The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-02-13
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Best Vegetables.


the newer and more improved varieties IL 4
is desirable therefore, 10 experiment Win J.
new varieties to moderate extent whue re
tanning the old reliable sorts for the MAJ n
crops. The experience of others IN tRis sJrt
of Experimenting is available to cersajL1 ex-
tent. and saves many veXatiOus failures.
Peter Henderson writes to the Agricultural
list the result of trials made in 1871 which is
so valuable that We reproduce 1t entire, pre-
missing that each one OF ouS' readers will
keep in mind the difference tween his own
soil and climate and that Of eastern New
Jersey:
For a number Of years past we have set
apart piece of our ground on Jesrey City
Heights, n. j., for testing the relative merits
of all the leading Kinds OF vegetables IN
general USE Every class is treated exactly
alike All of each Class are sown the same day,
and in every subsequent operation the great
est care is taken that all are treated alike,
whether sown in hot bed to be transplanted,
or when sown in the open ground. Our
trial book shows the following results OF
the various tests We name, however, only
the varieties having merit. All such as were
tested and found To be inferior either in
earliness or quality, are either not named
here at all or merely noticed TO Indicate
wherein, in our estimation, the want OF
merit lies. About an average OF % varieties
of each kind OF vegetables were tested, and
at least 90 plants of each variety:
PARsNIP.-Hollow crowned.
PARsLEY.-Moss curled and double curled.
END1vE.-Moss curled, green curled and
Batavian.
EGG PLAYT-New York improved is rather
earliest but black Pekin is to our taste the
best favored. They are nearly alike pro-
ductive.
CUcUMaERs-Early white spine, and green
un "
for picking, early cluster and short green
seem best.
BEANS. POLE Large Lima is still the favor
tie. Dutch Case Knife is also an excellent
sort and the Giant Wax is stringless snap
bean, but a climber.
MANGELs AND SUGAR BEETs.-In an Impair
tial trial of the four best known sorts, Nor
biton Giant gave 20 per cent. more weight
per acre THAI any other.
BEETs-For first early we find Egyptian
best, next the Blood Turnip and for late the
Long Blood. Bassano is early, but objection
able for Market on account of its very light
color.
Musk MELoNs-White Japan proved ear
lest but for general crop nutmeg and green
citron are preferable. Cassaba is large vel
low kind; is of excellent flavor, and very
prolific.
BEANS, BCsH-Early Mohawk is few days
earlier than Valentine, which is yet the best
for general crop Black Wax is fine string
less variety. Refugee, late and largely used
for picking.
CARROr.-French forcing earliest and
handsome, next early horn, and a newish
sort called half long red, of very bright color
and excellent flavor. For field crop i'm
proved long orange Is best.
ONIoxs.-Wethersfield red, yellow Dan
vers and white globe probably the best
of their cOlOrs for general culture, though
the newer kinds of the Italian varieties such
as white Tripoli, Queen and giant R)cs, grow
finely in the south and southwesterly states.
RADIsHEs Scarlet turnip, long scarlet,
and the new white tipped scarlet French
seed), are all about equally early. The last
named is very distinct and pretty, and in
every way desirable. OF the late winter
radishes the China rose colOred, black and
white Spanish are all good.
LETTUCE. (sown and planted same date as
cabbage I'VE find All the-year round Zone
of the cabbage or butter class headed first.
Next came the Simpson, and next for stand
ing the hot weather best were large white
summer and curled India. Boston market,
though rather small for outdoor culture, is
now almost exclusively grown as the best
for heading under glass.
SPINACH-We find that the Savoy leaved
is by far the best, giving nearly twice the
weight Of crop on the same space. II is
somewhat singular that the great value of
this variety seems to have been overlooked
by the market gardeners OF New York, and
t5ey have only recently woke up TO il on
seeing it sent in by the growers from Nor
folk, Virginia. and other southern points.
TURNIPs Red and White-top, Strapleaf
are earliest. Purple-White Globe Is near'y
as early, and will prove more marketable
sort from its larger size. Yellow Globe for
second early is one of the best for general
crop. In Ruta Bagas, the American grown
seed of the Purple and Green Top kinds,
proved better in every case than some halt
dozen kinds of varit ties tried, with the ex-
ception of the Long White French, variety
of eKcellent flavor and otherwise desirable.
PEAs-These, like tomatoes, have so many
new claimants for earliness and productive
ness that it is not easy TO decide. Our tests
OF last season place them as follows. as near
as we could Judge: First. improved Daniel
ORourke; next, Philadelphia extra early,
and Carter's first crop for round peas requir-
ing brush. OF the dwarfs. Little Gem and
Blue Peter, while for larger growing wrink
led sorts Alpha is best and earliest; while
for main late crop nothing yet we find as
good as Champion of England.
CAULIFLowERs (sOwn and planted at same
date as the caoOage) The new variety
known as early SNOWFALL is the best acquisi-
ton Of the season. 1t was a week earlier
than all o.her sorts tried; heads of fine size
of snowy whiteness. few and short leaves
making it in every way desirable whether
for growing under glass or IN the open
ground. Next to this was the extra early
erfurt, hitherto considered the best variety
Later, for succession, came half early PARIS
and lie Normand's short stemmed, too late
for early, but valuable as a fall sort.
CoRS.-Minnesota we find 10 be the ear
lest variety of good size. The habit is dwarf
size of ear medium, very productive and
sweet Large eight rowed second early
large size. sweet. New Egyptian: this vari-
ETY. Is of large size; is about as early AS eight
rowed; the merit claimed for il is its excel
lent flavor Ii has been but little grown
outside OF Baltimore, but has been cultivated
there for several years to the exclusion of
nearly all the other sorts. StOwells ever
green: for late main crOps we find nothing