Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-02-04
Agricultural Department.
GARDEN VEGETABLES.
o.

GARDEN VEGETABLES.
EARLY CUcuMsERs.-T following has
been found by the writer, an easy aud
successful way to raise them. Place small
pieces of dead turf, as large as one 5
hand, Just below the SOL in Il hot bed,
and plant the cucumber seeds upon them.
When the stems arc two or three inches
long, the pieces Of turf are removed,
plants, roots, and all, to ricl, garden soil,
and they will advance rapidly in growth
and produce fruit two or three weeks
earlier than,h those planted in open ground.
Suitable turf is easier obtained where
grass has been inverted the previous
summer or autum. The Young plants
should be set out as soon US they will pro-
hxbly escape frost.
EARLY ros1aToEs.-W herc there is no
hot bed, these have been successfully
started in pots kept in Il warm room, AMI
the fruit ripcned week ortwo in advance
Of those otherwise treated.
While the fruit is yet green, have
much accelerated the ripening, by re
moving the larger leaves from dense
lunches Of the fruit, and Placing white
boards ehind them, so as 10 reilcc: the
suns rays strongly upon them. They
soon became red, while the rest remained
unchanged in color. Woudn no. planting
:hcm, AS we'll as many other OF the small
er garden fruits, against Il white washe:!
fence or wall. prove Of great advantage?
1t is estimated in ling!a that good
wall Tor fruit is equal to an advance o.!
six degrees towards TIC equator; why
then is this powerful means OF producing
early fruit, so generally overlooked in
this country?
EARLY POTATOES 1T is we'll known
that the eye end Of pota.oc wi y;c.d a
crop earlier by some days, Than the roo!
end. This appears 10 be OWING simply
to the earlier growth Of the sprouts from
The eye end. I!ari;iess will be greatly
increased by placing The seed potatoes in
box Of moist sand, carly in spring, in Il
warm place in the house; and then plant
ing them when the shoot; are about Two
inches long, taking care not 10 break them
off.
er their beds 10 run wild, and still obtain
lolcrable crops; but still better way is
TO plant them in drills or hills. and keep
them SO. lloeing or cultivation, benefits
them as much as it does com. Bv pu.-
suing this course, the writer Obtained
nearly apint Of large, fat, plump straw
berries from some sng plants the past
season.
LlME.-This success with strawberries,
might have been partly owing TO the use
OF lime. Its tendency to diminish the
growth cf leaves and stem and increase
that Of seed and fruit, is we'll known. Ii
had teen applied two years before to the
strawberry bed. at the rate Of about half
a bushel TO square rod. A similar Ell
feet was observed on tomatoes, when the
manure they received, which was we'll
ro,tcd, had small quantity OF lime
thoroughly mixed with it. The growth,
Of their stems was moderate, and the pro
duct in fruit. very abundant. Others,
manfred without lime, grew abundan,ly
in stem, and the product Of fruit not quite
so great. Stacked lime was used. TIE
difference might have been owing to 9th
er causes; at any rate, more experiments
are needed.
EARLY LETTUCE This was obtained
at least three ,Oeeks curiicr than other
lettuce sown in the hot bed, by taking up
pats, sown the previous autumn in open
ground, and planting them into the
hot bed as soon as it was made. They
were urged forward in growth rapidly,
by the new heat they received. and form
ed heads four or five inches in diameter,
while the other lettuce was hardly IN
inch high.
sss 31kzcgloN SOP VARlETIEs.-This is a
yefy great Importance, where
exceitenes ii quality IS desired For let
tuce, 1 have found the Early Curied Si!e-
sic, and Imperial Cabbage Lettuce, ycry
good varieties. The latter forms large
fine heads Of great delicacy.
The hsst cabbages appear 10 30 the
Early Sngarloa|, Green Savoy, snd old
fashioned large winter Drumhead The
Sugarloaf heads earlier than tho Early
York, and appears to bs superior q ~
quality. For those who like a very ten
der cabbage, the Savoy will sta,.1 pre-emi-
pent The character of the DfLmhead
We all know.
have tried many varieties Of the tur-
nip for table use, and find none 10 satisfy
N ,st persons who have eaten them, better
than The White Norfolk, whether for ear
~ or late use.
OF beets, the Dassano excels any that
] have tried. Il is very early. will keep
through winter in nois, sand, and is az
much more delicate and sweet than The
red turnep beet, as the latter is better
han the old fashioned, stringy, long blood
beet.
KEEPyxc RooTs THROUGH WINTER -
TIE most convenient and neat method Of
doing this, i 70 procure barrels. hogs