The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1915-07-08

.enqth, About 9l Inches.
seeds are preferred is shown by the fact
that the birds begin to eat them in
August, when grain is still readily OBJ
tainable, and continue feeding on them
even after insects become plentiful in
April
Growing Pepper Plants.
The conditions the pepper plant de-
mands for favorable development ara
very similar to those of the tomato,
except that when young the peppers
are more sensitive to cold, wet or I'm.
favorable conditions of the soil. Pep,
pers, like many other crops, bring the
best results when their growth In un-
checked from the starting seed to the
ripened fruit. Possibly the pepper IL
little more sensitive to cold, hard,
ill-drained soil than many other plants,
as when the growth is checked often
very little fruit is borne by the plant
Therefore, one of the essentials is a
well-drained soil put in the best me"
chanical condition, and q delayed
planting until reasonably sure of con-
slant warm weather with the least
possible danger from cold or wet. Like
the tomato, the plants may be propa-
gated by planting the seed in the field,
but better yield is usually obtained
where the plants are started in beds
or boxes and transplanted to the open
field. Often the profit on pepper crop
is determined by the character of the
plants set.
Soil for the Seeded.
In preparing the soil to be put in the
seeded for starting the pepper plants
a good mixture is made Of one-tkird
black garden soil, one-third well-rotted
manure and one-thir0 coarse-grained
sand. These proportions, however,
vary with the character of the soil.
whether heavy and compact or sandy;
if the former, use less soil and more
sand: if the latter, less sand. II the
manure is light, poorly rotted, take
pains to make the soil az light as pos
sible and use larger proportion. It Is
important that the ingredients be we'll.
mixed, which can be best accomplished
by throwing them into a conical heap,
shoveling this over and then passing it
through a coarse sieve of about one.
half-inch mesh. Carefully level about
two to three inches depth Of this soil
in q shallow box and water as thor.
oughly as possible without making it
actually muddy. Let it stand for at
least an hour and then add about one.
half inch of fresh soil, and in this
plant the seed either in drills about
one-quarter inch deep or scattered over
the surface and evenly covered with
from one-quarter to one-half inch Of
fresh earth.
If the box is to be exposed to the
sun it is we'll to cover with a paper.
Care must be taken to remove this be.
fore the young plants appear, which
they should do in from seven to twelve
days. The box should be kept where
the temperature can be held as uni
formly as possible at go to 80 degrees.
It might run higher in midday, but
termination will be checked in proper.
ton as it runs lower. The young plants
if crowded become bleached and ten
der. Better pull and transplant, or
even throw away some of the seed.
lings rather than have the whole plant.
ing permanently injured. AS seon az
the central bud is we'll developed tn,
seedlings should be transplanted, set,
ting them from one to three inches
apart, according to the size at which it
is planned they should 60 into the per.
manent place in the field.
The soil Of the plant bed should not
become compact and hard. Keep it
friable so as to enable the plants to
be pulled for setting with the least pos.
sible injury to the roots. During the
termination of the seed and the
growth Of the young plants carefully
avoid overwatering. Don't water un-
less the plants show by tendency to
wilt that they need it; then give an
abundance, applying it In the morning
or evening rather than at midday Fo~
i've or six days before transplanting
allow the beds to become as dry az
possible without the plants willing
then, eight or twelve hours before the
plants are to go to the field give the
bed an abundant watering.
In order to facilitate the gathering
of the peppers with the least possible
injury to the plants, it is advantageous
to leave eVerv fourth row yasant. IA
necessary, crowding the plants which
should go into the fourth with the
other three rows.
After setting the plants give the field
a thorough cultivation, which should
be repeated as often an practical With
cut fnjuring the plants