable Gardening - F. F. Rockwell (nice books to read .txt) 📗

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fat meaty green pods, entirely stringless until nearly mature, and of

enormous length. I have measured many over eight and a half inches

long—and they are borne in great profusion. Golden Cluster is one of

the handsomest beans I know. It is happily named, for the pods, of a

beautiful rich golden yellow color, hang in generous clusters and great

profusion. In quality it has no superior; it has always been a great

favorite with my customers. One need never fear having too many of

these, as the dried beans are pure white and splendid for winter use.

Last season I tried a new pole bean called Burger’s Greenpod

Stringless or White-seeded Kentucky Wonder (the dried seeds of the old

sort being brown). It did well, but was in so dry a place that I could

not tell whether it was an improvement over the standard or not. It is

claimed to be earlier.

 

Beets:—In beets, varieties are almost endless, but I confess

that I have found no visible difference in many cases. Edmund’s Early

and Early Model are good for first crops. The Egyptian strains, though

largely used for market, have never been as good in quality with me.

For the main crop I like Crimson Globe. In time it is a second early,

of remarkably good form, smooth skin and fine quality and color.

 

Broccoli:—This vegetable is a poorer cousin of the cauliflower

(which, by the way, has been termed “only a cabbage with a college

education”). It is of little use where cauliflower can be grown, but

serves as a substitute in northern sections, as it is more hardy than

that vegetable. Early White French is the standard sort.

 

Brussels sprouts:—This vegetable, in my opinion, is altogether

too little grown. It is as easy to grow as fall and winter cabbage, and

while the yield is less, the quality is so much superior that for the

home garden it certainly should be a favorite. Today (Jan. 19th) we had

for dinner sprouts from a few old plants that had been left in

transplanting boxes in an open coldframe. These had been out all

winter—with no protection, repeatedly freezing and thawing, and, while

of course small, they were better in quality than any cabbage you ever

ate. Dalkeith is the best dwarf-growing sort. Danish Prize is a new

sort, giving a much heavier yield than the older types. I have tried it

only one year, but should say it will become the standard variety.

 

Cabbage:—In cabbages, too, there is an endless mix-up of

varieties. The Jersey Wakefield still remains the standard early. But

it is at the best but a few days ahead of the flat-headed early sorts

which stand much longer without breaking, so that for the home garden a

very few heads will do. Glory of Enkhuisen is a new early sort that has

become a great favorite. Early Summer and Succession are good to follow

these, and Danish Ballhead is the best quality winter cabbage, and

unsurpassed for keeping qualities. But for the home garden the Savoy

type is, to my mind, far and away the best. It is not in the same class

with the ordinary sorts at all. Perfection Drumhead Savoy is the best

variety. Of the red cabbages, Mammoth Rock is the standard.

 

Carrots:—The carrots are more restricted as to number of

varieties. Golden Ball is the earliest of them all, but also the

smallest yielder. Early Scarlet Horn is the standard early, being a

better yielder than the above. The Danvers Half-long is probably grown

more than all other kinds together. It grows to a length of about six

inches, a very attractive deep orange in color. Where the garden soil

is not in excellent condition, and thoroughly fined and pulverized as

it should be, the shorter-growing kinds, Ox-heart and Chantenay, will

give better satisfaction. If there is any choice in quality, I should

award it to Chantenay.

 

Cauliflower;—There is hardly a seed catalogue which does not

contain its own special brand of the very best and earliest cauliflower

ever introduced. These are for the most part selected strains of either

the old favorite, Henderson’s Snowball, or the old Early Dwarf Erfurt.

Snowball, and Burpee’s Best Early, which resembles it, are the best

varieties I have ever grown for spring or autumn. They are more likely

to head, and of much finer quality than any of the large late sorts.

Where climatic conditions are not favorable to growing cauliflower, and

in dry sections, Dry-weather is the most certain to form heads.

 

Celery:—For the home garden the dwarf-growing, “self-blanching”

varieties of celery are much to be preferred. White Plume and Golden

Self-blanching are the best. The former is the earliest celery and of

excellent quality, but not a good keeper. Recent introductions in

celery have proved very real improvements. Perhaps the best of the

newer sorts, for home use, is Winter Queen, as it is more readily

handled than some of the standard market sorts. In quality it has no

superior. When put away for winter properly, it will keep through

April.

 

Corn:—You will have to suit yourself about corn. I have not the

temerity to name any best varieties—every seedsman has about half a

dozen that are absolutely unequaled. For home use, I have cut my list

down to three: Golden Bantam, a dwarf-growing early of extraordinary

hardiness—can be planted earlier than any other sort and, while the

ears are small and with yellow kernels, it is exceptionally sweet and

fine in flavor. This novelty of a few years since, has attained wide

popular favor as quickly as any vegetable I know. Seymour’s Sweet

Orange is a new variety, somewhat similar to Golden Bantam, but later

and larger, of equally fine quality. White Evergreen, a perfected

strain of Stowell’s Evergreen, a standard favorite for years, is the

third. It stays tender longer than any other sweet corn I have

ever grown.

