^ \ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES '■^T *> ' ^k ' f^ 9 V uNiVE-.vSiTf or c;j.iru;MiA COLLEGE OF AG;cICULTU..E agi-jcultu:uj:= e::?k ii.ii;:ii station BElJCELSy Bavid P, Barrov/s, President Ihonias F. Hunt, Dean H. E. Van Nornanj Vi^e-DJ rector and De-an- Universicy Farm Schoo). t: cor. :. ESPONDENCE COUllSES I N ... . A G li I C U L T U i: E COURSE XTKIII VEGET/iBLE GAiiCEinN'G By S.. S, Iv orders Lesson 1. Address all comnuiications relative to the cocresnordence courses to DB'ISION OF AGincULTLvJ\L EDUCATION, UKT'E.xSITT OF CALIFGANIA, BEraCELSY.""- 61,7 [NDEX Course 33, - Vcq-tablr Gai^d jrj .ig ^ - Lesson 1. Types of Vcgrtablo Cardcnj.n«;; Essoiitids 1' v 6-iccjn£; Early History of V^gctanl.o Gardorii^!; i.r o^l- f '^^'•'"-^' Prccont Status; Futur; Outloo!-:. Lesson 2. Vegotablo Card ;iung Dictr: etc in Cclifor-i.a; b:]. -ctior. of Location and Choico of Crops; Mark its. LosGon 3. Soil and Clj,nat- Suitahli for Vegetable Gf rd 'i.i'Vg', TJater Supply; Capital and La'^or; I.Ianurcs. Lesson 4. Irrigation; Hot Bcdc and Cold Fra-n^c. Logo on 5. Ko.v to Lay Out t!io Vegetable Garde.i; Iict."iod3 of Plarfftj-ng; Tut'^irc Care of Crops; Storing;- Rotation of Crops. Classification, Lesson 6. Potatoes. Lesson?, Sweet Potatoes; Onions. Lesson 3, Tomatoes; Ilelons. Lesson 9. Cabbage; Cr.ulif lot/er. Lesson 10, Celery; Lettuce. Lesson 11. Beets; Carrots; Tui-nips; Parsnips; Peas; Beans, Lesson 12. Sv.'eet Corn; Egg Plant; Peppers; Cucuibcrs. Lens on 13, Rhubarb; Asparagus. Lesson 14. Purrpkins; Squash; Radishes; Spinach; Sv-eet C'lard; Uustard; Artichokes; Th: Hone Vegetable Garden. — ooOoo — - course 33. Page 2. Lesson 1 GENERAL Tyres of Vei^etable Gardens , aardeniT] g in California. Types . All vegetable gardens cone under one of three types, truck, home and nar ket E^ordcns, The term "truck gnrdens" is generally understood to designate those which are located some distance fron the selling point, making it necessary to haul the vepetr.bles by rail or boat into the market , rather than by the use of wagons. Under this heading 'vould also be included ranchers who are specializing upon relatively few varieties of vegetables , but are growing large quantities of each. This type of gardening is found commonly throughout the entire United States and is a large factor in the production of vegetables. These gardens are usually located r.lthin ten to forty miles of the largest cities in the United Sta+js , although on account of especially favorable local conditions they may be located several huudred miles from the largest cities , the vegetables being ship- ped by carload lots to the markets. An exnmple of this kind of gardening is well illustrated in California in the potato district known as the Delta, in which from 40,000 to 50,000 acres of potatoes are produced annually. Of the three types of gardening, the truck gar- dens comprise much more land than the other tvjo types , for the truck grower often plants fror. 40 to several hundred acres of vegetables. The net profits from these gardens average from $50.00 to ^200.00 per acre, depending upon location, choice of crops , etc. The term "market garden" is generally applied to gardens which are producing large assortments of vegetables . located within hauling distance of the narketo. This type of gardening ic very important, and the land is farmed very intensively. Market gardens are found in the irnnediate vicinity of the larger Course 33 Page 3 . ^^^«°" ^ cities, cf the United States, and vary from 5 to 40 acres in r.ize. The profits from a well managed market i^arden are nuch larger per acre than when truck g:..r« dening is practiced and occasionally net the grower $1000 or nore per acre. The average net income averages bet'-'&en $150 tc §300 per acre. Home gardening is the raising of vegetables for home use. From an economic standpoint this manner of gardening is of little importance and in fact many vegetables hr^- raised in a home garden at a higher ccst, than that for wnacn they could be purchased, but when this form of gardening is practiced the cost oi production is generally not considered. These gardens are located throughout the United States wherever vegetables can be grown and are to be found in many of the back yards in the cities and toi^ns. The area devoted to this kind of gardening is very email; in most places only enough vegetables are raised for home consump- tion, v'ith probably a few to sell or give away to the neighbors. Essentials for Success . Before entering into vegetable gardening as a business, there are certain conditions v/hich must be thoroughly understood in order that success in this enterprise may be forthcoming. There are not only in California, but wherever vegetables are grovm , a large number of men who have had the desire to enter this business \7ithout the necessary requirements; and in most cases it is but a short time before these men fail. The most important essential for success is a favorable location* It is absolutely impossible to- grow vege- tables v/here the local conditions are not satisfactory for their production. In considering the location, not only the elements should be taken into account, but also the markets. After a suitable location has been selected a successful vegetable grov;- er should have a thorough knowledge of the business, such as working the soil, selection and care of crops, etc. Even v/ith a rather unfavorable location, a Course 33 Page 4 Leia«:. ! grower who is firailiar v^rith the cultural requirements of his crops may be suc- cessful in ver>et".ble g-ardcning ; but although a man is gardening under the mos?. favorable conditions, if he dees not understand his business he is sure to fan sooner or later. Aside frcji the foregoing requirements, a successful narkei. gar dener should have good business ability, sufficient capital and know how and whe;, to sell his crops. He- should also be able to talk intelligently to the men to .:•. whon he sells his crops and after once making a reputation v/ith them as being a thorough business man and always living up to his agreements , he can obtain much larger prices for his crops than the grower who is slack in his business methods. In order that a man shall become properly established in this business , he must have available capital in order to purchase equipment for the proper amount of labor. Otherr/ise it is impossible to have his products on the market at the right season and in the best condition. Aside from the requirements given above, it is absolutely necessary that the grower be familiar .vith the local conditions of climate, soil and moisture. It is impossible to Know the mcst favorable crops to grow and the'tbest seasons in which to grov.' them unless knowledge is had of the local conditions. Before enter- ing into this business in a locality which is unfamiliar to the grower, he should be very cautious in the selection of his crops. If possible the prospective vege- table grower shouXd work with some successful gardener in the immediate vicinity for ,'i year or more in order that the best seasons for planting and the best methods ; to follov; may be knov/n. If this is -impossible it might bo practical to secure the advice of some leading grower in the vicinity whose word may bo trusted and who understands the business , and obtain from hiir. the information desired. I Course 33. Page 5 Lesson 1, GARDENING IN CALIFO RNIA., Early History . Vegetable gardening in California during the early day:, was never popular, although as far back us 1851 there rrre a large number of gul- dens in the vicinity of Sai; Tr-mcisco Bay. Many of the vegetables used in Calx-, fornia during this early per/.cJ were shipped in by boat or by rail from other states which had been settl-ic prior to California. The reason that vegetable growing was not popular in California during early days is probably accounted foi from the character of the people who first settled h.re. From early tiines this State has been widely knor.Ti as holding great j. .3sibilit\es in the mining, cattle and sheep industries, so the people who first settled here were men who followed one of these three lines of rork, and on account of these more remunerative inter- ests vegetable f-rowing was not considered profitable, A second reason that vege- table growing was not popular at this time was duo to the exacting conditions un- der which vegetables must be produced in order that they should be at all renun- erative, for there are certain conditions which arc abcolutely essential for suc- cess. Since it was impossible to find very much land in the vicinity of markets which was suitable for raising vegetables, such crops as barley, wheat, oats, e^c. were planted. During 1849-1850 a large number of Chinese entered California and went immediately into the vegetable business. These men v/erc brought up in this busi- ness and on account of their willingness to work for a small margin of profit , the vegetable growing was left largely to foreign labor. This of course did not en- courage the Americans to enter into competition with them and kept a good many from entering this business, A third reason for the slo'7 development of vegetable gardening in this state is due to the specialized crops which have been grov/n. A large part of the Course 33. Page 6 Lessen i Ai^ricultural sections of the State ire ussd for growing only one crop; tn:.t is. the grower ^ ill h?.ve from -iO to several hundred r^cros or peaches or psnrs b';t frequently does not possess n. con, to sr.y nothing of a vegetable garden. Present St^ati:rs of Vegetable Gardening . During the last fe'7 yeurs this branch of agriculture has received inuoh core attention than it had heretofore, and many hundreds of acres which lornerly produced grai.^ have be on turned into vegetable gardens. The average standing of the vegetable grorer has changed iinnensely during the past thirty or more yearr. , and instead of beinr considered a branch of horticulture, which should be only entered into by Ghineso , Japanese or Italians, a large nunber of influential /i3::ericans are going into this line cf v/ork and' have demonstrated that there is noncy to be ardc in vegetable gardening by the American as well as by the foreign farmer. Not only has the cultural condition been greatly inproved, but the systcjr of narketing has so changed that where formerly one raan would be in conpetition '."ith his neighbor they are now working together v/ith vez-y favorable results , • largely through the' local associations. From a com.paratively few acres which in the early days were used for vegetable gardens , the area has increased in Cali- fornia until at the present timfe there are thousands of acres which are used sole- ly for the production of vcFetablos. Future Outlook . In discussing the future outlook for the California vogetnblc grov/er, there are two phases whichv.dll bo considered: favorable and • unf nvcrable. ■ -<- In considering the favtfrablc "cidd ' of thebusiness , there are a number of Conditions which would^ seem'to incourage the farmer to raise vegetables. There is probably no other manner of faming which rives such large profits per acre as vegetable garde..iing , and the grower does not have to wait very lone fcr hir, roturr n n Lesson 1. Course 33. Page 7. since most of "the ver.e-tables are marketed vrithin 3 oo 9 months after planting. This ready money is a big help Then v:aiting for an c.rchard to come into bearing > By raising vegetables the grower can utilize certain portioi a of his ranch which '.vGuld otherwise be wasted. Thero are many ranches in California having a few acres situated favorably for a vegetable garden, yet on account of the limited area the growers do not seem to consider worth while planting to such crops as alfalfa, barley, etc. Calif ornic. has more natural tdvantogos for the vegetable grower than any other part of the United States. The mild climate makes possible growing vegetables at a season of the year when many parts of the United States are covered with snow and ice. There is no richer soil in the world than is found in certain sections of this state, and the v;at'3r supply is also a very favorable factor. Gardens in the mors hur.;id climates are sometimes cared for \7ithout the aid of artificial irrigation. Probably one of the leading factors influencing the slow progrees of the vegetable industry in California wae the inability to ship the vegetables to points where the market conditions were most favorable. During the past ten years this phase of the industry has greatly improved by the reduction of freight and express rates and the forming of several vegetable Associations, v/hich handle the crops much more advantageously for the grower than the former slack methods of selling. Not only has the manner of handling long distance shipments been im- proved but there is much more of a demand for the local trade. The population of California is rapidly increasing, and also the corresponding demand for vegetables. i^ot only are the above conditions favorable to gardening, but there is for many a great deal of enjoyment taken in seeing vegetables grow and undoubtedly this work is one of the most healthful to the grower.. Course 33. Pa^e 8 ^"aon 1- Although the future for vegetable gardening has many encouraging argu- ments , there is, houevsr, another sid,e of this v/prk, and in order that the o-tuder.1 shall understand the uphill work as well as that which is favorable, the foilowinj points are given. One of the mcst unfortunate conditions which any of the gro-srers meet is the scarcity of skilled labor. Cf the large nunber of laborers in California a very snail percentage have been trained for vegetable gro^ng, thus making it very difficult to obtain the right class of labor. Not. only is it hard to get the proper class of labor, but 7;ages are higher in. California than else'.vhere for this kind of ■'.7ork, and in certain sections ths wage itera. is so large that it has been found impossible to grcT7 vegetables advantage.ously. These two points, however, v7ill probably become of less importrnce as the state gror/s , and more foreigners, such as Italians , are encouraged to settle here. Another very unfavorable condition is the_ uncertainty of the markets. The can v/ho is growing sugar beets, fruit., grain,- etc, , often knows the price which he vrill receive for his crops at the. time ol planting. For the vegetable grov/er, however, there is no method by whiqh it is. possible to determine with any degree of assurance, the price which wUl be received. For instance, the writer has known the price of cabbage to be §40,^.00 a ton one year, and the next season the market would be so glutted with this vegetable that many of the growers plowed their crop under. The grower should also have an exacting knowledge for the re- quirements of the crops which he is growing. Not only must he know the thorough working of the soil, but the proper time for planting and the best varieties to grow. As will be pointed out later, certain varieties, of lettuce , peas, etc. , arc Ciore desirable one season than at ..another. There are also many ranches in Cali- fornia which are unfavorable for vopetab.le.