Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-04-27
Weekly Suggestions For
Vegetable Growers

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Planting has progressed very rapidly
all over the state during the last few
weeks. Spring spinach, radishes aud
lettuce will soon be off the ground, and
we will begin to think of what to plant
where these crops are row growing.
Very often the second crops to be plant
ed are more profitable than the first.
LATE TOMATOES
When we are preparing to set out the
extra early tomato plants, it is time to
plant tomato seed out of doors for the
late crop or can-house crop. 1t is a
fact that many can-house growers set
out their plants too late and use poorly
grown plants when they could just as
well have fine ones. The work of re-
setting is very laborious and induces
uneven development of the crop. A
very excellent way of growing can
house tomato plants is to mark out
rows about a quarter of an inch deep,
three inches wide and ten inches apart
from centre to centre. This leaves a
space even inches wide between the
rows. Spread about $50 seeds to the
running foot upon the little furrow
which ia three inches wide and a
quarter of an inch deep. Then cover
the seed with a quarter of an inch Of
soil and tam it down firmly with the
back of the rake. Cover the entire
plant bed with an inch of hay or straw
weighted down with bean poles if in a
windy place. When the seed begins
to come up the hay should be raked
up. This hay holds moisture, prevents
rains from packing the soil and insures
even termination. The method may
seem poor Or Impractical to some of
u excellent can-house tomato grow
ers, but If those who are not used to the
method will try it on a small scale l
believe they will like it. By having
the seed distributed in a wide row, the
plants develop strong and sturdy so
that when they go to the field they
will start of at once. Replantings
will be avoided and the crop will
ripen evenly so that unnecessary labor
may be eliminated.
EGGPLANTS
This crop Is becoming a very popular
one because the consumer is learning to
use elephants as a substitute for meat.
The plant needs warm weather for its
development, andthe specialist in vege-
table gardening at the State Agricul-
tural College recommends that the
plants should never be set in the open
until at least two weeks after danger
Of frost is past.
POTATO BUGS
Potato bugs are so wise that they fire.
quently sit on top of the hill and wait
for the potato plant to come up. When
the plants are from three to five inches
high it frequently becomes necessary
to dust powdered arsenate of lead, mix
ed with sulphur, upon the dew wet
foliage. This is easily applied by put
ting a quantity of the dry mixture
about as large as a baseball in three
thicknesses of cotton mosquito netting.
The pieces of mosquito netting should
be about twenty inches square. One
piece is laid upon the other and it is
held by the four corners as the dust is
sifted through it. The dust is effective
against the potato bugs and against the
tiny black leaf hopper. 1t will not
burn if applied real lightly; that is,
thin enough SO that the leaves look
green even after the white dust is ap-
piled.
CUTTING ASPARAGUS
During the asparagus cutting season
the more frequently the soil between
the rows is cultivated the heavier the
crop will produce. Crooked stalks
are unstable and should be avoided.
They are usually the result of an injury
to the growing stalk. II it is touched
with the knife when cutting another
stalk, or if a cut worm eats a hole into
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jury will grow more slowly than the
other side. Consequently as n side
of the stalk is longer than the other,
1t will necessarily be crooked. Hard
crusted coil or stones make crooked
stalks, but care in cutting is essential.
When q stalk is to be cut, run the
knife almost straight down into the
ground near the stalk to the desired
depth. Then slant the knife and cut
off the stalk at the desired depth with
one punch. Don't jab around a half
dozen times and rup a half dozen stalk
buds which may be on the crown of
the root. The two or three inches of
each stalk nearest the root istough and
bitter; therefore, If white asparagus Is