Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-22
SEAS ONABLE HINTS.
Gtom the American Agrfcnlturist.
EARLY CUCUMBERs.

CuCutuOSF Secl. III tHeSe MIer the pititS
moved, and by covering at night and in cold
days, greatly hasten the plants. Those who
are without these can forward the plants very
much Take piece of good sod. lay it grass
side down upon a board and cut it i'm 3 or 4-inch
squares with sharp spade or an Old knife. Sow
In the earth Of each square half a dozen or more
cucumber seeds. and place the board with the
sods. in some warm place. under fine shelter Of;
building or fence: provide another board In
cover the sOds. Expose during the day
and cover in the afternoon before the dav grows
cool. When the plants appear of course ti..,
cover must be- raised by props of some kind:
bricks are handy. When the plants are large
enough, and the weather settled place each
square OF sod in n well manfred hill: make
frames OF 6-inch stuff, ~ or Is inches square a
box without top or bottom cover one end
with miilinet or mosquito net tackled on and
place one OF these over each hill. This is the
best way To keep off the striped bug. Should
very cold nights occur cover the tops of the
boz with shingles any other handy stuff. Ii
Is go much trouble as may be inferred from
the criptiOn. and will greatly advance the Gu
cumbtfs- Melons and summer squashes may
De treated in the same manner as suggested for
cucumbers.
MAKE AN ASPARAGUS BED.
Asparagus is easily raised as anything that
grows in the garden. and vet it is comparatively
rare to find it upon the farmers table. The rea-
son may be that much nonsense has been pub
lished about the difficulties OF raising it. and
that We have to wait two or three years for the
full maturity of the plant. II is true that full
crop will not be gwen in less than three wears
put when the bed Is once made the job is done
Or a dozen or twenty years. If made this
spring. there will be one year the less to wait
Any good. wel-drained soil that will bear corn
is suitable for asparagus. Put in half cord of
manure for every four square rods of ground
Work it thoroughly. Set out One-year-old planfs
fnnr fnata aarf
They can be Kept clean then with the harrow
or cultivatOr. 1t should have cultivation once
IN two weeks. through the growing season.
Cover the bed with manure i'm the fall and fork it
under in the spring. Cultivate thoroughly
through the second season and tOp-dress as be
fore The second season a few stalks NAV be
cut In April and May. but there should be no
close cutting until the third year. and this
should not be continued later than the middle
OF June. The plants must have time to grow
and recuperate i'm midsummer or the bed will
soon fail The secret of large fine asparagus is
abundant manure, applied i'm the fall every sea-
son, thorough cultivation until the tops prevent
and stopping the cutting by the middle of June
The blanched asparagus that is so popular i'm
some markets. is secured by covering the beds
with sea-weed, straw, or other mulch 1t is
poor stuff in comparison with the long green
tender shoots that have had the full benefit of
the sunlight on rich soil. The leading yare-
ties are the Colossal and Defiance" and are
advertised by the seedsmen and other dealers
each spring.
cAULIFLOwER, BROCCOLI AND BRUSSELS
SPROUTS.
Except the cauliflOwer these relatives of the
cabbage are little known i'm this country. and
that is seldom grown except by regular garden
ers- Success depends upon good seed and rich
iand The treatment is in all respects that
mentioned Tor cabbages. AS with cabbages
there are early and late sorts. Early kinds can
only now be had by procuring plants the late
varieties may be sOwn when the late cabbage
seed Is put in. We have had good results from
"NOnparef' and "Algiers." ''vietch's Autumn
Giant" new variety, is highly recommended
oy friend who has tried it.
Broccoli, so popular in England. is rare with
Us In general appearance it is like the cauli-
hover. but is somewhat purple; it is more
hardy, but is regarded as somewhat less deli.
cate. Cultivation in all respects the same The
white" and Purple Cape" and ''Walcheren."
are the principal sorts.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS may be described as q tall
cabbage stump. thckly studded with little SAVOY
cabbages, the size of pullet's eggs and with a
small crown of leaves at the top. These little
caboages are the part eaten, though the top
leaves after they have been frozen are edible
In taste Brussels sprouts closely resemble SAVOY
caDoages. and as much larger supply Of Sayoys
may De raised from the same space, it is not
worth While to grow the sprouts, save as
curious variety. The sowing and culture is in
oil respects like late cabba GEES
VEGETABLES NOT GENERALLY GROWN
There are number of vegetables much es-
teemed by some. that do not seem to have made
their way into the farm garden
kOHL-RABI is one of these. 1t has been called
''Turnip-cabbage." 1t is like a small cabbage
with glObular stem; 1t is of easy culture. an
II taken when young, is much superior to early
turnips If left until too Old it is very stringy.
when rapidly grown it is edible when inches
through, but or inches is the usual size 1t
Is to be sown like beets, and thinned to or 8
inches.
LEXIS are much valued by many in soups and
etews. They are hardy. and may be sown early in
rcn SOIL; when OF inches high. thin to 6
Inches i'm the row. handling carefully and trans
plant the trimmings to other rows at the same
distance
CARDOON is a tall thistle-like plant. the thick
ieaf-stalks of which are blanched and stewed. 1t
Ia rarely seen in this country, but is highly
esteemed by those who have lived in Europe
SORREL, quite different from the wild plants
Known by the name. Its leaves are somewhat
like those of a Dock. 1t is pleasantly acid. and
ID cooked either by itself or mixed with spinach
Satisfy OR VEGETABLE OYSTER"
Is very good thing to have. 1t stands any
amount OF freezing, and comes out perfect in
spring. just when one wants some succulent
root for change from potatoes. Dug. washed
Clean and scraped. and boiied soft. it eats well.
t'w bits OF salt Goldfish added make il re-
scniDe cooked oysters. in some peoples inapi-
hati0n hence its common name. 1t grows very
much like carrots. and is to be treated similarly
Sow in drills Is inches apart, in April: thin to 8
inches. keep the weeds down during the sum-
mer; and leave it until wanted in spring. but il
may he drawn upon at any time when not
frozen in solid. Some prefer the ScorZonera
or Black Satisfy. but the common white seems
Of equally good quality. and it looks better on
the dish We always want Is or 30-foot row
Of 1t for each member of the household
HELPS IN TIE GARDEN.
There are several appliances that viii help the
Work and save time in the garden, and no where
are these more needed than in the farn-oartien
o. the lack OF tine Is the common excuse for not
having good garden.
GARDEN LINE is of great use in marking the
rows straight, i'm laying out beds. etc. The line
Should be long enough To reach the length of
the garden, and not larger than a fourth of an
inch Ii will last longer if tarred Reels for
holdiRg the line are sold at the implement stores
but these, while handy, are not necessary. Take
TWO hardwood pins. Is or 20 inches long an
incn OF so thick. and pointed at one end Tie
an end OF the line to the middle of each and
wlnd up the line, half or each pin. as BOYS