^rov.'ing , a-id .there, are many men \7ho Course 33 Par.e 9 Lesson 1 have filled in this business by trying to grow vegetables where conditions were unauited for thio business. It is necessary also to have a considerable amount of capital in order to buy implements, hire men. etc. Crops such as celery often cost the grower from $100.00 to ^,125.00 per acre before he has received any returns. The garden T7ork in California is done largely by foreigners such as Chinese, Japanese and Italians. These men are willing to work for a small margin of profit, working long hours and spending only a few cents a day for maintenance. This class of men can often profitably sell vegetables for less than it would cost the average American to raise then, and unless he has some particular advantage, such as extra good quality or out of season vegetables, he has to compete r/ith their prices. In order to grow a successful garden the grower must be willing to work hard, and constantly, for there is something to do nearly every day in the year in a California vegetable garden. It is customary for the foreigners to commence working as soon as it is daylight and continue until dark, making a day of ten to fifteen hours. If the American is going to be able to compete with this kind of labor, he must require a long day's work from his men, and in order to get the best from them he \7ill have to bo there himself a good portion of the time. The vegetable grov/er often sustains a loss of the whole crop or a large portion of it from plant diseases and insect pests. The writer has kno\7n several rrovrers who have lost as high as forty acres of celery in one season from blight. Aside from the diseases, many gardeners have lost heavily from insects such as the corn worm, cabbage worm, aphis, etc. Crop failures are also common to the vegeta- ble grower and the seasons vary so much from one year to another that although a certain vegetable will grow well one year, it may become a total loss the follow- Course 33. Page Irt. Lesson 1. Although these unfavorable corditions might tend to dishearten a prospective vegetable grower, they should be seriously considered, for r.any gro'O'ers have only the favorable outlook pictured to them, and th?y learn to their sorror;-, V7hen it is too late, that there is another side to this business. HoT/ever , to siorn up; for the man T-ho is virilling to seriously consider thsse objections as -^^ell as others not mentioned, the future outlook for the Coli-' fornia Vegetable C-ro'.7er3 appears on the whole exceedingly bright, depending entirely on the men themselves and the conditions u^ider which the '.7ork is carried on. Doubtless, the market facilities v.'ill be improved during the next few years even rr.ore than they have been in the past , and this will give to the gro'ver mere oi the money which in the past has gone into the pockets of the middle men. SUGGESTIVE RErERENCE BOOKS OM VEGETABLE GARDENIIiG. E. J. TJickson - California Vegetables. R. L, V/atts - Vegetable Gardening. L. G. Corbett - Garden Farming. Peter Henderson - Gardening for Profit, H. Rawson - Success in Market Gardening. L. h. Bailey - Principles of Vegetable Gardening. J. R. Davis - Up-to-date Truck Growing in the South. J. V/. Loyd - Productive Vegetable Groi?Lnr,,- Course 33. PQF,e 11. ^''^^°^ ^' Q UESTIONS i. Nnme and describe the different typec of Vegetable Gardens. 2. f7hnt should the procnectivo Vegetable Grower consider Defore enterinr^ ioto \;en;etable Fardening? 3. Narae four advantages for the future production of veget^iblcs in GaiJ f ornia. 4. State four disadvantages in connection with future vegetable production in Califor-nia and name the on& you consider the hardest to overcore. Address all correspondence to DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION , UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERiffiLEY . xJNP/ERSITY OF CALIFORNIA David P. Barrows, President CCLLEC-S OF ACRIGULTURS "Ihomas F. Hunt, Dean AGRICULTURAL EXPERBSKT STArio;,' BEPJ-^ilSY C0RRESP0ND5NCE COURSES I N AGRICULTURE COURSE 33 VEGETABLE GARDENING By S. S. Rogers Lesson 2 Address all communications relative to the correspondence courses to DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION L^.-IIVERSITY OF CALIFORICIA BERKELEY 2046^5 Course 33. page 2. Lesron 2. Vegetable aro'7in^ Districts in Califcrnia Selection of Locaticn r.nd Choice of Crop? . District 3 : Proie3Scr E. J. Uickson in his book, "California Ve.-^itableo"-, has divide'! the state into five vepetable-grov/ing districts: Coast Section, Interior Lo^-'land? , Interior Plains and P'cot Hills and ricimtain Vf.lleys- The Coast -.'■egstable--rovin- district included the land arouna San Francisco Bay, the small valleys liong the c^ast and especiallv Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Countips. These districts prod-uce a large amount cf vegetables and play a very iaucrtant part in the vegetable production of th^s state. Their chief advantage is thit the climate is very v.niforrr!, allo-virg thy groover to raise nany tender veq;etable5 durin,-^ a large part of tne winter and many vegetables are produced in the summer, such as lettuce, cabbage, ei-c. , which cannot be gron-n in other pr.rts of th.e State at this season. For the one i"ho is going into vegetable gardening, it -"/ovld be well to thoroughly loox over the coast sections, for, although the land is expensive, the proceeds are often high en account of the favorable climatic conditions. The chief riisadvantage cf this section is the mabili-^v to secjre land, as t'ds district has long been regarr.e^ as the most favorable vegetable grov/ing section in the Gtate , and there- has been a large neriand for the land. On some parts of tho coast, the area is somevhat limited, oving to the topogr^... Land suitable for gardening throughout these districts ranges in ^-alue fro".': 02.OO.OO to OlOCO.OO per acre, although there is land to be hod at lo'-r -r higher figures than those given. Course ?" . Pa^g 3_ Lesson 2. The Interior Lowlan*-' gardens are located throughout the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Imp-^rial Valleys, and are the most important vegetable gro-/- ing sections in this State. Espftcjially , is thds true cf the land in the 32craiDento and San Joaquin Valleys locrted between Stockton, Antioch and Sacramento on the islands knoi^n as the Delta, -/here the annual production of vegetables includes 40,000 to 50,000 acres of ;jotatces; 3000 to 5000 acres cf celery; several thousand acres of onions, and many other vegetables. The location of these gardens is in many '-Tay; ideal , for the growers have ';8.cces3 to an unlimited supply of cheap vvacer, and the poil is mostly of ?. rich peaty nature which does not pack -.yhen -.vet and -vhich is easily vorked. The land ^n this locality has many advantages over that in many othjr parts of the Gtate , such as cheap water, natural ricKness of the soil and shipping facilitise. Cns of the cliief drav;backs of this region is that the .^zro'ving season is sor.e- v'hat shorter than the coast sections of the State, for this locality is suc- lect to frosts at any tin-.e from about November to about April. The valve cf these lands generally varies from C-150.0C to 0500,00. per acre. The Inperial Valley is one of the best knorrn vegetable grcvinc districts in California, and there hundreds of acres of such vegetables as melons, onions, potatoes, cabbare , etc.. a-e prodviced annually. Thr3 soil is of -T liph+ sandy nature and of goid quality, aithou,fr,n it i'; much more spotted v,'ith alkali than the soil on the San Joaquin Islands. The i;;att:r i^, reasonablf and the supply abundant. The chief advantage of this locality lies in tlvj nVility to produce early spring vegetables, for, on account of the heat, frr crops will mature more quickly than in the colder portions of the State, r C''"'"^^ ^'3. Page 4, Lessen 2. factor which is very essential -hen producinp aarly vegetables. One of the disadvantage's of this Iccality is the inabilxty to secure proper labor durin? certain seasons of the year, and the gro-vers have difficulty in sellxng their crops to advantage. On account of tne extreme heat m summer, it is iapossiDle to :5rov' some of the n.ore tender vev^etablss , and occasionally cropc are lost by late pprins frosts. Land usee' for vegetable growing m this section generally cotnmands a pri-e of frc~i $100.00 to $500.00 jyer acre, although ner.rer town, a higher nrice f.-.an thxs is often receive--^'. The district kno'-fn as Interior 31ains ar.d Foothills , comprises the portion of the State lyint^ hetveer the Pierra Nevada arid Coast Range mountains which has not been inclvided in the Interior Lor.'land>i section. There is also a larpe area of land bordering the Colorado River, vhich night viell be classed i^n this district. Although this includes thousands of acres of land, the amount of vegetables produced is sraall ccnpared to th? foregoing districts, J.'fych of this land is of poor quality, and v;ater is often difficult to get, thu" limiting the gro'-ing of vegetables. The seasons in certain parts of this district are short, and are subject to early fall and late spring frosts. .;)uc-. (*^ops 35 cabbage, potatoes, etc., are proauced to quite a large exT.ent. Land for vegetable growing can probably be Y.^A for from v25.00 to ;;3GC.OO per acre aithough in certain favorable localities it nay be necessary to pay a higher- oyice tlxan the one quoted. The mountain valleys have an iaportant bearing upon the vegetable production of California, and inclu^^.e i^rincipally the valleys in the ncrthsrr. counties of the State and the valleys of the Sierra Nevadas . Although: ccnbider- Coy-*e 33. Page 5. Lepson Z. able acreaj-e is planted to vepet '-sles in ihi-s region, it is not regarded as one of the most icportant vegetable producing districts m this State. It has a number cf Pdvr.ntage-- , ho-vsver , the chief or.3 being that the roil fjenerally is of very good quality and rater is cheap. The chief disadvr.ntags'; to this section are: (1) the land is situated mcstiy in small pockets or ■valleys which are expensive to 'ork, ■(?.) the season io very short, often liable to frosts as late as May and as early £.g Cepterober, (3) the crops used hav.? to be of more hardy selection, -uch as cabbape , root crops and celery, (4) labor is often difficult -<,o obtain, and the shipping facilities are not al'.-^y? as good as desired. Land suitable for vegetable (^rowing m this district cen be purchased fron $100.00 to ,-300.00 per acre with a hi.^her value if situat jd- '•loser to tovn. Selection of Location and Choice of Cr ops. In choosing the locatio'; fcr the vegetable (garden and in the choice of crops, it is cf very vital in- portance that a good selection should be made, taking into account the lollcv?- -j.n'y conditions: Markets, soil, '-ater , climate, capital end labor. Markets . The most inportant factor in the selection of location and crops is the market, for unless the grov;er has a satisfactory outlet fcr his cropi, it will be found difficult, and ir. cany localities, ir.ipocsib] e to carry en this line of agriculture profitably. There are two classes of markets; the miscellaneous and the special. The riscellaneou? mprket is the one more cor-Tmonly used by the vegetable gardener, and ic found m every city and larger to'-m. In raicing vegetables for this market, one of th.- chief factors is to get the crop on the market a little earlier or later in ir.^: season than the other gro'•'^2rG , for a vegetable which is a little out of OoviTse 33. Page 6= Lesson Z. season, will corrijian(5 the. Viigh-.r price. The quality of the vegetables should be as high as possible, buf thic market, as far as quality is concerned, is not generally as discriinjnatinr'- as the special market. Curing the middle of the season, hov/ever , v/hen there is a larpe supply of vegetables and os- ppcially 'vhen there is a glut in the market , the grower v;ho has the highest quality of vfjgetables is the one i:;ho has by far the o.dvnntage over the others. There is, especially in the larger cities, a cood deiria)id for of vesetablss which are /exceptionally crood quality, and this is termed a special narket. The grov;er yho is catcrinf, to this market generally does not sell his produce in the rerrvlar raanner to the wholesale corr.mission men, but deals directly v.-ith his customers, such as hotels, restaurantr^ , clubs, etc. If a business of this character csn be developed, it is often the nost satisfactory manner of disposing of the crops', for the prices paid are generally hi-her ■than "/hen selling to the vegetable' 'commission nien. In order, however, that this method should be profitable, the city should be of fairly If.rgo size so that the markets will be quite constant in their demand , and the grower should pay special attention to the quality as well as to the time at which he has the vegetables for sale. On account of the vory favorable conditions found in California for th-> production of vegetables, and during the season of the year in which it is impossible to grow them in colder sections of the United States, there has been during the past few years a very huavy demand for California vegetables for shipment to the east. This' hrls 'been particularly -/ell illustrated by the to.'iato, celery and onion crops. It appears to the writer that the grower Govjrss 33. page 7. Lerson 2. should seriously consider thiR forra of handling his crop^ , for by so doing, the possibilities seem to be much better than 'vaen depending upon the local trade for the consumption of the vegetables. There are hcv.-ever, several factors vvhich should be thoroughly v.-orltsd out in order that tha 7eek, as all the independent grov^'ers ivculd ship their prod.-- to it . In or'^or that the grwer any depend on this kind of trarkco , there should, of course, be considerable acreage of one kind of vogetabls in Ci Coiirsse 33. Page 3. Lesson 2. locality, so that they can be h&ndlod by car load lots. Occasionally, evjr this mrt:iod of marketing fails, for the -ieraani for California vegetablei^ Is deoenfitnt larFely upon the supply that i-? to bf hvn in the Eact . iThen gro-'.-- in^ voretatles for long distance shipments, it i -b \*ery ossurtial that they fihould bs of excellent quality an-i bi handled in such a manner tliat they v/ill be bruised as little as possible m trancit. In crder that the gro'-.'er may receive a reraunerativp sum for hi'^ vegetables, ho rriust obtain a rood price for them in the Eant. Vegetables shipped to the East are used .nostly by the v-e.==-lthier class of people, who are ;Tauch nore exacting; ir. thexr deiT'anas than is the ordinary market. The exact distancb i7hich the garden should ba froui the market de- pends largely upon the :net;-iOd of handling the crops and the size of the -nar'.cut There are generally four classes of markets, aaraely , large cities, srnall cities, tovm, and summer resorts; each of which has its advantages r.nd dis- advantages. In growing vegetables for larce cities, having a population iron 250,000 to 500, 000 people, the price of land is generally so high in the i>nnediato vicinity that it is necessary to be situated several miles from th- city line. It is hov.-ever, better to oay OlOOO.OO per acr-e for land from three to five miles frora the city than ;::500.00 for lani situat^a situatedAen to fifteen miles cut. Ha:;lin.: to market for the mincol Igneous vegctablo grorrer is a vcry big item, anH each cilc on the road nas c: large influence upon the not returns from ^he garden. A fcv miles further frcn the city ho^^ever, is not of so much importance no^^adays as it ^vas formerly, for ■:. ^ood manv of tne leading gro^^ers ar.. hauling their produce to mark.T .n a-;tc truck." rather tlian by horses. Course- 33. Pago 9. Lpssoh 2. One of thi main advantages of a market cf this character i- that it IS so large tnat tnp gro-?;er may raise an unlimited supply of any kind of . VFgetable. The narkets are not sc exacting as m the smaller cities £ nd oo-.vns, so lie does not nsvo to use as raucn care in rrcving or handlm-; the crops. For the grower --ho v-ishes.to develop a syecific market, the larger cities hold -nori advEnxeges for thf^r^ f;.re hur.dr.ds of clubs, hotels, restau- rants, etc., v'hir.h make it possible to obtain good prices for ve^e.tabl<=s and assure a steaoy r.ierket, Anothsr big advantage ••.'hich the grov/er has is the opportunity for securing p. suffici/vnt labor. Cue disadvanta:Te of such a rasrkrt is that l-^-nd values bein.^^ s-^ hiph, c '315 id er able capital is require! to carry en sue': a business and in uncertain seasons, or '.