The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-06-12
lpv kArnER1NE A. oRIMEso

Everyone has some particular hobby
10 work out when 1t comes to garden
ing. Mine Is pickles. My family Is at
the bottom of this. however for there
is nothing they will all relish SO much
through the winter as these tart or
spicy appetizers. l know that when
fall comes I must have a cellar-cup-
boardful of pickles of every sort and
description, sweet and sour and
chopped. spiced and plain. separate
and mixed, to say nothing of chow
chow, chilli sauce, catsup and the like
So l plan my gardening accordingly.
or course / raise other things In 1t.
too, but pickles are my main crop.
The first thing l plant in the spring
il onions. There are few kinds OF
pickles where. some member OF this
fragrant tribe does not come In
handy. / SOW my onion seed thickly
in rows, and do not thin them. Then
when fall comes ! have quantities OF
onions about the right size for those
kinds Of pickles in which like to use
them whole. Or they may be sown
thickly in bed. They are. however.
harder to keep free from weeds when
sown in this way. From the sets l
get plenty Of onions to use sliced or
chopped in the various pickle mix
lures.
Cabbage is another picking staple
that should be sown early. Those own
cousins to the cabbage, caulifiower
and collards, are also invaluable for
use in mustard and spiced pickles, and
should not be forgotten. The late
hard-heading varieties of cabbage are
best for this purpose, as they are
winter and more tender than the
earlier sorts.
There are so many kinds Of pickles
that need tomatoes that liberal ar
rangements must be made for these.
For this purpose like some smooth,
small fruited tree variety, preferably
a little on the late order. ~,
Yellow tomatoes make the most de-
licious of all sweet spiced pickles;
and il Is well to remember that there
is nothing finer than this same fruit
for preserves.
Tomatoes for picking may be sown
in the hills where they are to grow
as soon as there is no more danger
from the frost. They will be plenty
early enough In ripeninN 4
or course, the cucumber is the back
bone of the whole pickle business.
One can hardly have too many OF
them, so they may be planted and re-
planted as long as the season will
allow.
II the bugs get after them. use a
little sulphur to dust them with, and
the pests will leave. 1t is good
thing to mix a little sulphur in the
dirt around the hill. Unless the bugs
are more than usually troublesome. 1t
Is pretty sure preventive.
There should be at least three kinds
OF peppers sown, the "bull-nose.
which will be used green for stuffing.
the small podded red pepper, valuable
either green or ripe for mixing with
onions, cucumbers and the like. and
the large red pepper which should
be allowed to ripen, and is then sliced
through the sour cucumber pickles to
give them the proper tang"
One does not need more than half
dozen plants of each variety. but
that number should be provided with
out fail. They may be bought from
a market-gardener. IL one is sure of
getting the right kinds. but the surest
way to get what one wants Is TO raise
them in window boxes. N sd IN. $50. ~
They should be set out rather early,
as they require long season.
How many use the little green seed
pods OF the early radishes for mixed
pickles? They are very nice, having
a slight peppery flavor, something like
water-cress. They should be picked
before they begin to get tough. II not
ready to use them just then, drop
them in jar Of brine and they will
be all right to use any time. | let
my first planting Of radishes go to
seed for this purpose.
Then there are beans. AS rule
people do not appreciate the value OF
these for picking. They are nice used
either by themselves or In mixtures OF
various sorts.
| There are several varieties OF pole
beans that can be depended on to bear
until cut off by the frost, and 80 are
ready for use at any time. The two
like the best are the Kentucky Won
der and the Louisiana Cutshort. The
former has large pod, and Is fine to
pickle separately. The latter Is small
tender and feshy, and is excel
lent for mixed pickles, especially
those put up in mustard dressing
Either OF these may be planted early
and will bear steadily hot months
sending out new runners all the time
Citrons, watermelons, cantaloupes
and beets are other picking possible
ties. No one with an eye to the
future, will overlook part or all ol
these at garden-making time.
In years when fruit 10 scarce. . little
foresight at planting time will furnish
many excellent substitutes to GIL the