The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-08
What Is What i'm Topeka Home
Vegetable Gardens.
Varieties That Are Most POpu-
lar Among "City Farmers"
A SCOTSMAN GIVES FIGURES.
Tells How Much Seed He Sells
i'm Entire Season.
Hints for the Capital City Back
Yard Gardeners.

Ranking among the most popular
vegetables grown in the gardens OF
Topeka and in the farm gardens aoJa-
cent to Topeka are sweet corn, peahs'
meas. turnips, onions, radishes. lettuce
and tomatoes.
The amount of seed of any one
variety planted in a season IiuctudteS
because of climatic conditions For eH-
ample, one Topeka seed house|ano
there are several reliable SEED ITIns III
this city-sells anywhere from Wv "
600 mounds of turnip seed in season.
Following a dry spell there is always
rush for turnip seed. There Is ar
old adage, SOW turnlps the Lotn VI
.Iuiy wet or dry" At any rate,
large percentage OF SEED rs SOU
tween the first of July and August 10
If the summer season is unusually dry'
turnip planting is DELAYED In IaSI
turnip seed is sown r1ghl up 10 eie
time of the first frost
Peas are for the most part planteu
earlv as they will not Withstand tne
effect of the severe heat Between 9V
and IS bushels of peas Will De soIo
this spring by the seed mouse Iliet u,
frost. the first planting is not mace
as early as that of the peas Ihe
beans which are grown Tor snap
shorts" are likewise affected py uroulh
and heat becoming tough. Between
40 and so bushels of beans will be SOLO
by this Topeka firm.
Types of Beans.
Beans are of two distinct types OF
growth. each embracing numerous
varieties. Those most commonly
grown in the home garden are the
green podded and wax podded sorts.
Bush lima beans are gaining in popu-
larity and the Topeka market mas
never been adequately supplied with
this vegetable. There are many grow
ers who do not care to take the trou-
BILE to handle these beans because
they are marketed in the sheiled form,
but there is a good opportunity Tor
Topeka school children VINO are IN
duIging in back yard or vacant lot
gardening to make good money
through the sales of shelled lima beans
The bush lima beans mature mucA
more rapidly than the pole Varleues
and they continue bearing Tor Ions
period of time. They are not so easily
affected by heat as are the green podd-
ed and wax podded varieties Inc
bush bean will succeed well in almost
any kind of soil.
while there is some onion seed
planted in Topeka, results may be
had more quickly through onion sets
and there is less labor required In
cultivation. Many home gardener mas
been tempted at times to use lmpo-
lite language because of the tedious
task of wedding by hand onions grown
from seed. There are several var1e-
ties sold on the market, the white sets
Il
the red and yellow ones, and pro-
ducing an extremely mild onion. At
least 500 bushels of sets are sold in
Topeka in a season. An individual
firm sells from 100 to $50 bushels.
Two Old Standbys.
1t goes without saying that lettuce
and radish seed is sold in large guam
titles, these two vegetables being grown
in practically every garden. An indi-
vidual Topeka firm will sell SO pounds
of lettuce seed this season and be-
tween 125 and $50 pounds of radish
seed. If the radish seed were sold IN
packet form, $50 pounds would rep
resent at least 5000 packages. but the
seed is generally sold by bulk to local
customers. The average price is five
cents an ounce.
One Topekan estimated h a t
approximately 500 bushels of sweet
corn seed is sold in Topeka each
year. One well known seed concern
disposes of between rs to 100 bushels.
While the amount of tomato seed
sold in Topeka is less than that OF
other varieties of seed mentioned, the
tomato is, nevertheless, one of the
most popular vegetables in the
home garden. While some local
gardeners produce their own plants
in hot beds or cold frames, the
average amateur gardener purcha-
ses his supply of plants from a
seed or grocery store. There are GER