=rhen the markets fail, lar^e .lo'^ses are liki-ly to result. >. competition is so keen in the larger cities that unless th-i grcver cF.n produce ids vegetables cheaply, the price for wliich they are cold '7111 not pt.y i'rr- c:)st of production. ■ Tnc snaller cities and those ranging from 3000 to ?5C,U'J0 popuia.ti :. many have/advantages for the market gardner , rnd under ordinary conaitions he co'jld probably do as well or even better, in S'^Ilinyto these cities thsn in --de- pending on thie larger ones for hit; market. Cities of this else pre small enough *o thst one can quite quikly become ncquainted «7ith the men to '■;hQ : ip sell in,-- his produce, and tne demand for vegetables is ^o >rrfi^ *■■-■'■. '..• scoiild have no difficulty -in finding a market. It is also large emup-h so that special market cun be eacily developed; land values arc not as i.i Co'irse 33. Page 10, Le-^scn 2. the vicinity of t'lLse citicy , tis in larger onur , end it i'j generally not ner.es-ary to ho.ul froiri such a long distance:. To'-nG from 5'Ju to 3000 population generally •viake a good inarket for the. rai?collaneous Vc?'..tablo grov/.^r. I-'^rkots of this character have several edvanta'^cs over the largtr on&^-\ thd principal ones being th"it compttition is usually not as k-^en as m lerfrtr Markets, and it is posrible to kno"' personally the men 'Pith ^vhorri the provtr is dealing. Thx prices pai^ for vegetables in a raark-jt of this c^iaracter are often higher than in the iar^.er citie?^. There are, ho'-evcr , certain iisadvantag;e3 v-hich should not be over- looked, the mam one bein- the difficulty in obtaining sufficient help when desired. O+'tentimes , in thi'j business ^h.s gro"::;r could -.-ell utilise frora 30 to 50 laborers for a period of soveral vreeks , vZ-nen after ".'hich time ho may desire to reduce the number to from 10 to CO. Wet only \: the number of enployee- in a small to'-n limited, but such ones as are to be had are ,-".'"'■ ?"^il-' not skilled in the methods of gardening;. The :r,arkets in a tov'u of tnis character are eo;nev;hat limited, especially for certain classes of ve"?etabl:^^ , and m planning, the crops to grow for soch a market , one should t? very caref .- not -"0 overplant any one crop and not to grow sore vej^.tables • f or ^hicn "he dtrriand is very slight. There is also one other class of .market ■••'hich is not often ccr.s,^ . . namely, su-nmer r es orts , but these niarkets are of niuch irripcrtance in certain sections of' Calif crnia. Among the advantages of such a rurket is the hsav- demartd for ve^^etables during the 3u.;rnei time -hich, under ordinary c on'.v. ions , Course 33. Pags 11. Lessen Z. is the b3st time of the year for the grover. The winter demand for vegetable? in such a locality is generally very light , making it poesxble for the grover to zo arrange his viov'k tliat during the v/inter season, he is not p.s husy as some of the gardeners vho grc-j? vegetables for r.arkets of other clasc-es. Ir also gives the ^^o'-.'er a chance to re~t his land during certain months of the year. The prices paid for vegetables at suirmer resorts are usually much higher than in general markets , be-cause all that are not locally grovn have to he shipped in fron. a distance, and the ;3sn who drives to town v/ith a -'/cgor l')ad of fresh green vegetables, has much the advantage ever the n.an who h£.s to pell the crops ^'hich havr- been picked for several days. Of thti disaovantages , the chief one is the rather uncertain market in the suiranor owing to the varied nunbar of people '^'ho attend such resorts. During cocl suraners there would be less demand for vegetables than \"hen the seasons vere such that the peopl-3 would ba forced to go to one of these places. As a rule, the lan.i in the vicinity of these resorts ^/hich would be suitable for vegstable gardening crops is ratlier limited , making it necessary to grow vegetables on several, or many small fields, rather than on one large one . Q!T?STIQtTS 1. Farne the five vegetable grovdng districts in California. 2. Nane the advantages and disadvantages of each of the ve[:etable growing districts. 3. In developing a soecir.l market -./hat nuct be considered? 4. •'hat are the advantages and disadvanta;;es in selling to the larger cities? 5. Give throe advantages to a grov^er having a "sumner resort" narket? •'hat factor of uncert-dnty r.ay occur' Addres. all correspondent to thn Dr'I^^IOM or AGRI.TL'T'RAL ^inTJOAnoN 4 UNIVERSITY OF oALIFOR!\'IA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL SXPIRIMENT SIhTION BERKELEY David p. Barrov/3, President Tho:nas F. Hunt, Dean K. E. Van Herman, Vice-Director and Dean University Farm School CORRESPONDENCE C U R S tN AGRICULTURE COURSE 33 VEGETABLE GARDENING By S. S. Rogers Lesson 3. Address all comnuni cat ions relative to the correspondence courses to DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY Course 33, Page 2. Lesson 3. Selection of.Lpcation an<[ C hoice of Crops (. C ont inued ) Soils . It is of greiit in;j ort J.nc e in the selection of a location, and the choice of crorjs , that the character of the soil be considered, Certain vcTietables are much better adapted to one class of soil than to another, v.m the same is true regardinp: the selection of the location. There are many types of soils ranginc^ from the heavy adobe to coarse gravel. In this connecticn, five classes of soils may be made: heavy clay loam o:" adobe, light sandy loam, sand, p;ravel and peat; eac'fi of v/hich has its advantrees and disadvantages, The first class of soil given above, namely, heavy clay loam, is one very commonly used for 3;ro'..'ing certain kinds of vegetables. Soils of this character are generally rich in jjlant food, and if a vssetabls become; estab- lished, its groi'.'th is large and thrifty. This class of soil is especially suited , (providing it is handled properly) , for such crops as cabbage . cauli- flO'-ver, beans, etc. The main disadvantage of soils of this character for gardening is that they v/iil not mature a crop quickly, and are very hard ?nd expensive to v7ork. For such crops as tomatoes, peppers, melons, etc., a heavy clay loam is not considered to be very ^.",'ell adapted, for it has a tendency to produce a vine gro^rth at the expense of the quality and quantity of the cro\). Soils of this kind are also, as a rule, very cold in "et vreather , and they are so compact that the development of such crops as ;.'Otatoes and the various rc^ct crops is apt to be irregular. The second class of soils, namely light sandy loam, is ideal for the DPrket gardener and probably is the one best general type of soil, providinjj it i=; of good quality. Soils of this character v/arm quickly in the spring, and CfTfree 33. Pa^e 3. LS'S'^w 3. hold moisture well during the summer. They are also easy to rork. On account of the rather open character of this class of soil, the root crops are able to develop much better than in the heavier soils. Practically, all kinds of vegetables do v/ell on this type of soil. Occasionally soil of this character will be deficient in plant food and especially humr.s , so that as a rule it should be fertilized heavier than the soils of the first class. The third class of soil, sand, is one which is commonly used for •■^rov-'inr vegetables in California and has many advantages. Soil of this character is especially favorable for onions, tomatoes, etc., as it is warm in the spring, and v/ell drained in the winter, making ideal conditions for grov.'ing i7inter vegetables. The chief disadvantages of soil of this character is that its quality is apt to be poor. This, however, can be largely overcome by liberal use of manure ani other fertilizers. Soils of this character do not hold the moisture especially well, and if situated in the warmer rection? of the state they sometimes burn the vegetables during the hot season. The fourth class of soil, gravel, is one v/hich under ordinary con- ditions, is not recommended for garden use. Soils of this character are generally poor m quality and are so open th:it it is difficult to retain the proper amount of moisture in them. Usually gravel soils are more valviable for use during the '"inter months v/hen the rainfall is abundant , xhan during the summer, as they are very er.pensive to irrigate on account of the large amount of water which they will hold, and the ease vyith which it is lost. Of all the types of soil, this one is the most undesirable for the vegetable grov/er. The fifth clacs of soil, peat, is in many respects an ideal one for Course 33. • page 4. Lesson 3. the vegetable p-rov/er. Thousands of acres of potatoes, celery and onions arf- raised annually in California on coils cf thio type. A few of the advantaq;cf^ of these soils are that they arc generally rich in the plant food elements, v;ork well and the drainage is excellent. When using soils of this character one mur^t be very careful in the selection of crops which are to be grovm. Potatoes, celery and onions are gron-n to good advantage on this class of soil, but such crops as tomatoes and s^veet potatoes do better on a more sandy soil. One of the chief disadvantages of soil of this nature is the location. It is generally loiv swamp ground, making the question of drainage more important oftentimes than that of irrigation. There is apt to be considerable alkoli in 'luch places, and this condition should be carefully looked into before the ground is utilized for vegetables. Aside from the question of quality, there is another thing to be considered which oftentimes i'^ very important. The depth to which the desir- able soil is to bt found is very important, as oftentimes the top six inches of soil appears to be very good from an agricultural standpoint, although by digging doivn, a very undesirable condition, such as hardpan or an open gravelly strata is found, '"/hile the depth of soils is probably not as important for the vegetable grov/er as for the orchardist , yet for growing ordinary vegetables there should be from two to six feet of good soil. Goil v/hich is underlaid by coarse gravel within one foot or so of the surface will be found difficult to retain a supply of moisture suf ficieiTh to produce certain yields , although this can be overcome to a certain extent by planting shallow rooted crops. If other conditions are favorable for the location of the garden. Course 33. Page 5. Lcsuon 3, and the soil conditions arc net too undesirable, these miiy bo improved greatly and can eventually be brought into very satisfactory conditions. There are £ number of vegetable gai'dens '■;hich are no'-; being gro-vn successfully in soils v;hich formerly produced very small yields. In the inprovement of the soil there are four methods v/hich may be considered. 1. Fertilizing, 2. Drainage and irrigation. 3. Proper cultural operations. 4. Rotation of crops. These operations v.-ill be taken up m dttail under their respective headings. V'ate r . V/ith a very fev: except:.on'.- , it is absolutely iapossible to grow a successful vegetable garden in California v/ithout an irrigating system, although there are certain sections which 'Vill produce one crop during the winter such as cabbage, vithout irrigation, and there are also a fen- gardens along the coast v/here the rainfall is sufficient to grov; crops v;ithout the application of 'vatcr. Climate . In the choice of crops and the location of a vegetable garden, the question of cliraate is alv/ays very important. If vegetables arc to be gro'-'n during the v-inter , the climate vill necessarily have to be milder than v/here crips are grown only during the sumner. In many sections of Cal- if ornxa it is possible to grow such vegetables as potatoes, pea?, etc. , the year around vhile in other parts, the v;intero are too severe for grov/ing any vegetables at this season of the year. In the interior of the State the summers are so hot and dry that such crops as cMbbage , lettuce , cauliflower , Course 33. Page 6. Lecson 3, etc., '•/ill not 'lo ";ell if matured during this season. As a rule, the railacr the climate, the better for the vet^etabls gardener, thus enabling him to gel his produce on t'.ie market during the season of the year 'vhen it is impossicle to produce vegetables in other sections of the state. In many respects the climatic conditions are the most important ones to be considered n-hen cnr-ooing a location or in the choice of crops, for oven thou,q;h tha soil and v'.iter con- ditions be not ideal, they can be remedied to a certain extent by subsequent treatment, but v;hero climatic conditions arc unfavorable, it is often diffi- cult and sometimes impossible to change these, conditions. Capital and Labor . It is very important that the grower shall have capital enough to produce his crops properly. ^'Ihon it is impossibl-? to hire men or to get the most desirable implements, it is difficult to produce veget- ables that v/iii be as frood in quality and yield as heavily as ^7hen they have received proper attention. The amount of capital for the grov/er to have de- ponds upon the size of the garden, location, and vhat crops he is to raise. For the gardener who is renting land near a small to^/n, probably ,,-25.00 to olOO.OO per acre n-ould be all the capital ht; would require until his crops be- gin to pay. For the nardener who is growing vegetables near xhe larger citie-i where land is higher, and competition is k-ener , he should probably have from OlOO.OO to .)500.00 an acre to start with in order that it be possible to raise the vegetables under the best conditions. Together v.-ith the question of capital is the labor supply, ouch crops P'' onions, celery, etc., require more or less hand cultivation, making it necessary to employ a considerable amount of labor during certain seasons of Course 33. ' page 7, Lesson 3. the year, '.vhile other crops such as potatoes can be p;rown "dth much less la'Dor. Some growers make the mistake of planting a crop which will require considerable labor -/here tho desired amount of h'ilp is not available. Fertilizinfi : Manures . The use of nanure to the miscellaneous vegetable groip;er is generally of as much importance as any one item, and it is impossible to carry on a market gardenin? business r/ithout a sufficient amount of this kind of fertilizer. The gardener generally keeps a large pile of manure on his place in a compost heap and there is no one thing v.'hich probably influences the quality and health of his crops more than does the amount of manure '-'hich is used. There are many kinds of manure, the most ecmmon being that from horses, co^-s , sheep, hogs and poultry. Of all these, the horse manure is by far the most commonly used, and gives very satisfactory results. The most desirable manure '-/ould probably be a mixture of horse and poultry, or horse and hog manure. The least desirable kind is that from cov/s, for this is rather low in the plant food elements and uill not improve the physical conditions of the soil nearly as much as will that from the horse stable. In communities in which the to'^ns are small and there are a large number of vegetable gardens in the vicinity, it is oftentimes difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of nanure, so that the m.ain supply for the market gardener generally comes from the cities. This is usually contracted for by the growers in advance at ton rates, the prices varyinr, according to the demand nnd local supply. In Los Angeles the prices will average about 31.00 per ton F. 0, B. the cars. In San Francisco manure is to be had for less then this. Oftentimes the cost does not exceed ^.bO to '},7b per ton. Just how Course 33. Page 8. Lesson 3. much the p;ro'7er can afford to pay for manure depends upon hi? local conditions. If he ha? a lonp, haul to the garden he cannot afford to pay as much as if the haul v/a'S •shorter. There are many different nethodg of handling manure, many of -'hirh have their advantages and disadvantage?. Vi/ht-re it is possible, better r-r-sults v;ould be had by taking the manure directly from the stable, spreading on tlie ground and plowing under immediately, for by so doing tlie loss in fertilising value is brought down to a minimum. This, however, is verv often impossible on account of the labor it involves and it is not al-vays convenient. Probably, the next best v;ay of handlin.