The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-11
CHINESE TRICKS OF THE TRADE"
SOME UNIQUE GARDENING METHODS WHICH HAVE
BROUGHT LARGE FINANCIAL RETURNS
Bv M. F. RITTENHOUSE

A Chinese OL ouh
town who has grown rich at his bust
ness has some very unique methods,
but which are worth copying, for his
gardens, both artistically and imam
cially are a great success.
He saves his squash and pumpkin
seeds for the next years. planting
by the simple process of keeping the
squash Or pumpkin that especially
strikes his fancy in a cool, dry place
until the e planting season. Then
he plants them with pieces of the
| pulp adhering, and they ppear above
ground with mushroom-like prompt
ness.
His muskmelon seed, he ties up in
a bag Of course burlap, and covers
this loosely with rich soil, allowing
the seeds to sprout before planting
them.
He also preserves his cucumber
seeds in the cucumber, which he
coats carefully with paraffine as soon
pulled from the vine.
When he irrigates his potatoes (and
he raises two crops On the same land
each year), he waters long and deep
ly; and his potatoes never grow near
enough to the surface to get sun
burned, as do those of the inexpe-
rienced gardeners who lightly sprinkle
the surface Of their potato patch as
scantily and as often as they sprinkle
their lettuce beds.
There is no question as to the su-
periority In size and quality of the
deepgroWn potato over those grown
| close to the surface.
His beet-seed ere soaked in water
for at least forty-eight hours before
planting. He sets them to Soak in
warm water and during the daytime
keeps the vessel containing them as
much n the sunshine as possible.
I have never yet seen him throw
away a young plant of any description.
He merely transplants them, n / do
not believe 1t an exaggeration to say
that nine-tenthS Of the plants sur
viye and flourish, for he is surely a
past master in the art-for it is an
art-of transplanting.
For example, when his lettuce
plants grow to about the height Of
two incheS he thins out the bed and
clipping off about an inch OF the root
tip Of each plant he pulls up, he re-
plants in long rows, and the trans
planted lettuce makes a more rapid
and larger growth than the plants
which he has left undisturbed.
The replanted, or rather trans
grows TO such enormous heads that
at a short distance they remind one
OF thrifty cabbage rows.
He never uDrOOts head lettuce
he markets. Instead. he leaves the
stalks IN the ground and assidl1ously
waters and c~ultivates them where
upon they produce another head in
about half the time required for the
first head to reach a marketable size
His onions, which are invariably
started from the seed Che refuses to
use sets), are tr~ansplanted after hay
ing their roots clipped and grow to be
larger In circumference han the
ordinary saucer.
He also beheads his cabbage, leav-
ing the stalk to grow. He cuts slight
hicks OF gashes in the growing stalk,
which watered and tended produces
q second growth Ia are in appear
ance fair limitations of brussels
sprouts and quiet as good to eat.
His faith in the forcing powers Of
warm water is sublime. / have known
him to heat water for his radishes
IN the chill days OF spring testing
It's temperature as carefully as if pre-
pairing a baby's hath.
He is equally expert in roofing rose
cuttings. This ne does during the en-
tire year. but he considers Angus
the most suspicious month. though
doubt il he could give a reason for
thinking so.
Fer hts cuttings. he ties bits Of
tvlne tightly hou the branches lust
below where they form a 'sY" with q
Smalfer branch growing from them.
re allows this Irvine to remain below
the joint for three weekz then -,
moves the cutting by severing it inst
below the twine. '
re plants his cuttings by thrustipe
ms spade once deep In the soil. He
drsn siips the cutting in the opening,
uaa~s out the spade, presses thu
earth down firmly and the c~11ttine is
planted. oue'iiiS Is
re plants his grape vine outline.
IN the same way.