 

Cucumbers:—Of cucumbers also there is a long and varied list of

names. The old Extra Early White Spine is still the best early; for the

main crop, some “perfected” form of White Spine. I myself like the

Fordhood Famous, as it is the healthiest strain I ever grew, and has

very large fruit that stays green, while being of fine quality. In the

last few years the Davis Perfect has won great popularity, and

deservedly so. Many seedsmen predict that this is destined to become

the leading standard—and where seedsmen agree let us prick up our

ears! It has done very well with me, the fruit being the handsomest of

any I have grown. If it proves as strong a grower it will replace

Fordhood Famous with me.

 

Eggplant:—New York Improved Purple is still the standard, but

it has been to a large extent replaced by Black Beauty, which has the

merit of being ten days earlier and a more handsome fruit. When once

tried it will very likely be the only sort grown.

 

Endive:—This is a substitute for lettuce for which I personally

have never cared. It is largely used commercially. Broad-leaved

Batavian is a good variety. Giant Fringed is the largest.

 

Kale:—Kale is a foreigner which has never been very popular in

this country. Dwarf Scott Curled is the tenderest and most delicate (or

least coarse) in flavor.

 

Kohlrabi:—This peculiar mongrel should be better known. It

looks as though a turnip had started to climb into the cabbage class

and stopped halfway. When gathered young, not more than an inch and a

half in diameter at the most, they are quite nice and tender. They are

of the easiest cultivation. White Vienna is the best.

 

Leek:—For those who like this sort of thing it is—just the

sort of thing they like. American Flag is the best variety, but why it

was given the first part of that name, I do not know.

 

Lettuce:—To cover the lettuces thoroughly would take a chapter

by itself. For lack of space, I shall have to mention only a few

varieties, although there are many others as good and suited to

different purposes. For quality, I put Mignonette at the top of the

list, but it makes very small heads. Grand Rapids is the best loose-head sort—fine for under glass, in frames and early outdoors. Last

fall from a bench 40 x 4 ft., I sold $36 worth in one crop, besides

some used at home. I could not sell winter head lettuce to customers

who had once had this sort, so good was its quality. May King and Big

Boston are the best outdoor spring and early summer sorts. New York and

Deacon are the best solid cabbage-head types for resisting summer heat,

and long standing. Of the cos type Paris White is good.

 

Muskmelon:—The varieties of muskmelon are also without limit. I

mention but two—which have given good satisfaction out of a large

number tried, in my own experience. Netted Gem (known as Rocky Ford)

for a green-fleshed type, and Emerald Gem for salmon-fleshed. There are

a number of newer varieties, such as Hoodoo, Miller’s Cream, Montreal,

Nutmeg, etc., all of excellent quality.

 

Watermelon:—With me (in Connecticut) the seasons are a little

short for this fruit. Cole’s Early and Sweetheart have made the best

showing. Halbert Honey is the best for quality.

 

Okra:—In cool sections the Perfected Perkins does best, but it

is not quite so good in quality as the southern favorite, White Velvet.

The flowers and plants of this vegetable are very ornamental.

 

Onion:—For some unknown reason, different seedsmen call the

same onion by the same name. I have never found any explanation of

this, except that a good many onions given different names in the

catalogues are really the same thing. At least they grade into each

other more than other vegetables. With me Prizetaker is the only sort

now grown in quantity, as I have found it to outyield all other

yellows, and to be a good keeper. It is a little milder in quality than

the American yellows—Danvers and Southport Globe. When started

under glass and transplanted out in April, it attains the size and the

quality of the large Spanish onions of which it is a descendant.

Weathersfield Red is the standard flat red, but not quite so good in

quality or for keeping as Southport Red Globe. Of the whites I like

best Mammoth Silverskin. It is ready early and the finest in quality,

to my taste, of all the onions, but not a good keeper. Ailsa Craig, a

new English sort now listed in several American catalogues, is the best

to grow for extra fancy onions, especially for exhibiting; it should be

started in February or March under glass.

 

Parsley:—Emerald is a large-growing, beautifully colored and

mild-flavored sort, well worthy of adoption.

 

Parsnip:—This vegetable is especially valuable because it may

be had at perfection when other vegetables are scarce. Hollow Crown

(“Improved,” of course!) is the best.

 

Peas:—Peas are worse than corn. You will find enough

exclamation points in the pea sections of catalogues to train the vines

on. If you want to escape brain-fag and still have as good as the best,

if not better, plant Gradus (or Prosperity) for early and second early;

Boston Unrivaled (an improved form of Telephone) for main crop, and

Gradus for autumn. These two peas are good yielders, free growers and

of really wonderfully fine quality. They need bushing, but I have never

found a variety of decent quality that does not.

 

Pepper:—Ruby King is the standard, large, red, mild pepper, and

as good as any. Chinese Giant is a newer sort, larger but later. The

flesh is extremely thick and mild. On account of this quality, it