- it would be to dump it directly from the "table into a covered pit v/here it is protected from rains and sun. The most common method that the vegetable gardener practices in handling manure is to take it from the stable and pile it in large piles in the fields. It is generally left here until the grower is ready to have it spread on the ground and plov;ed under. The manure is spread on the field in three v/ays ; the first by the use of a mechanical manure spreader, tne second by spreading it directly from th.e wagon, and the third uy placing it in small piles from the wagon and spreading on the field later. Of the three methods used, the first is by far the best, for the manure is put on much more evenly , and in a much finer condition than v/hen it is spread v/ith the fork. In the general market gardens r;here vegetables are grc-n undt-r crC';j irrigation, manure is generally applied at any time during the season after the / has been removed. During the summer as soon as the manure is spread, the zrcund should be irrigated and f.-.e r::a:Vj.re ];lc'/;ed under immediately, lor the Course 33. -i'fife-^. Le^'^^ott 3. quality is much impaired by leaving it exxfi*^d to tm hot '\ry winds. Occasionally, a second irrigation is given in order to hasten the rotting of the manure. After the ground is in a satisfactory condition, it is worked down inunediately and planted. If it is desirable to use the land immediately after fertilizint^ , not allowing time enou:~h for the rrenure to rot, a man generally follows behind the plow, and fills the bottoD of the furrov; v/ith the manure, and by so doing it is practically all covered to a depth v;hich makes it possible for the planting of the seed immediately. IVhere irrigation is not practiced, the manure should not be spread on the land until Fall, for by plowing it under in the summer it ndll not rot readily, unless there is a sufficient quantity of moisture in the soil, -'/herever possible, it is better to put the manure on the ground during the '-.-inter, tut oftentimes v'nen grov/ing mixed vegetables, it is impossible to have all the land vacant at this season. The quantity of manure to use varies considerably, and depends on the character of the soil, crops wliich are to be groi'/n, and the supply of . manure. '7hen gro'ring such a crop as cabbage it is impossible to get too heavy an application of .manure on the soil. Some growers use as high as seventy-five tons per acre '-/hen this crop is to be grovm. Such crops as cauliflower, peas, beans, Icttucf. , etc., also require heavy applicationf; of manure, while potatoes, tomatoes a.nd melons are injured if too much raonure is used. Tor groiving the ordinary vegetables and 'vhere the supply ivill v;arrant it, the garden should have from fifteen to thirty tons of manure per acre per year. Some grov/ers make a practice of putting on fifty tons each year '-.'hile others get along 'vith from five to ten ton. Large quantities of manure arc Course 33. Page 10. Lesson 3. not put on at one time, but three or possibly four applications are made during the season, putting it on at the rate of ten to fifteen tons per acre at eech application. QUE3TI0MS 1. What is the best type of soil for the miscellaneous vegetable grower? 2. Name the five classes of soil mentioned in the lesson, and give the advantages and disadvantages of each. 3. Hov/ may the soil be improved? 4-. vihBt is the irjportanre of stable manure to the 'niscellaneou? veretable gro'srer? •5. Ho'v and in what quantities is manure generally applied: Address all correspondence to the DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL iDUCATICN, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. gERi'a:Li:Y , CALIFOFi-IIA. IKIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA coLLscE OF agricultito; AGRICULTURAL EXFERI!.IENT STATION BERKELEY Dav<.d P. Barrows, Preai; ont Hh . J.3 /orcyl-h Hunt, Oeen H E- Van lioriTT.ns Vioe-Director and Dean University Farm Schoci. CORFffiSFONDENCE COURSES IN AGRICULrJRE COURSE XXXIII VEGETABLE GARDEIIING By S. S, Rogers (Revised January, 1919) Lesson 4, Address all corajunications relative to the correspondence courses to DIVISION OF AGRICLLTUR.L EDUCATION, UI^IVERSITY OF CALIFORLIIA , BERICELEY . Course 33 ' . ;.: P^-.'^c 2 Lesson 4 I ri-ic:.'.-fcj. jr . Hot Beds . Ccld F ranes. . Irrir"'.tion . I'.'ith xhc except: -n of very few localities, it is impossib to grow p. vegetable y-rdeh without irri^;?.tion, and cor3ucnly the question of the ".vatcr supply ic as Di.:po:'tant as the cciictrtion of thn soil. In fact, the v.-atcr quc't-'.on is such a serious one in this typo of agriculture that the supj^iy should b. _:nor/n before any vegetables a'-e planted. There are, hov/over, a fev/ conditions v/hich nust be coniiiderci along with the irrigation. V/hercver irrigation is prac- rr.r.d c :-iced -■■■ :re should be sone provision/for the carrying off of the surplus water. This i£. riore ii:portant ?;here the soil is heavy and net well drained than in the lighter, Korc open soilj. Cv. --irrigation is " ^.rnf'il .tc certain crops, and the a:-.iount of -vatcr used for each crop should be .cgulated accordj.ng to the vegetable v/hioh are being grov/n, Tonatoec, ".ens and oWoct potatoes, if given an over- supply of water, -./ill go to vine at the expense of the yield. For such crops as cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, beets, etc., it is seldxi possible to give too nuc vi^atcr if drcj.nage is ad::;uatc. A third condition which is quite cotinion and vihich should h^ guarded agr.inst is the substitution of irrigation for cultivating, Scr. growers thinl: that as long as there is i;cj.sture in the soil cultivation is i«inocc» sary, and instead of thoroughly stiri'ing up the soil when it has begun to dry out they will apply noro vatcr. This contin ed water j.ng and f;.ilure to have the soi] I properly stirred up and aerated has a bad influence on the vegetables arji cspecir^ ly if the soil is of a heavy nature and apt to pack vhcn v/et. In the irrigation r.ost crops it is a nuch hotter prxtico to irrigate sold on and thoroughly, wottir dec^J the C' to a depth of from ttvo to five foot and preserving the soil noisture by/i thorough cultivating rr thcr than by irrigating often and cultivati;-''^ sold on. It :■ Ccursc 33 Prge 3 Lecson 4 very coiranon practice ospecir.lly for the one who has not hr.d experience in irriga- tion, to put the water on the soil in such a raanner or in such smal'' quantities that it does not soak dovni, and although the top fev; inches are catura.ted , very little water has penetrated to a depth of two feet. For those who are unaccustomed -'■■r irrigation, it is a very good plan to bore holes in different portions of the field and see how far the water has soaked down. The following methods of irrigating vegetables are practiced in Cali- fornia, ea.ch having its advantages and disadvantages over the others. Thencthods are: 1. Raised beds; 2, Sunken beds; 3. Furrows; 4. Checks; 5. Permanent ditches; 5, Sub-5.rrigation; 7. Sprinklinr<;, 1. Growing vegetables on raised beds is a very comnon form of irriga- tion practiced by the California market gardener. It is mainly used during the winter months and v/hen growing such crops as lettuce, and spinach, whose quality would be injured if the tops of the plants were covered with ■crater. There are several methods for constructing these raised beds, depending largely upon the crops grown, character of the soil, and the slope of the land. One of the mosx common forms of raised bed for such crops as beets, turnips, etc., j.s made oy throwing up a ridge from tv/o to f otir feet in width and the length depending upon the slope of the land. Y/here the slope is so great that by havi.ng long, atj-aight ridges the water would run too swiftly, not allov;ing it to soak into the so.\j. sufficiently, or where the soil takes up water very slowly, it will be found more advantageous to make a large number of short ridges a.nd cutting them so thax xhe water zigzags back and forth through them. In making the raised beds one should first level the soil and put in a small irrigation uitch every 30 feet. Half way between these irrigation -ditches, there should be a ridge thrown up about one to one and one-half feet high so as to prevent the water from spreading over too -'^"■^"e 33 Pa,c.e 4 Lesson 4 auch ground. The exr.ct width of these beds depends wholly upon the slope of the land„ If this is done, the land between these ridges and ditches should be re- leveled v/ith a hoe and should the soil be too hard it shculu be spaded or culti- vated so that it is in an excellent condition of tillage before going further. \Vlien planting seeds such as beets, turnips, spinach, etc., they should be broad- casted while the ground is level. The grov/er should then go over the field with a 7 to lO-iach hoe, throwing up the beds so that they will be fron one to one am one-half or sore feet wide, keeping the distance between the beds the width of the hoe. The seed is covered by the construction of the beds- After they have been so made the tops nay be snoothed v/ith a hoe or rake and the height varied from three tc six inches. It is imperative that too nuch soil is mt thrown upon the ridges as it will cover the seeds too deeply, and a. layer from two to three inches deep v;ill be found most satisfactory. The width of the ridges depends largely upon the ability of the soil to take up moisture and it should not be so wide that the noisture fron either side will not soak to the middle. Under ordinary conditions a bed one and one- half feet v;ide is suitable. It is always good to cut the ends of the beds with a hoe in such a way that the water will zig-zag between them. It is therefore best to cut the end of overj^ other bed on the sar.:c side. 17hen irrigating, the water is applied to the bed on cither side of the rj-dges, 2, The !5unkon beds are made similar to the raised beds, v/ith the ex- ception thjat the plants are grown on the level instead of on the ridges, and the ridges are thrown up every 15 to 20 feet in order to hold the water. These are similar to snn.ll alfalfa checks. They arc very popular with the vegetable grower in this State and as jjnportant as the first type. Those beds arc used principal- ly for the root crops, onions, etc., during the summer months^ There arc severci C curs 9 33 Page 5 Lesson 4 o^ j.i-thGds -"ar their coridtrar,ti.on, the most comniOn one bt;ing rov;s cf t>eTe beds rvr- ning through the field, Zach bod is generally made about tr/oxicy feet long, av/. from tv/elve to twenty i'eet -vid , the actual \:u ' I: ar.d l-Diig-oh dcper.di.rz v;holly vvzr the character of the soil, crop.'-., etc. They c e ooKGtructed firr>t by -nal'-i:'-!': levee down which the xvater ic to b, m, by r-,>;eral rounds of a plo;/. On oit..ier side of these rr.aiK ditches lie the beds v/hich can be made by plov/ing the furrow on two sides of the bed and naking the other t'.vo sides by :he use of the hoe. Tnese beds are generally uade from four to eight inches deep. The most ccnirion raxstake nade by the beginner is -.ihat these levees are made so small that \;hen they arc first wet either by rains or by irrigation they molt away until scarcely any ridge is left. The general custom is to make these ievecs about one foot through at the .ottom and about one foot high, A few of the advantages of growing vegetables in beds of this charac^c^ are:- the ease with which they can be irrigated, the speed with which they can be made, and soil handled properly will hold moisture longer than v.'hen the raised- beds ar used. A few cf the disadvantages are that during the winter the drain- age is not as good with this form as when the raised beds are used, ^nd ix is ne- cessary to hoe the soil thoroughly after each irrigation until the plants have grown large enough so that the surface is ent:''-''-^ly covered by the foliage, Ii the soil is irrigated and rot cuiti-....cd , it will soon pack around the veget-bls-, and when it is of a heavy nature it will seriously check their growth. It is no. as important to cultivate after each irrigation, however, if the soil is sandy. 3, T.^en growing such vegetable-3 as tomatoes, melons, potatoes, etc., the irrigating is general?.y done by running v;at.- r in furrows between the rows of plants. This is in rnauy ways an ideal method and is one which is in conmon use tl-iroughout California both la the summer and in the winter. When making these Course 33 Page 5 Lesson 4 furrows, care must be taken net to p-at them too near the vegetables, for by so cioing, nany o: their roots are out off, -/hich seriously checks their grovrth. These f-Lirrov;s Day be made by a single plow or lister, and they should vary in depfoh from six to twelve inches. After they have been used they are generally filled in and neu ones made each time the field is irrigated. The advantages of these farroi.7s are: they are easy to construct; if the slope of the land is gradxnl. the T/ater may be applied so that the si^-face of the soil directly around the plants xs not v;et; the -water v.'ill soak down to a considerable depth. 4. Occasionally such vegetables as cabbage, and root crops are grown in checks quite sixiilar to those used for alfalfa, although as a rule they are nuch snaller. This ncthod, while it is used to some extent, is not very common in the gardens in California. V/here the local conditions arc favorable, this form of irrigation can be used, but u>:der ordi-xiry conditions it is net to be recommended. The disadvantages arc that a l-^(^cr amoi-,nt of '.vater is wasted than in any other method of irrigation, the soil has to be thoroughly level if satisfactory resvilts are to be obtained and the soil will pack badly around the vegetables unless they arc cultivated as soon as possible after irrigation, Ilany of the ^-egetables' are materially injured by having the water directly around the plants. The advantages of this method arc that a larger amount of watjr may be put on the soil than by ~ny other nothcd. Vegetables v.'ill need a less number of irrigations, and certain vegetables that require large amounts of water during the hot wer.th r will grov: more rapidly, 5. Tf/here the water supply in the coil is abundant, such as is fourd throughout the poat bogs and 8V/iu:ipy land situated through the delta sections, uiic. '.■•,1.. . f . .. , , ; ■ in some portions of Orange and Los Angeles Counties, and especially where the soil Course 33 Pp.ge 7 Lesson 4 is of a peaty nature, the' grov/ers commonly put down a systeu of ptin::r.inent ditches through wh3.ch the water c'.;n be .'un, and owing tc the character cf the soil, the -.vater 'vill seep out into th^ field for a dist-.,.iCe of twenty to fifty feet. 1 .ese uD-tches are made either by hand or ^ a ditoi. digger which is m; de expressly for this purpose; the depth varies Iron four to five feet, depending upon the depth of the soil, ard the width from one to two foot. YJhen it is desirable to irrigate the field, water ir. run dovm those ditchos after the ends have been stopped until the desired amou;Tfc has seeped into the soil. This v/atcr is generally put into the ditches by means of a siphon or pumped from a well. \'/hon the land has been irri- gated sufficiently, tho water is either punpcd out or run out by gravity. This IS probably one of the cheapest nethods for irrigating; and whore the s lil and water conditions are favorable, it is a practice which is to be reconnended. The main disadvantage of a systen of this character is the inconvenience whj.ch the open ditches nako. Another disadvantage of this sys-fcem is that the soil adjoini.ng thc di-L ; is apt to receive too nuch water, while that in the center does not r-- coive enough. 6. There is another systen of irrigation in cor.i:-on practice sinilar to the pcrnancnt ditches, where the vegetables rr watered by sub-irrigation, Th3^ system nay be put in in tv;o ways, i^irst, by laying tile or sono other form of drainage in the soil and covering it, putting the lines close enough together sc that all the soil will be irrigated from then and deep enough so that they v/ill not interfere with the various field operations, such as plov;ing, harvesting, ctco The main disadvantage of a systen of this type '.s the cost of installation ar . oc- casionally the drainage will become stopped, jjnpalrinr^ the flow, making repairs quite expensive. Another method for putting water over the soil tlirough sub- irrigation and one whjxh is very commonly practiced, is by constructing, litches Course 33 jPr.ge 7 -a LeE3C.