The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-03-01
Some Vegetables Little Grown

that are not much grown in the ordi-
nary family garden, yet these are
among the most delicious of the vege-
table family and should be more util-
lied. They are easily grown and will
add variety to the home table. Among
them we mention kohlrabi, Swiss
chard, egg plant, edible podded peas,
black Mexican sweet corn, lemon Gu
cumber, large yellow tomatoes and
celeriac.
Kohlrabi might be characterized as
a combination of the cabbage, cauli-
flower and turnip. One of it's valu-
able qualities is that it can be obtain
ed as early as June, when there are so
few vegetables in bearing. The stem
bulbs mature successfully during a
period of about a month, which is an
advantage over crop that ripens all
at once. Kohlrabi is economical of
space, and is a clean and healthful
plant; it is very hardy and can be
sown extra early for an early summer
crop or may be sown in midsummer
for fall use. If the entire crop is not
used for the table the surplus may be
fed to the stock. They should always
be pulled young, for then they are
much more sweet and tender than
when left to attain full size. Kohl
rabi is a succession vegetable, it be-
ing possible to plant at intervals from
May LIST to July LIST. The plants should
be thinned to stand several inches
apart and should be cultivated in the
same way as cabbage.
Swiss chard is one of the good things
e. fl,o 20 vi n
bines two kinds Of vegetables in one
the young leaves to use as greens"
and the stalks to cook like asparagus.
1t can be planted very early on ac-
count of it's hardness; the young
leaves will be of suitable size for
green's about two months from time of
sowing, and from the time it is eight
inches high until it has attained full
size it may be used for one dish or the
other. The plants may be left to stand
in the garden all summer to be used
as wanted, but it is not recommended
that this be done, as they have tend
ency to become tough as the season
advances The wisest way seems to
be to plant some for early use only,
then clear off the ground for some
later planting. Chard requires the
same kind of cultivation as do beets,
but it is not necessary to dig the
ground so deeply. Seeds can be sown
in April or May in rows a half yard
apart and the plants thinned to foot
apart A good supply of water and
occasional cultivation should be given.
The outer leaves should be cut from
the plant, which will continue to pro-
duce throughout the season.
The eggplant is emphatically hot
climate vegetable, but many are
grown in the north for home use. The
essentials in egg plant culture are the
same as in tomato culture, except that
the plant requires a still longer season
and greater pains must be taken that
the young plants are not checked. 1t
demands a warm, loose and fairly dry
soil, and is not adapted to clay lands.
The plants are started under glass,
and should be or inches high and
thrifty and stocky when placed in the
field. In the northern part of the coun-
try they may be even larger than this
when transplanted. The exposure
should be warm and sunny. The land
should not be so moist as that which
is adapted to early peas, beets, and
other cool-season things. The ground
should be rich, but it is very important
that whatever fertilizer is added should
be quickly available, so that the ma
turity of the crop may not be delayed.
The ground should be kept in thorough
tillage from first to last. The eggplant
fruit is fit for eating from the time it
is one-third grown until nearly or quite
fully ripe. A heavier crop may be Sc
cured by taking off the fruits before
they reach their full size. Egg plants
are set in rows that are far enough
apart for horse cultivation, usually
31h tO a feet and thew NAV he two or