Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-01
choice of Vegetables Tor Garden.


Choice of Vegetables for Garden.
The inexperienced grower of gardel
vegetables will find some difficulty il
deciding what crops are best for him Il
plant. The natural thing to do is Il
consult some catalog that gives a list
and perhaps pictures of various vege
tables. This is good 90 far as 1t goe,
but certain factors should be we'll fixed
in mind before this action Is taken.
Probably the first suggestion tha
should be given is that different plants
furnish different parts suitable for food
The divisions that are used in classifying
the various garden crops in this regard
are as follows: l, Crops grown fol
their subterranean parts which includes
all Of the root crops; 2, crops grown
for their foliage parts such as cabbage
spinach, etc, and 8, crops grown fol
their fruit or seeds. This classification
shows us that there are various sources
OF plant products found upon our mar
kets and when the list is selected for the
garden we must be careful not to selec,
all of the crops from any one of these
classes.
1t ia also we'll to remember that q Ger.
tain few crops are listed as perennial
crops. This means that these vegetables
do not have to be planted every year but
will spring up from their roots each
spring for several years and produce
satisfactory crops. Such vegetables are
asparagus and rbubarb. It must also
be suggested that these crops will not
be of sufficient Importance to harvest
the first season after they are planted as
the cutting Of crops thus early in their
life may seriously affect the vigor of the
plants the next year.
Some crops are hardy and will stand
several degrees Of frost while others are
tender and must not be placed in the
field until all danger of frost is over.
Cabbage and spinach will do fairly we'll
during the coldest weather that we have
after the garden can be worked in the
spring and what applies at that season OF
the year will also apply during the fall
after other crops would be seriously in.
jured by the cold. 1t is quite important
to know that some of these crops that
will stand the cold do not grow sstisfac-
torily during the warm weather of sum-
mer. For instance 1t is a we'll known
fact that most varieties of spinach, cauli-
flower, and lettuce will not do we'll dur
ing the warm season Of midsummer.
They usually tend to grow smaller leaves
aud shoot up seed stalks before a salts
factory crop of leaves or buds is produc-
ed.
In regard to the tender crops we must
remember that many of the tender crops
once frozen are destroyed. Cucumbers,
tomatoes, ETC., will not produce a crop
If they are seriously frosted IN the spring
and as soon as trusts come in the fall the
crops must be harvested. Melons always
do best on the hottest days of summer.
Because of the above mentioned reasons
it is very important that the crops be
planted just ~ soon as season conditions
are favorable for their growth. Corn,
beans, vine crops, etc., should be plant
ed only few days previous to the latest
record of spring frosts in your vicinity.
Many crops need but little room and
the rows may be planted close together
but If the plants are large this factor
must be considered when they are placed
in the field.
Some crops will grow fairly we'll in
the shade and this fact may be given
consideration when determining what
part of the garden may be selected for
that crop. In general it is the crops
that grow large amounts of foliage that
will do we'll in the shade. For example,
spinach, lettuce, cabbage, squash and
pumpkin may be grown in those parts Of
the garden that are shaded by buildings
or In some cases may be planted between
tall growing crops that shade the
ground.
The crops that are expected to pro
duce large amounts of foliage may be
fertilized heavily with heterogeneous fertil.
izers but this should be applied spariDg'
ly to such crops as tomatoes from which
we xpect to harvest only the fruit.
Early and late varieties of the same
crop may be selected so that a constant
supply may be had for a much longer
period than can be obtained by success.
sive planting of any one variety. This
applies especially to peas, beans and
corn.
1t is also of importance to know tha,
different plants offer the same type oi
vegetable so that long season supply oi
some certain kind may be produced. II
the case supply of green's Ia desired II
should be known that spinach, beets
Swiss chard, mustard and finally spinach
again will fill this want In the order men
toned for the whole season.
There is q general topic every garden
or should be familiar with which is gen
erafly known as double cropping. Thit
term is applied to gardening because ol
the necessity of keeping the soil at WORK
all through the season If the best re
turns are to be realized.
The fact that Different plants have diff
fsrent length growing season makes this
manipulation possible. Short season
crops should be planted by themselves
and when harvested the entire territory
NAV be planted to another series of crops
which will last we'll up into the fall. The
long season crops should be planted BY
them selves and II 1t is desired some shor
season variety may be grown between
the hills or between the rows so that they
can be harvested before the larger crops
need the room.
Some of the common vegetables thai
NAV be selected for the home garder
NAV be very briefly classified as follows
Crops grown for the subterrsnear
parts: Beets, carrots, parsnips, radish
turnips, leeks, onions, all hardy Vege
tables.
Crops grown for the foliage parts
Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
kobl.rabi, beets for greens, Swiss chard
dandelion, mustard, spinach. All hardy
Salad crops: Celery, lettuce, endive
parsley. All hardy.
Crops grown for fruit or seed: Pea'
fbardy), beans, eggplant, peppers, to
matoss, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins
SQUASH, sweet corn. All subject Il
frost.
From this list suitable combination
NAV BE selected for almost any home gar
den.
Do Not Plant Scabby Potatoes.
Please tell me If one had to use scabb!
notatoes for seed and treated with Tor
y ~