\ 4 ■ -ty feet, dov-n vhich the ater is TV After xhe fieli has he,.;:, .'-.r.rvested t/.o&e uitchas r'.re filled i>a c.r.d the fol~ lowing yer^r othsi-s c-r^i mnde wherever iuost converient. This forn of irrigation is •.■.;ed vj]- soil ,ind moisture conditions are f r.vorable , and it nrs the advantage tha lit the :-nC. of th . se'^.son they may he filled in, and the field oe uorked irsuch ur-ro readily thr.n v/he^-e pernianent c'-.tches are locatp-i^ c.-ie of the r.iain disadvantages ; the c cot. 01 diggir.g these ditches, but this i lov; enou5;h so that their use is not. Xjro."..ihj.tivc, 7, The Ir.s'C and probably the least used forin of irrigation in the vegc table gardens of Califorria it; syrinkling. Thi.-; f orn, 'lovever, is beconing nore connoiily used, but it prcbahly '.vill never be fn general urc, as sone of the other nethods v/hich hav.. been nentioned. The v/ater is applied by running over-head pip- T/hj-ch h.'.ve holes in thci.:, ard v-h,..r; the v. ...or is turned on this acts very nuch lik( a. lavm oprirkler. The riain advantage of this sycte:r. is that the anount of v/ater _jut on the field or any part ^f it can b. ccrtroiled absolutely, and can be appli( V3ry quickly and easily. This is oftentimes an advantage when snail seed h"S hre* plant.ed and the v/oather has bocouc suddenly hot ■•.nd dry, hy the use of the sprinl iQr the top in^h or so of soil can be kept noist and by sprinkling oiiien, and put' tinr: I \ snail p_r.C!unt of water the ooil will not pack, Ai: other advantage this aysten has over thc,,.othorf is that it does net require nearly as nur.h water as v;h ibc other systons rjro usee, j.: is often an a .intagc- oo wot slightly ths tops of cf certain vegetables as this has sonewhat c a rufroshing influence upon th ;:i, nhtreae, if they v/or© flooded the 'oct rai ..; b? undc3J.rablo. By using the sprinkling ayst.pui^ tl-j.s is pos£sihlo. The nain disadvantage of this nothod is the cost of its inst'-T'n-'- '.(-.>" r./hich ir. considerablo. These pipes are nore or less of bother when cultivating: the field and .quite often they arc broken off by a carcle it t sin Cowoe 33 Page 3 Locoor. 4 ■ucanster, v;hich r.e".-.-is consiieriblo work ar.d cxpenoe before ;.t :-.o again ;.n '.vorltiiig order. Hot Bedc > A :.ot bec\ is a sti-ucturo co no/ o th;:.t tho plants r/hj-ch are g -yjv- ing in it are artificiully heatec., and arc well protected fron outciue influeiices. There are several inethods for conLitructing a- hot bed, the choice of which dependc upon the local ccndf^tionc , aoanon of the year, and the kind of crops fo:. -ahich th^-' arc to be ucecU Tho hot bed to the market gardener is an absolute necessity if he is grovAng vegetables r/hioh require transplanting, for by its use such crops as tomatoes, peppers, ogg plants, etc., can be put or. the market at a nuch earlier tine th ^i if this rnethod of erov^ing -jas not in use. 3y the use of the hot bod it ±r possible to have the plants ready for transplanting to tho field inrjediately after tho heavy frosts have disappeared. ^Tithout the aid of these beds it would be :.npo3s5.ble to even scv; the seed vith any a. ^raiiCe of results before this tine. The nost coraViOr. form of bed used in California is the following: an e::- •xavation is dug five to ni^ feet v/ide, 2-^- foet deep and as lon*^ as desirable. As u rule, a bed about t\7enty feet long will be foujod better than a longer one, ax^ under ordinary conditions it mil bo better to nal-.e thrse twenty-foot beds in pre- ference to one aixty-foot bed. After tho pit hi.o been dug, a frene is put around it having tho south side fron six inches to one foot hi^h, and the north side froK -.vo to three feet in heiglat, Taio is r.ost connonly nadc by using boards but if -he hot beds arc to be pGi.tr;anen:b conont is sonetii-jcs used. Tho ends of .he beds sh Id be enclosed, and r.ad3 as tight as possible. lu order to aid in drainage, a layer of straw, abou"; six inches deep, should bo put on the bottom of the beds, on top 0-' which should bo placed about tv/c feet of fresh horae nanure nixed with straw, as it cor.es, fron the hers c stable. This should bo tanpod dov/n f^^mly and watered. In a day or two tho ^^it should be cxr'-.inod and if tho heat is uniforn .ourse 33 Pag- Lessor. - th lauure shculc. be icrkcd ever, tamped a^-.in t..id rs-wet. After the iranure has boon worked dov/n into the propor oocdition, soil should be pl.^ced upon it to a depth CT 'ron sijc imcliec to one foot, depending son^ewhat upon the kind of •'-e;-'--ta- bj-es wh.?.ch are to be .grown. Soil for this purpoco should be of a rsr-.-Ad-"- ratvr^', i if it is not sufficiently rich a heavy coating- of T^ell-rotted nanur^ chov.ld be nixed \v:.th it. The heat nLich the manure giv'. ' off ic influenced largely by t>;e quantity of water U3ed , and the r;o- "/ater th . is put on up to a certain r.nount the nore heat -.vill be given off. If the manure is not hot, probably nore ma.nure should bs added, cr if there is danger that thc4.-e has "rcen too much ■'.vater applies it sh^-.uld be drained off as quickly as possible. If the nanure is fresh and the care of the bod has been favorable for the hea.t , the soil should reach a high dj- groc of tenperaturc, and in fact po high 'hat if the seeds v;crc planted ir-jaeaint there would be danger of burning thcr.:. It should, however , be allowed to co:il d -0 about 80° or 90'' before the seeding i dene. A icvi of the larger vegetable . grov:crs who use hot beds a good deal have supplied heat by ncans of sti...j pipes,, iuotcad of nanure. This, of course, is a uuch nore satisfactcr^^ rianner under w]; to jrrov/ the young plants, and is -.vorth installation, providing the nunber of plants i-own is largo enough to warrant its use. In the Eastern states, where the v/eather is very cold, it is necGSG.r that the tops of t.hc beds be uovorod with glar sash. In Calif ornj.a where the c nate is nild in ths winter, the bods can be - vcrcd either by sash, straw uats , nuslin, and, as a rule, the latxc. ovcring ill be found sati. factory, and is nuch cheaper than the glass. The heat cr^n be kept in the bed nuch better if the house is banked with dirt or preferably nanure. These bods should be situated 3 a well protected spot vhoro the soil and drainage are good; preferably, on the CcursG 33 Page 10 Lesson 4 couth side of sono building, fence, or wind l-v.k, end should also be located v/horG thoy can be conveniently visrc.J, for the grower nay nake several trips a d-.y to then. It will also aid Tiatcrially to loavc running water near them so that tho plants can bs sprinklod quj.ckly and easily. The c-.rc of tho young plants in the bed, especially for sone vegetables like tomatoes, aac' peppcrts , is very exacting, f^r if they are ijnproperly grow.i largo losses will result from several diseases, and they vrill not nakc the rapid (7,rowth that 5.3 desirable. After tho soil has been put in the proper condition, the seed nay be sown, being either broadcasted or in drills; the latter nci ^ being bc+tcr for the beginner, especially where such plants as tomatoes and peppers are to be grown. Tho seed should be covered with one quarter to one-half an inch of soil, which is/a light character, for if it is too heavy it will pack when wet. xt will ai materially in getting the seed started if burlap or nuclin is laid on the surface of the ground and allowed to renain until the seed has begun to appear at the surface, at which tine it should be ranovcd. After the plants have appeared at the stir face, and especially until they hav_ grown their true leaves, the water- ing should be done in such a manner that the surface of the soil and the top of xao plants will dry off as quickly as possible, and it is generally better to water less frequently but thoroughly, rather than to put on a snail ar.:ount frequently. earth If the plants are growing in rows the/bctwcon these rmvs should be thoroughly stirred after each irrigation. A short tine before the plants are to be rsr.icved frai the bods, the covoring should be renovisd gradually until a few days before the plants arc to be lifted it has been entir^-ly removed. Tho watering should bo stopped a few days before tho plants are to be lifted in order to check iheir gr .'th and harden then off. ^^"^2® 33 p-,ge 11 Lesson 4 In renoving the plants, it is better to dig then rather than to pull then up, for as Tjany-aS: pcsc3.ble of their snail fibrous roots should be preserved. Plants which hava their root systems seriously disturbed fail to start in the field so quickly and oftentjjnes the nore tender vegetables will not survive the transplanting. It will aid in renoving the plants properly if the soil be tho- - roughly watered a few hours before the plants are pulled. It is oftentines desir- able, especially when tho plants have grown too lo.rge, that thoir tops should be cut back considerably; this aids the plants in starting. A few of the advantages which can be obtained by the use of a hot bed are: 1. It is possible to grov; plants at the season of the y.car in which they v/ould be killed \7ithout the artificial heat.. 2. A quick gro\irfch is possible • The nain disadvantage of growing plants in a hot bed is tho liability of their bcconing spindly or v/cak. This, however, can be largely ovcrcone by giving then the proper care. Cold Fraae . ' A cold frane d.s as inportant to tho na.rkct gardener as the hot bod, and in California this fom of bed is often norc con-jonly used than the hot bcdi The construction of a cold franc is sl-iilar to that of a hot bed, with the exception that no botton hc'o.t is used , {lao fresh nanurc) , and under ordi.nary cone ditions no pit is dug*- There arc several -typos of cold f rr-xics , such as lath houca, burlap house and the one previously described. The care of- tho plants in the cold franc is essentially the sane as when growing in i^hc hot bed, Tho nain advantage the cold frar.-.c has over the hatr ood is that .tho >pln.nt3 ^re usually a little nore stocky, and do not receive, such a set--back .f;r-op,.:.tii'p,n.splanting, but their growth is >iot as rapid in tho cold frar,ic as when aiftificial heat is used, .— CouiT.e 33 Pa^ 'i^ Lessen -1 QUSSTI 3 1. Naue sevar !i;."-thr'i3 for irrigat.rrig th^' v",get&bl6 garden. 2. Y.'hat are the aCvanta^cs and disadvantagos of oach rr:3thod? 3. Ho"f arc ruised bedb "lade: Sunken beds? (a; D-.scL-ibo the conitruction of a hot bed and co?.d frane. (b; Ho"- dr-ed a cold f-anio dilfcr from a hct bed? 5. V.'hnt iC: the general mot hod fcr the care and hardeoing off of -cho plants? Addr-jiiS all corr 3dponc!jnc.e to DIVISICN OF AGR.. CULTURAL EDUCATION , UKIVERSITY OF CALIFCRWIA , BErfCSlJLY , CALI:^0R:IIA. 'JMIVERSIIY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGP.ICULTURi: AGRICULTURAL EXFERIi.EtiT STATION BER::Eij:y Tliorrif.o For3;/tli Har.fc, Dean H. E. Van Moi-rnan, Vise-Direc-tcr ar.d Dean University Farm School. C R R E S P M D E M C E I N A G R I C U L T U ? C U R S E S , COURSE x:c:iii 3-;- G. S. Rogers, Leo son 5 AdclrecG r.ll oorTiunicafeo-'ic i-elv.fc:ve to coi-reGporxiencG cour.3e3 tc t^e . DIVISION OF ACRICULTUHAL ED UCATIOLi U?^:-verG3.ty''ef Calif orrj.c Porl'elev , Calirov-iia Course 33 • ■ . P-i-iei^S Lesso*i 5 SP5CIFIC riRECTIOHS Laying out cf the Vegetable Garden : Before planting the garden, the character of the soil, -'ater supply, etc., should be vory carefully studied. Every crop has a particular kind of soil in v;hich it produces its naxinjum yield , for example, cabbage 'vill grc" much better on heavy soil than it will on sandy soil, -'hereas potatoes and onions do better on the lighter character of soil. The relation betveen crops and mcicture is also very definite , some crops requir- ing a larF;e an^ount of inoisture rhile others grow best 'vhere there is a small amount of vrater in the soil. This is very well shotm with the tomato. If the plants receive too much v^ater the gro'.vth goes to vine at the expense of the yield of fruit , while if the moisture supply is small oftentimes the yield and quality of the crops will be much higher. Such crops as onions, radishes, lettuce, etc., should be located v;hsre it will be possible to reach them with water. Such crops as melons, tomatoes, etc., can be grown with much less moisture, and are often adapted to the part of the garden which is the hardest to irrigate. In commercial gardens the grower should al\7ays allow space enough for roads , for although some of the land is lost for grov/ing vegetables , the convenient location of roads vrill mean a saving of time. Parallel roads on the University Farm garden are placed approximately from 120 to 125 feet apart which has been found, under our condi- tions , to be a very convenient distance. The careful preparation of the coil i.? a very important factor in the production of vegetables and bnough time should be taken so that the soil xs in as fine condition as possible, especially when growing plants from seeds such as onions, radishes, etc. The fineness to which the soil should be pulverized depends largely upon the crop which is to be grown, for it is not as important to have the soil in as good a condition for crops such as potatoes, -nolons . etc., Course 33 pp-^e 3 Lessor. 5 as it is '"hon pro'-in^; the- r.orc intensive vcf, ^tables . such as onions. The general practice -ihich is pursued in the preparation of the soil previous to planting is something along; the follo-vinc; line, although local conditions -.7ill of course play a more or less important part. After the soil has been nanurad sufficiently, it is plo'ved from 10 to 14 inches. If this is done during the spring or summer, the soil is generally 'vorksd doT;n into a fairly fine condition by the use of a harror; , buo during the rainy season,- it can bo kept as it was plov;ed until the manure has rotted, after ••'hich it can either be disced or stirred up by the cultivator. If the soil is a little dry o'r of such a nature that there are a large nujuber of clods present , these can be -'orked dorfn by the ring roller, clod smasher or disc. Under ordinary conditions these operations will be sufficient to get the soil into the desired condition. If the soil is ro-plor/ed after receiving the manure this should be done very shallow, so as not to pull the manure to the surface. Planting . One of the most iEyortant conditions which must be taken into account when planting is the influence of the seasons , and the endeavor to grov; vegetables out cf season has ofte'i proved unsatisfactory to the growers. It is impossible oftentimes to grow such crops as cabbage , lettuce and cauliflov;er during the summer in sections which are very hot and dry. It is also impossible to grow such crops as melons and tomatoes during the v/inter time -.'hen the weather is cold. Eat^h crop has its most favorable season, and this is dependent largely upon the locality. At Davis , it is possible to gro\7 a very high grade of lettuce any time from October to the middle of Kay, but if this vegetable is gro^ra later than June or before September the quality will be so low that it •.-.•ill be unmarket- able. Course 33 Page 4 Lesson 5 Thore are three raothods for planting vegetables in the field,- by planting the seed in drills, broadcasting them, or by setting out the plants. ^ The rriost advantageous method depends largely upon the season of the year, and the kind of vegetable r/hich is to be grorm. Vegetables such as beets, carrots, lettuce, etc., may be grov/n by either sof/ing the seed in drills or by broadcast- ing. T'hen the loruer method is used, the drills are generally placed from tv/elve to eighteen inches apart, vhen the cultivation is to be done by hand implements and from eighteen inches to t'"o and one-half feet v/here horse dravm implements are to be used. If the seed is sown in sunken beds it is generally put in drills; if the seed is acv.'n in riised beds it is generally broadcasted. Where the seed is broadcasted, it is im;,iossible to hoe the vegetables, so that this method should not be used only ^hen the soil is free from v;eeds and when it does not pack too badly. Such plants as tomatoes, cabbage, etc., are generally raised from planting the seed in seed beds and transplanting the plants into the field v;hen they have attained a sufficient gro'-rth. Future Care of Crops . V/hen gro'.ving such vegetables as beets , car- rots , turnips, etc., it is always customary to plant seed enough to insure a good stand of plants. In order that this may be accomplished, it is necessary to ha.v, the plants come up so thick thut unices they '--ere thinned, they would not mature properly. Thinning should not be delayed too long, for if the plants are too large the earth around the ones which ai-e to remain will be seriously disturbed by the pulling out of the extra plants, which is, of course, undesirable. Thin- ning is an expensive opsration, but is on3 • hich r.iust be carefully done in order tha-t the best results may be obtained. When thinning such crops as beets, often- times the grower waits until they have become large enough to be used for greens. This method if properly practiced will be found satisfactory, for the amount of Course 33 Pnee 5 Lesson 5 money received for these gruenc generally pays for the labor of thinning. For the beginner, however, it ic better not to allow these plants to get as large as this before being thinned. After the vegetables have appeared at the surface, the cultivation should be coirnnenced , and should be carried through the entire season. There are two benefits to be derived from cultivation,- one is the keeping of the land free from weeds , and the second is the forming of a fine mulch around the vegetables. The exact number of cultivation v;hich should be given depends v/holly upon the crops grown and other conditions, such as the r'eed grov/th, season of the year, and the character of the soil. It is alv;ays a good plan to thoroughly cultivate the soil after each irrigation. V/hen ;:;rov/ing shallot.' rooted vegetables such as the onion, and especially the potato, the cultivation should not be too deep, especially after the crop is matured. For such crops as cabbage, melons, to- matoes, etc., the cultivation should be as deep as possible, varying from three to ten inches. The choice of the most desirable implements depends largely on the crops and local conditions. As a rule, the hoeing and ^reeding of vegetables is one of the most expensive operations which has to be done. Under ordinary con- ditions a vegetable should be hoed two or three times during its grov.'th, and if the field is thoroughly cultivated so that the weed growth is kept in check, the number of hoeings necessary will be much less than if there is a rank grovrth of weeds. Storing. The storing of vegetables is not as important in Califor- nia as' it is in the eastern states where climatic conditions are much more severe. It is, however, often desirable to store such crops as onions, cabbage, etc,, for at least a short period of time. The most important crops which are gro'.'.Ti for Course 33 Pa^e 6 Lesson 5 storage are cabbage, potatoes, and onions. Thei-o are tno ger^eral methods fcr the storing of vegetables used in California; first, storage in especially con- structed store houses, and secondly, stora,'-e in pitc . Such crops as onions, potatoes and especially sv;eet potatoes should be storsi in -'ell ventilated, ^vatsr- proof houses. Where pits ar3 to be used, they should be located in soil which is •.veil drained, and in as -'ax-n a part of the ranch as possible. The pits are generally used irore for storing cabbage than for tho otl;^;r v^gjtables. They may be constructed by means of plovring furrovs t-velve i^'rhoc or so deep or by digging excavations several feet in depth. B.otation of Crpps . It has Ic^g been- recrgni^ed as one cf the mcst important factors in the production of vegetables that a certain rotation of crops is absolutely necsssary in order to secure maxi.-nim yields. To the miscel- laneous vegetable grov/er, rotation cf crops is ofte-^ of acre inportuncc than to the truck gro'/er. Ov/ing tc the cliciatic conditions in California as high as three and sometimes four crops are matured during a s: "gle season from the same piece of land; for instance, in ra-iy portions of Calfornia the growers plant potatoes in January 'vhich can bo harvostad during the months cf Kay or June. The land is planted again during July to cabbage and cauliflower plants , v/hich mature about Ilcveraber or December, at r-hich time onions are planted. There are many other combinations -.-hich may be carried Lut. In many localities rotation of crops is absolutely necessary, for after growing the same crop continually, land is often so infected with disease that it is impossible to produce a paying crop v'i-thout a rotation. The number of years in v.-hich a crop can be grown on the same land v/ithout a ritation depends largely upon the crops and the character of the soil. Potatoes gro-rn in the same soil for three years without a rotation will yield poorly, -'hjreas, such crops as onions may be grown on the same land Course 33 Page 7 Lesson 5 for five or even ton years ndthout a depreciable falling off of the yield and quality of tho crop. It), practicing crop rotation the grower should select crops which are not of the sane family or -.'hich dc not require the same character of food from the soil. For instance, the cabbage grower should not rotate v/ith cauli- flower or sprouts. Glagsification. Of the several methods for clarsifying the var- ious vegetables, tho one most useful for the grower will probably be one ar- ranged according to the resistance of the plants to cold. Under this method the plants are divided into three groups. The first group, tender vegetables, is made up of those v/hich are injured or killed by frost, and which require high temperatures for successful growth, such as tomatoes, egg plants, ridons, cu- cumbers, etc. The second group, semi -hardy plants, includes those which have a certain resistance to c^-ld, but cannot bo grown in the colder seasons in cer- tain parts of the State. Such vegetables would be potatoes, corn, etc. The other group , hardy vegetables , includes those v/hich will grov; during the cold weather in many parts of the State. In this class are included onions, celery, cabbage, root crops, such as beets, carrots, etc. (The following system of classification is given by Professor L. H. Bailey in hxr bock entitled "Principles of Vegetable Gardening" , pp. 240- 242.) CLASS I. ANIJU/i VEGETABLES . Subclass I, Crops Grown for Subterranean Parts, Group 1. Root Crops. Beet, carrot, celeriac , chicory, horse-radish, parsnip, radish, salsify, turnip, and rutabaga. Group 2. T\iber Crops Swoet potato, potato. Course 33 Page 5 Lesson 5 G-roup 3, Lulb Crops Ci--(j or ChivQ, garlic , ioek , onio" and shallot, Subclasc II. Crops Grcvn f ;r Fclia^e Parts. Jroup -I. Cole Crops Broccoli, brussuls sprouts, cabbage, ccllard, c£ulif lo-i-ur , kale ar>d kchl-rabi. Group 5. Pot Hc;rbs'(used for "Greens") Beet, chard, dandelion, raustard , sea ::alc and spinach. Group 6, Salad Crops Celery, corn salad, cress, endive, lettuce and parsley. Subclass III. Crops GroT.n for Fruit or Seed Parts. Croup 7, Pulse Crops Bear' and Pea, Group 3, Sclanaceous Crops Ef^'^plant , pepper, tcnato , husk or stra^-berry and tc.'.'.ato. Group d. Cucurbit ous or Vino Crops. Cucumber, Gh^jrkin , I'uski^olon, Pumpkin, squash and •■■at •-r;:-;l on. Group 10. Corn, Okra, liartynia, I-arty^ia, Okra and c-'eet cov/n. Group 11. Condimental and S'veet Herbs, Bill, nint , sage, savory, tansy, thyino and many ethers . CLASS II . ■ PEREN^NIIAL W,C'imrica. It was probably introduced into Spain, Florida and Virginia by early Spanish explorers and from Virginia was taken to England about 1585 by colonists sent out by Sir Waiter Ral'sigh. From the first, the potato has been one of the Icndinf^ vegetables, and is now used in practically every country in the world. It is not only used as an economic food for man, but is also vlauable for atarch, cattle food and the manufacture of alcohol. The potato is the niost inportnnt vecetable raised in California. As far back as 1868 this state raised 23,800 acres of potatoes with a total production of 2,142,000 bushels, and havin.c; a farm value of ;^1,200,000. Durinf, the season of 1911 there wers 72,00C acres planted with a total farm value of .JB , 748 , 000 . This appears to be the best year for this crop. During the season of 1913 there v;ere planted approximately 68,000 acres v/ith a production of 8,092,000 bushels and a farm value of |5, 664, 000. . This vegetable is grovm more or less throup;hout the State, but the most important section in ^rrhich it is found is in the delta situated at the junction of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. This district has an annual production of between 40,000 and 50,000 acres. Another large potato growing eection in the state is in the Salinas Valley- The third section vrhich is noted for its potato producing qualities is in Los Angeles, Orange, and Imperial Counties. The average yield per acre in California is approximately 65 sacks. A safe estimate for business purposes is said to be 90 sacks. Coxir3e 33, Page 3. Lssson 6, A good yield v/hich a competent man may hope to obtain is about 105 sacks, and the yields ".-hich are not unfrequ&ntly obtninefi are 160 sacks , while under extraordinary conditions a'oout 250 oacks are realized. The cost of production varies considerably and i-? dependent largely upon the acreage, type of soil, and the season in •••rhich the crop is ^ro^/ing. It is gjenerally estim^.ted that in order to produce an average crop of potstoes, the groover v'ill spend from 035 to 40 per acre, v;iih the average cost of ^40. 00 per acre. The prices received for this crop ^>re quite variable, depending large- ly upon the season at '-/hich it i: sold snd the acreage -vhich is planted . From Jterch to July the price; generally vary fror. 2 to 5 cents per pound. From July to October the price xc generally bet'veen -|- and 1-V cents per prund . From October until r-.lurch the price generally varies from :|- to 2 cents per po-und . Cultural Requirements : Potatoes are found grcvin^ in a large variety of soils, varying froR coarse sand to heavy adobe. The one best general tyt)e , hou'ever , is a sandy loam which is friable, holding v;ater v/ell and of rood quality. Soil for potatoes should be at least ^ feet in depth and should be of such a chnracter that the potatoes will devslrp uniformly in ?hape. Soils of toe heavy a character have a tendency to produce a crop v.'hich will be irregular ±u shape due to the over compactness of the soil, and ■those vi-hich are too open will often be found deficient in the proper amount of moisture as rell as m the plant food elements. The potato requires co.isiderable Kioisture throughout its entire PTO'-'th, but coiloc-to-5 planted ii California ar3 put in the ;;:ro-;nd frcT February v^nt:.! i.:av , i.iClusive. I "r i nation. A Isrse percer.tace of the crop is grovn under irrigat j-on excepwJn.^ --"nere n-i-nter plan-^in;: i- used, and ^n certfiu sicticns of the ?^tate in v/hich t",e jainfail oaring ths spring is hea-^rj-. Xfntra irrigation is practice-, "-.he "'axer is epplie'^" frc/n one tc fc-L^r tines It is very iriyortant thet the ground shall resaixi uctst tb'-ou;;hcux the entire fTO'.vth of the potatoes, for i'f it i^- allo""ed to becomo too dry, and then irri^rpted , the crop ■■•rlli be injured naterially. Under ordinary condition': r>otatoes should not be irrigated after they are one-half to three-quarters grov/n anl as a rule, the irrigation is .generally stopped after the vines i:ave conmenced to blooB. If 'vater is applied too late in the growth of the plant, the potatoes '•••ill rot in the ground and start a secondary gro'-zth, making them very v.n- desir.Thl-? for V.-.e rnarket. 'ihe irri,3ation s'-.ould he carried on so tViat at the time the tops of the plants are beginning to die do'-'n, the amount of the '-^axer in the soil is naterially decri-.ased froa the amount at the tii.e the plants • •--r^: rrow'iag. The usual rocthod for irrigating potatoes i-^ c r-.jnning v-zater in furrows bet>v9en the ro'-'s of plrnts. In applying the v/ater , care should be tiken not to hava i- come in direct contact '-ith the vinos, but should b«? pwt.- Gourso 33. Pr.ge 8. Lesson 6. on in Puch a irianner that it v/ili seey through the soil to the roots of the plcntE. In thi; ialand sections of the state vhere the atraunt of n-ater is abundant, c.:ia -fh&TQ the soil takes --aier easily, this crop is commonly irrigated by running open ditches through the. field anl filling these with vat cr . CultiVc-ticn: The cultivation of the potato field should co:.ar.ence iTsmedir.tely rfter plantirig. From than until the vines have appeared rhout 6 inches atove the surface, "che earth should be harrov/ed often enougii to keep weed grov/th dov/n. After the plants are so high that there is a liability of injuring ther. by this cultivation, the field should be gone over regularly with the cultivator, thoroughly stirring the earth around the plants: 3 to 5 inches deep, and never allov/ing the v/eed grorjth to start. After the potatoes have c omrienc ed to form en the roots, the oulxivator should net go too close to chc plants for fear of cutting dff the roots. Y/hen the rlarts have comr/enced to nature , the field should not cc cultivated with a horse drawn inpl:;cjent. It r.ay be necessary tc go over the field 'vith a hand implc.nicnt cnco or t--./ico during the season, and tov/ards-fthe latter part of the growth of the plants it v;ill be found r..ucli better tc go over the field in this v/ay than to go over with horses. If the crop is planted in the early spring, sc that irrigation is unnecossci-y, ro ridging or hilling is recomuended under ordinary conditions. Y/horc irrigation is necessary the potatoes are genernl- ly ■ ridged. This ridging can be done v/ith lis-oer cultivator attachments or single plov/ , the first tv;o being a little better adapted for this work. If the field is to be ridged, this should be done before the vines have Course 33 Fage 9 Lesson 6 bloomed, for af-^,er this time many of the roots will be broken off by this second operaxion. Harvesting- Potatoes are harvested in California by three different methods, 1. By hand; 2. by the use of a plow and lister, and 3. by the use of special harvesting machinery- If considerable acreage is put in, and ^vhere the soil conditions will warrant it, harvesting by machinery is by far the most satisfactory method. It vould probably warrant a grower to purchase a machine if he had over 20 acres of potatoes, and its use is best adapted to soil of a sandy nature. As much of the potato land in this state is peat, it is im.possible to use machinery for harvesting. The method of pulling them up by hand is one which is commonly used throughout the island sections. This is a rather expensive method of harvesting, but due to the peculiar struc- ture of the soil it is the most practical one- This is not recommended, hov/ever, ■where harvesting can be done by machinery or by the use of the plow and lister. 7/hen harvesting potatoes by hand, one group of men go along and pull the plant? from the soil, the second group coming after them vdth potato forks and dig around in the earth to get what potatoes they can. This method is very unsatis- factory, for a large number of potatoes are left, and many are injured by being stuck with the fork. This is the method which is commonly used by the Chinese and Japanese potato growers. The most advantageous method for harvesting potatoes for the ordinary grower is by plowing them out by the use of a plow and lister Course 33. Page 10. I/es^on b. The Icttsr implr-!r:3nt '-rin be found innch r.iore; satisfactory, r.s it thro'7S the potatoes o.i both sides ol the re,;, and pe'wS a larger peicenlage out than the plc-.7 v;il"i. . '.""'lOn usiur xhis implerent , it shovld be put in t/.e ground directly ov:;r 'he plants, and having a horse -7; in ep^ch iurrc;/. xhe time cf harvestinr; depe:.d--5 '.vriolly upon the season of the year. VJhere potatoes are gro"7n for the early spring r;ark'3t , they are generally ?.arvested before they rre fully rrac;\i,rod in order to -"ct the in'-.reased profit due tc the hiq;her prices in the early spring. In qro'vin^ the ^ain crop, the plenxc should alv/ays br allcved to oerome fully matured, for if dug too soon the*/ ivill not keep ■^■■ell. The crop :s rsneraliy ready to be harveoted when the vines have died do'-vn, and the okin on the potato will no'v slip easily. Potatoes can be held for se"errl nonths in thi ground , and it i;. often advisable to leave them in a? late as possible ir -hs fall in order xc -ct the hi^^h prices vdiich they generally brin~ d"ring the late vrinter and early spring. They should, however, be harvef"ted before the rar'ns have ccmnenced, for there rnr.y be dan;';er of a seco^id .-^ro'TGh starting ;.f xh3 soil has been v-et . Liarketin ^. Po+atoes are generally ;:iarketed in sacks; each sack ".'Sighing from 110 to 130 lbs. Potatoes v.'hich are grown on the drie: =cils ■.generally ^vei.'^h appro.xi.'";ateIy 110 lbs. per nack , 'vhile those grov;n in peat, '=iV-C] as is found in th-j Islands, ,q;enerally 'veigh about 120 lbs. per sack, ioine are sold locally, but a large percentage are shipped out of the state. The very early sorin;.- crop is soir-etiae^ marketed i.n boxes or crates, the latter holding prtctically a Ivshel. Course 33. Page 11. Lesson 6. Varieties. Of -the many varieties of potatoes grown in the United States, there are four which are com.'nonly found in California. The--:e are the Burbank , Early Rose, American l/cnder and Fnite Ro?e , the choice depending largely upon the locality. The cur'jank variety is one which is i^-zell adapted to certain sections in Calif oriiir. and is especiall" popular m the Salinas Valley in the vicinity of San Frrncisco .R-ay t.nd so:je of -he Islands near Stockton. It is a r=ither lat? matvnng variety and an exce-lient keeper , lut is not adapted to the hot and dry sections sitch as are found in the uppvor Sacrar.:5nto and San Jopquin Valleyc , especially during the sui/cnsr. The Early F.ose , is the raost popular vs.rir;ty Ic" an early maturing variety. It seems to be adapted to practically ail 'J.ie sections of Calif ornir at the season in v.-hich it is fl;rov/n, but is not of a? £rood quality as v.cme of the other varieties. The Acierican Vionder potato is the most popular variety ercm in raany Suctions oi tlie state, especially throughout the dacrantento and San Joaquin Valleys. The quality of this potato is good, and the keeping qualities are excellent. It natures early, and is an excellent heeper. The V.'hite Rose variety is quite popular in California, and is used lar;^ely for the mi l-sur^mer crop in ooi'thern California. Diseases . Potatoes in California have several serior.s dl'ea'ses which cut down the yield mP-terially, One of the v;orst troubles which the grov;er has te contend vith is "Rhizoctonia" . T'lis is a fungus disease and is found very generally throughout the potuto fields of California. Course. 33. pr ge 12, Lesson 6, It appears on tVie potato as black .spots 'vhich very closely resemble black pieces of earth. It i? noticed on the vines by the oppearance of rotted areas, generally at the er.-l cf the mam root, ■■vhxch checks thoir grovth, and often reduces the ydeld . For the control of this disease, the seed potatoes rhould be soaVed for two hours just before planting in the followinf^ solution: Corrosive Sublimcte - 1 ounce Vteter - 8 gallons. Land which has already bcconie infectyd witli th.is disease should not be planted with potatoes, but a rotation of crops should be practiced for a sufficie.nt number of yeers to starve the diser.?e out of the soil. The common Bcab is found very frequently in tne potato fields and appears on the potato as rough scurvy areas. This is controlled by dipping the peed potatoes in the solution given above for the control of Rhizoctonia or by using one pint of lorinalin to 30 gallons of water. Land v/hich is already infectsd -.-ith this disease should be put on a rotation of crop", until it has died out in the soil. Fusarium ■■.'ilt . This diaease is found in California to quite a large extent , and is the cause of the dry rot ^hich is so corn'^only found in the potatoes. This trouble appears at the stern end of thi tuber near the surface of the ground , where it .niakes the appearance of rotted areas in the tuber, making it worthless for the market. For the control of this disease the n;ro'.'er should be very careful that none of the seed is infected. This can be easily seen by carefully exanininp, each potato before plantuig. Soil ■'/hich is diseased should not be planted to potatoes for several years. CoiiTse 33. Page 13. Lesson 6. Internal Brown Streak. This disease is very coDraonly found in potatoes vmich are grown in valleys of high altitude, but is very rarely seen xhrough the large potato gro'vini- sections. The disease is character- izoo by the appearance of brown streaks through the interior of the tubers ■'■'ith no apparent retting to the s'.-rfr.ce , for 3ven the infected tubers v/ill be found norirally souiid throughcux. "There it occurs, hov/ever, it ic generally so severe that the grov/er finds difficulty in disposing of his crop. This trouble seems to be as oad in soil ^"hich is sxcvjlnc potatoes for the first time as -vhere tVis crop has been jj;ro\7n c c'ltinually. There does not seem to he any orsanisn connected v-ith it, and the control lies principally in dipping the seed in forinalin 8s for scab, and p] anting early in the season. It generally appears "/orse in drier soil, so thr.t irrigation should be practiced. Insect Pests j'leraatode Worm . The Nematode or Eel v/orra is a very serious pest to potato groovers in certain sections oi the State. This small insect or '.for-.a as it is commonly called, lives in the potato, and v;hen an infected seed is planted the soil is also infected. The v/orm causes the appe^xraiices of rou!;hened places on the tuber beneath the skin, and is easy recognizable. The re;.:edy lies in crop rotation, and planting only non-infected seed. Tuber lioth . This is a very common insect in certain potato rro^'inr sections, r^nd one v/;iich annually causes large losses. The •■7orr:'s en.t into the potatoes, and -vhere the insect is pl?5ntiful, will riddle them v.ith flraall holes, milking them unfit for use. As a rule, the potatoes vjhich are Gourde 33. Pa^re 14. Lesson 6. j.lnnt'jfi in sandy coils are infpcted more coriwonly than v/hen grov/ing m the heavier typHc , below are several methcis which are recommended for the:.r control : 1. rigging the crop as soon as the tuber? h3ve matured. 2. After digging, sack the potatoes as scon as pos3J.ile, and nbver ailov; the potatoe:^ to be expo-;ed dui-inj; the night after Ismg dug, ae ti.at is the time the moths fly around and lay their eggs. 3. Ne\-er cover the pota-^L,oes with the tops. 4. Deep planting and early planting in the spring i^ recoirinended. 5. Ridging the potatoes aids materially in preventing the entrance of these worms. 6. Never store potatoes in bins ^vhich contained v/orm in- fected potatoes the previous season. 7. If the worms have gained entrance to t^-^e tubers -vhile in storag'-;, fumigation should be practic:!d. Cour-e 33. P^.g-e 15. LeGso;i 5. QUELiTIONS 1. (?i) V/i-ier3 is the original home of the potato: (b) iJsr.e the aost irr>port?.nt potato pro':lu.ci;ip sectic.J 6i California, (c) What i<; the average prcduction per acre in thi- state? 2. To what type of soil is : he ocoat j be-^t suited? Hc\? should d field be prepared for plant ir^T 3. '■.'hat factoi's govern the time of planting poxatoes? name three methods of olani-in^. 4. V/hat precautions are nec'^3?':ry in irrig?.ting potatoes? 5. Describe the cultivation of a potato field. 6. ''ive three methods of harvesting potatoes. 7. Hume four varieties of potatoes most comr-on in California cad xho section to r.'hich each is adapted. 8. ' ";i3t is the method foi combating bc-ib , Rhisoctcnia , £nd tut.'^r not- ny Address all corre-jpoiideuce to the DIVTJJC;* OF kGT.lCVLTJ'J.i. EDUCATIOI! , UIu^ZnSITy CF CALIFQF.MIA , EERiSLEY . CALIi^CRNIA. UNIVERSITY OF nM^yimUA UOLLEGE OF AGRIGvLTCRE /.;}RICULTURaL EXl'^El^lfffil.'T GTVriOH JiERIML.ZY David p.. Ba.-ro-/r... Prasid'snt, Thonas F- Hurt, Dean H. E. Van Nornw»;, Vice-Director aud Deaii Tjnivbrsity Faim ISchool G C R R E S P C N D S N C L; I n A G R I C U L T U R E C U R 3 E S COURSE 53 VEf^xETABLE GARDEHING By S . S ■ Ko33r3 Lcs&on 7 Address r.ll cormunic-itions relative to the correspondr^Kce courses to DIVISION OF A-li^.TCULIURAL EDUCATIOi; UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EERKEI.EY Course 33. Page ?•• Less on 7. SVJEET POTATOES ONiON o S'-'ee-^ Potg/.oe^: Th;' s-oe-^. potatoe wa-; first uied for food during the 16. h ccn.vry. The sxacx locaiion of its origin is nox known,' but probably it was either America or Asia. Do C'mdol and sever?.! othor prominent si^ientists believe thtre are stronger argumeno:? in fe.vor of America than of Asia. The sweet potato is gro^vn extensively throughout the . \^arraer section? of the United States, and it one of the most important vegetables grov;n in California. The total acreage in sv/eet potatoes in Csl- ifornia in 1900 'aas approximately 1600 acres, and in 1910 the estimated acreage v/a? 5,111 acres. Thero are two lefding cections in California where sveet poidtcef^ are produced. The largest acrsagc ic found in Stanisl-us and Jferced counties , in the vicinity of the tC'/ns of Mcdesto and Merced. The second l.'reest S'veet potato producing section in California is found in Orange and LoCi Angeles Counties, and there ai e also sone s^eet potatoes grown in the Imperial Valley. The average yisVl per acre in California v?ries fron 50 to SO saclis to the acre. Many of the more experienced grov/ers when producing this crop under favorable conditions get 100 sacks to the acre and ■occasionally as high yields cs 200 or 300 sacks are obtained. The cost of producing an acre of s'-ze^t potatoes varies fron 5-0 to ^40, 'vhich does not include the rent or interest on the land or fertiliser. The prices received for s^.-eet p<;tatoes in California varies from 5 to 7 cents per pound, to as lov; as -| of a cent. The average prices received for s^/eet potatoes varies from about .^1.25 to $1.75 per sack. Course 33. ppge 5. Lesson 7. Gu!! tural RtjQuiremeni s . Tnc culxural I'cqui I'enents for sv/est potatoes are very exaotia"-, and v;n»"re the conditions are not suitable for the procuctioi. of x'lis crop it ohould never be planted. Soil suitable for planting Gv;e3t potatc3s should be of a very light character berdering on the sandy loams, p.nd shruld hold water well. If the quality cf the soil is too rich the gro'vth of the plants -vill go to vines instead of tc crop, but if it is deficient, in plant food the plants •^i'ill fail to trjp.ke the desired sire ^dt!) pr sport ionr^t el y small yields. While the s'-'/tet potato does not reoyaire an excessive amount cf rroicture , it should have reasonable supply throughout the season. This verecabie is urao.le to stand cold -vcath.er and even at 40° F. t]ie gro7rth of the plants is much retarded. Prepprat ion of the So il. The prepr.ration of the soil should be thorour^h, and a short tint before the plants are set out in the field, it should be freed from all weed grov/th and be well mulched. 'Jhere possible, fall pic-ving is reccmmended , replowing the field a short time before planting. gro-'in,-?: the ?lan^ . There are four methods for propagating .•jyeat potatoes, namely: by seedin^^, pieces cf tubers, vine cuttings and by slips. The firr.t anri second methods are rarely, if ever, used. Occasionally, the third rethod is used, but this also is r. rather undesirable netho>i for prc;3c::tio;i. The fou^-th, or propagating by slips, is •'he one most conrjonly uried. These rlips >re produced by placing the sepd octatoes in a hot btd , alljr/inE tbe:i to crt.-:; untxl the vines are of t:.e proper size. The exact time of laying +h£ tuber*? in the hot b-d depends ".-holly uucn the local conditions; Course 33. ?a.r,e 4. Lec^sou 7. but as the sweet potaxo ic a very Lender crop, the vin£3 choul'1 not be set in the field v.vtxl iill d'i.iig;3r of frcsx is cv^r. It ir generally estimated ■that it takea frorr. 4 bo 5 ^jvaeks in the s^ed oed beTore tiiR vine? a.re lar^e enoufh to plant : n the field. The/e are several metho'^lo far laying these potatoes. Th;r niust counron one ie by placing them '?id? Uy side on" layer deep, and co/prlng then jvith 4 to 6 inches of soil cr s^nd , Tue potatoes u<"ed for xhis purpore often vary fror. as sm?.ll as a cigar to as large as 4 or 5 pounds in weirht , bvt the bert size is one I'/hich is froM ly t o 2 inches in diameter through the larirest p-^.rt . Ix is generally estinaxed that bctv.'een 5 r.nd 10 tacusand pL^nts are required to set one acre, and the larger number shorld be figured en in order that the ^,rcv;er should have a ■■jv'f iicient supply o" ui'.ants. Froin one bushel of ne'^iurn tubers cne can reasonably expect from 2 ro 3 tliousand plants. Afts'" the tubers hive been covered in the seed bed they should be lightly vrtered , for if they are over-irri^^ated , they -'/ill rox. 'i'he plants are re:?oved by pulling then up by the roots, and usual"'y 2 or 3 drar.'ings from a bed can be .-Tiads. The plants should bu from 4 to C inches in height at the tine cf d raving. Planting- The fiela shoul'^ act be planted until all dan^;er cf frost is over, for they are very tender , and during cool weather their growth is pnythirg bux vigorous. Cf the several methods used for setting the ulanc= in the field, the use of high ridges is advocated. "The Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station carried on an experinienx corparing the various mrtnods of planting, vi'ith the result that Course 3?. Pag-j 5. Lesson 7. the yields when ^jlanting the plants under level cultivf.ticn v;as prcctically 130 bi-saeli; p&" acre; v;hsrc the ridjce '.as maie 4 inches high, 319 bushels v;ere secured, ridginjj 8 inches high, secii-pd r- y?eld of 1^'7 bushel"; 12 rnz\ ridging yielded abojt 221 bushel^, ani x'^e yields uijori a 16 inci. rid^^t ^vas 261 bushels, In Calif ornir. the ridges .aro generally nadi fror. ''± to 3 inches, and -are thrc^-n up by the use of a pic-v or specially made iiTiplement , These ridges are p-enrrally 1 te ? f°e'c ";ide , and a^-e levelled do"'n ry means of a plank dreg cr hariov,'. After theoe iiave rerained long enough so tJist the earth ir. s:":ttled , t'ley are rsady for plantin.-;. The plants are t^enerally set fron 3 iCou to 13 inchec apart on the ed^c of each ridge. A^',-er the planxs have been pui]sd they should be shaded until tiiey have been' r-^f^l -r.;-, ;>»^ ^ nnd set j.n the 'ground a little deeper than they ,^re"; in the seed tod.' Goor. after th.e plants have beed sot out , the field is generally irri.ga+ed in order to st'trt ths> gro;;-th. The exect number of irri- gations depend 'vhclly upOii t'le local ccnditicns, b'-.t the s'veet potato in a crrpt'iat requires a very small amount cf vvater as coi.ipared to some oth^r vcgetab"" eg. An over supply of moisture is liable to cause ths viue tc groi7 ax the expense oi the crop. The -I'dter is applied by running- in tV.e furroi-? bet-veen the ro-rs cf plants, being careful thc.t it doe-j not come in direct ccntpct '.vith the plv.nt", )lult_ ivi-. i on . As soon a? ^he plants have '' egun to gro"' , the field is ,^en ■ -one over with the variout; cultivator iinpleraents , in order tc Wee-j the '-f&.s'd prrcvyth dO'-n , and to \:eep the Durrr-ca v;ell mulched. After the vines have begun to covor the riiges, the cultivation should be stopped, Course 33. Pap;e 6. Le-^son 7. I' or they shouli rot be dicturbe-i , -..nd wei'ds which appear from ncvj en, v;ill hav^ to b? puils'i by hand cr hand hoed. Geveral experiments have been .>irx-ied ou to dj+trnin?; -rhether cr not the piiT-viing back of thy vines ha<; any effect upon t'.e yields, rro.n t";e .'lata which has been collected, this practice is not re:oT.nended , for the highest yields are obt'\inod 'vhere the vines are growing undisturbed, a^'i-er the potatoes have formed, HciTVost^g, The harvesting most commonly done is by plowing out the crop where the acreage is net lar^re , although the potatoes are some- times due '!~y hand. Thr^ crop is re'^dy to be harvested vhen zYe vines commence •*--o turn, yellow or huve died down, but in some sections of California the clii^ate is so iriild x]'.at the tops do not dry as soon as desirable, and often- time" a seccn'''' t^rowth itarts. V/l-ien this happens, the vines are generally cut off at the surface of t>e ground, and the potatoes are plowed out, regardless of the condition of the vines. After the potatoes are dug, they are iramediate- ly sortod , pl-.ced i:i sacks or boxes and shipped to the market as soon as possible. As the s'-reex potato keeps very poorly, it is not generally held in storage for any consid':rable len."t V-f'-' ■ • .'in -xftv':-, r ■? --ii- stort^ :i sccciri ~vc-'ir. vhich injurs? their qiiality, ;'&ny gro'V3rs the physi'-.al co-iiitiGns should be such as to make this possible. This vegetable "H'ill <"tand ? much lor;er degree of temperature than many of the more tender vegetables, and is especially adapted for growing during the v/intcr in some of the milder sections of the state. It does better in the humid localities ratner +han v/here the atmosphere is too hot and dry. There is no other vegetable which requires such a careful preparation of the soil, end at the time of planting tho groif/er should have a very fine mulch on the surface, and the field should be entirely free from weed gro'vth. Plantin g. There are tliroe methods cf groving the onion: lowing the seed directly in the field, transplanting the young plants v;hich have been grown in a seed bed, and by planting sets. The first and second method? are }irefer<'.ble. In many sections the eesd is sov/n in cold frames during S'jptembor , the young planto bfing transplanted into the field during 3ou-se 33. Pa^^e IC, Lesson 7, Mcveabe;- and .'Jeceirber , I.i locaiitiss "'hioh are un^uitt-l for growing the crop at this season of the yet-r the plant." are ^et out -^arinp: February and 'r.rch. '.vh'-.re th-; o^ed is scvn 'iir-ictly in trie liel-^ , +hi? if ?,cneraily '■lone het'veen the Ttiurth'- of Tebrv.ary ar/I May in'^lu^iiv? , v;here the cultivation is to be carried en by horse 'Ira'.-n inpleraenty , the rov;s Gho.iJ.d be 3 to 4 feet a:mrt , but '"here hann Ir.iplprr.ents are uoed they may be plante'l 1 foot apart. The onion should not be more than 4- inche- apart in the row, the exact dis- tance dftpendinr; 1.ar",oly u-pon xhe variety and reason of the year at v;hich tney are ^ro---'n. A ?et is a^i cnion i;>;ich has stopped grouins:; prematurely, out 'vhen planted arrain v/ill recurae its gro'.rth. The quality of the soil may be much poorer for '-ror/in^, sets than for ordinary onion c.-.ltv.re , and the seed is sown at the rate of about t^r^enty pou.nds per acre. This arricunt v;ill be heavy enouf^h sc tliat the y^un^; olants v;ill stand in th.e ror.'S as close as possible. The plants should not be thinned, but care should be taken that they are not choked out by i'-.ve 'veed -ro"-th. The sets should not be more than one half inch in cian.eter , and if t":ie soil is of a poor quality and the seed planted thick enough, they i-ill soon reach the possibility of their -ro'vth and should stop groving td about the desired size. If irrigation is practiced, the -ater should be kept off +lie field ^■-hen it is desired to check the grw;th. Thev- are pulled in the fall, stored over the r.dnter and set in the field the -"ollo'-'inr, spring. I-v i-^atio n and .Cultivation . Irrigation is generally necessary at 9ome pev5o; dari.ip- the frrovth of the onion, and the ^vater is applied in sunken beds. It is, ho-'ever, very important thr.t after the onion has begun to Course 33. Page 7-1. Lesson 7. mature that t:.e -/ster jupjly he cut. cff, for if irrigation, ia carried on duri; this period oi grcv/th, the rscult '••ill be a crop o" soullicns ^jt big neck onions -^'liich '■■.: e vc-y ^nidesirciblo. The Calt^vacicn shoui'^- be s"ch durin- the gro^vth of the; c.iioas that the soil is v.-eli mulched and tiie -./eed gi'owth is? kept ill check, k'i the cnion is such -% shallow feedin,^ crop, t'le cultivation should be shalio";, and care should be taken net to injure the roots of the plants. Harve-tir.g . The crop ic ready to te harvested -'hen the rafjority o-^ the tops have turned troi-n. nt this tir-e the plants are either pulled by liand or by speci?-l rachinory , piled in vrindrou's v/here they are allo'ved to drv until the tops ha*. e bec.;ir!e conplccel]' shrivelled up. After this, the top? a-e twisted or cut off from the bulb'^ and the latter are put ii sacks. The onicnr are usually sorood ''Tid sacked in the field , and hauled directly to the '•^s-rket. Ofteiitir.ies , it xz desirable :ict tc wait until the crop is fully tT'aturod before c c:.imencinf: harveeting as there is ? lorge demand for bunch onions and si.Tell onionT used for boiling. "7hen sold as green onion; the/ are genera.liy ')laced in bunches containing from \ to 6 ?.nd shipped to t':e market in crr.tes. This :iiet'iod of hervesting is used r.ostly during the early spring raon-chs. V/hen the crop is to be stored, t}-ie onions should not be :iarvested vmtil tv.e-' have fully matured , luid they are then placed in sacks and put into a suitable building which will keep the dampness out , and in whit the temperature cm he kept rpther cool. Cnion-. lyill ke'^p best if storsd in crates nr spr'^ad on the floor in a thin layer. The onions are usually inarket- ed in sackc- holding ap2jro:;iraately 100 pounds. During the off season they are sometimes merketod in crit:,es. Course 33. Page 12, Lesoon 7, Vr..riotiog. The besc all aroand v&riet'.es v/nere a good ksep- inp, cnior ie required, are the Ausxralian Brown and y-.llo'" gj o'j? Dsnvprs, Frr +he eh^lv opriii- c^-'cp t^.-^. I^blian l->e-I v-iil be I'cund a very cssiratle vt.rictv, a? 11 i'.. vyry quick r'a^xTing, aithovgn it "d?.l net keep ".s ■vel"'-, but onions a~ tbis sear.cn of the year are generully in such a dertand that the rrro'er doer net have to hrld hi:-, crop. 5. T.iF?iI0i-i3 What aro the 3cil, jci.-turp and clinatic req■;ir-■5r..^nts of the sweet pot ate? Desc"ibe method -if nropag^.ting , growing and nerve sti-ng s^'ieet potatoes, Hov.' are onion; planned! LJame t-,;o varieties of "ood kseping onions, 'Tnat ?.re tiie scii, climatic ax.d L.oicture i-equirciirsnts for onions? ■.7ha>; is t/;? a^erpge production per acre of onions in California? jid-^.re-s '11 correopondence tc the DIVI5ICN OF AGRxGULTUKAL EDUCATi^ON, UiilVi^PSITY OF CALIFORMIA . BERPSLSY . CALIFORNIA. miTJFRZlTI CF CALIFORiriA COLLSOE OF AG'JCULTURE AGRICULTI31AL E::PERIi.E:NT ST;.TI0N BERICELEY David p. Ijicirrows , Presicant Thomas F. Hunt, Dean H. E. V^n Mornan; Vice-Director and Dean University Farm Cchool C R R E S P l^; D E H G E COURSES I U AGRICULTURE OUUvOjIi Aj>.A.IJ.X VEGETABLE GARDEIIIMG By S. 3. Rorers Les'son S AddresB all ccrxiui^r.catio-ns x-elativc- to the cor.rcsporcsr'CG cou.-se:. Division OF A31IGULTUR-\L SDUGATIOK, b'Mr/ERSIT; 07 G;a.IFOR:iIA, 3ERICELEY . 1 Course ?3 Pago 2 TOllATOES . t'ELONS. To:^T3i3es : Early 'Tj story . The tor.iato or lovp. apple originated in Peru, ani '73 3 first -.aniGd by bot--.nists xn ihe 16th century. It n-as not, ho'c.ver, until t'-e 17th ce.iturv th.^t this vegetable was in use. Before thi-^ time it -'as ccnsi'iere'i to be quite a poisonous plant, v/hich prooablv accounts for its •"ery slow prop;r3sc in becoini/ir popular, for it v^-as not un-!il 1812 that it v;as quoted in the /uierican r.^arket-: , and the sced^'inen first be^^an to sell seed in 1318. After 1635, the demand increased rapid- ly until at tr.2 p-esent ti-^ie the tomo.to is conri-i&red to be one of the nost healthful vegetables nro'-m. California hao lon^ been reg: rdod as being os- pecially favorable for the production of t'lis vegetable, both as a fresh vegetable, and as a canned product- Durinr 1906 there '.vera over a r.illxon cases of to.Tistoes packed in this State, "vhich rjade Califor-.ia rank third in the United States for the ar.'Ount of canned tomatoes pronuced. In 1907 California stoo- second '7ith a pack of 1,234,000. During tne season of 1913, there '-'ere 1,490,000 cases ^jo-rn and packed in this Gta.-ce. AGide frov.i the production of tomatoeo for the cannery, there is a lai .^e acreare de--otsd to the raising of fresh tomatoes for the narket ; the average plant- ing in Califor.'iia for Eastern shipments alone amounts to about 2000 acres per year , ^i/hile there are several hundred acres gro-vn in addition for the production of tor.-iaxces for the local narkets. This vegetable is gro-'n in a lar,q;e nuraber oi counties throughout the State, but the center of "che in- dustry is located in Lcs Anr.eles , Orange and Alatneca Counties and through- Course 33 Pagie 3 Lesson 8 out -the entire lencrth of the Sacramejnto and Sen Joaquir. Valleys- Yieli? . When pro'^-lnr. this crop ^or the cannery, yielis of 15 an-i 3C an'i cccasionally 25 tOiis per acre are ofcen secured. Of the 10,000 acres •,vhi:;h are yearly gro'-"n for the canning industry in this Stfte , the average production is bet'^een 3 and 10 ton? par acre. V/hen producing this crop fc- the rnarket a grc/er v.'ho is raiding this crop ynd^r proper conditions sliould expect fron 5 to S ton? per acre and occa5.ion- ally as hieh a- frora 10 to 15 tons are obtained. Cost of rr3duction and Prices Received . The cost of produc- ing one acre of tcrr;atoe" '^ili vary fron ';25 to ;45 per a:re, ndth the average co-st from '32 to VtC per acre. The av-;rage price fcr tomatoes v;hen sold to the canneries varies fro;n )6 to ^3 per ton, vhiie the prices received on the maricet for the fresh product varies froTi ,;10 to 04O per ton, 'vith the av^ra-re price from 'ab to )25 per ton. Cult-.ral R';>quire.-nRnts . Tortiatoe? are f!;ro'-'n on soils varying from coarse t;ravel to heavy adobe. As a rule, larger yields aro produced from plants f,ro'-inr: on soils ^/hich are not too rich m plant food, and ^-hich do not contain too i.aich ";r.ter , for if the soil is over-abundant in nitrogen, the grov/th is very apt to go to vine at the expense of the yield. In the niscellaneous vegetable garden, tomatoes should be planted on thp Ij-rhter class of soils, especially v-hen producing an early spring crop. The one bfst type of soil for tomatoes is p sandy ionrn underlaid at a depth of 3 to 5 feet -vith a^hjeavy loam. As the tomato ic a very deep ' Course 33 Pnge 4 Le?i?on 6 rooted vegetable, it Is not adapts'' for -hallo'- goxls. Thir ,crop ic a rather tender vegetable, an-i is injured by a terperature at ivhich many of the ot'-.er ve;;et-blos such as onionr; -'ill thrive, ccngcquentTy it ■should not he i^lanted ir. the -r^prrng un-'il ail danger of frcst is past; iz "/ill gtanrl t'^e heat nuch better than cold. .-■oil •v'hich i'' co be planted to toni.-.toss should be in .^rood condition of tilth and free from weods at the tine the plant =5 "re set in the field, other-i-o it ^r/ill be irr^possible to attain a f^cod stand of plc>nt-:. . Plaatine. Tonatoes are grovn from so^/ing the seed in .rectly in the open. At the time of transplanting the plants shcid oe about;6 to 10 inches xn heignt , stocky and free from diceare. "'T-ien gro'':ring an early spring crop the plants are usually set in tht. field at distance? of 6 x 6 tr f, X 8 feet auart. v/hen gro-dn,; for the caraK-ry or the mi'i-surirr.ar crop., 'ch.ich 'Till rr"^.ke a larger vine gro-rth than the e;.rly plantin;^;, 7 x 6 or S X feet apart is the distance u-ually used. During the early spr:nt: -rhen th-re is an abv.ndcnce of moisture in the soil, it i- not custonary vO irrigate the plants at the tiire of retting them out, but later in tne st'-ason furrovs about 4 to 5 inches deep should be uade through vhich the '■^ater is rv.n , and along w'-icii the plan+s shotild bo set. Course S3 Pa^-e 5 ues'son 3 Irripatj oi.., Tne nu^nber cf irrig?"^ ions "'hinh the fi3l'i shouli receive 'lepends v/jioil" upon the season of qro-ch ana character of the soil. The pla.its shoi-ld n=ver be ano'./e'i to «uffer for -ater, and irri- g'^tion shculn be tii.ed so tsir.t •suf '"icient moisture •"ill be present through- out th? season. Under ordinary condition? ^-rhen spro'vin?:; this crop durinfr t:''fc ^-nvrr! spring or summer niont.'i?, the pl?.n\" shoul''! be iiriga'^e'i once or t'.-ice scon aftar setting and occa=?ionally ur.til the plai.ts have coar^enced to <3et bloon;?. At this pe-io'l the vines should net bs irrigs.ted until after thr fruit ig about th^j size of a wiPlnvt . At that tine one or two irrigations "jhould be applif^d , but vater should never be put on after the fruzt 1-3.; comenced to turn in color, for the tcnatoec- 'vill be -vatery and '•.'ill not Keep v-ell. The '.'atsr is generr'lly applied in furro--s nade be- tween the ro<-'s of plant.3 near enough to thei.; <;c that the rooty -ill le those used for looal consumption are usually colored fairly highly bn;oro pincinp. ITnen gro'-'iar xhe early spring crop, tomatoes are generally harvested i. liitle sooner ir. their gro'vth then "!hen thry are gro'^n for the nid-sumnicr or *"all crop. To.iatoes to bf uoed for local cannerie? are usually Course 33 Page 6 Le^soi} 9. not picks'I liitil i'<\ey F-.re fairly ripe. On ac-^ount of the structure of fnis vegetable it ig absolutely es'^ential that tiiey are haiviled in a very careful nanner, for •"Viey are --ery easily bruised aid every bruise means a rot in a fe^ dgy?. Tomatoes ■vhi'.-.h are rrc-n for the canneries '^.re placed in boxes hol'iinR froni 35 to 50 tour.1-i . hc,ulf1 -lirt-ctly to the car a.Kl shipped to the csiinery. vjhen harvs-.tet for locnl frcgh markets the ;rcp is usually plac^nd in luq, Do;:fis or crates and -•ipul?') dirr-ctly to the market. Tor.iatoc<; for Icncr -iietar-ce shipmen-ns -si.ould be handle^i extremely carefully, a-id are p:e.i?rally plpced in lug boxris , hauled to tne packing house in -.-aFcns 'jr.icn hav-; sprii-ps on thcr;, or jn '"yich - layer of stra^"' has been laid to prevent unnecesfjary jsrrin^. At the packin-; hous" thu?e are repacked into crates, wrapping each toir:&';o in ■^.is5ue paper, aa'-i beinr- careful th^^t the crates are pa-^ked tif^htly, and only tho^;e of f;ood quality sbipped. TV.oso ^7'\icn are unfit for long, distance shipn.ynts are g9ne---ally oold to locr.l canneries. '''arietie s. Of thj large nurbsr of vrrieties of tci-.i"to"-3 , there are cor.-.p'.retiv-iily fe"' which are grown in tni-3 State to any extent. Th» r'O-i, popular a.'d best v^.ri'-^ty fo'- canning, anri for th=^ rrarket is the " gt ore'^ . Thi'i is a lavgs , "-^.11 --shaped , nighly color of^ tcmato, au'^. is the general favorite on the rnrket. It i= , ho-'/ever, £■ little slow in riaturing ai-:d shoi'ld noi oe used for early sprint; crops. The Trophy is gro-'n principai-y thrcu^hout t;-.e Can Francis'-.o Bay region for earning purposes. The vine is a vigorous grc-'er and haavy bearer, but the fruit is too rough for r:i-:rketin5 end not a?. ?:cod a keeper a^s the otone. The 'i parks ' Far liana variety is on? ••"hich is ccrwonlv ust-d for the early sprin- crop. iiiis is a ^r.al^ Course 33 Page 7 Le'^-ion ?i tomato, not an esp'^cialiy good keeper, though it is strongiy ieconraended tor the pur-Jose for '-.'hicii it is p:ro--n. The Efrl"^ Lt; -.ngeles variety is one v/'iich is beccmng quite popular, and recernbleo the larliana in p.ppear- &nce. This is an early maturinp; variety, ani one •^'hich should prove adaptei to xhe gro-.ver for tne early srrine crop, Eg.ir:p:ng off . This is a disease v-hich is coT.r.io_ily fcun'^. -/hen raising tcnatoes in xhe early spring;. Tt r.ppears only in the seed beds '^here it kills the plants rather pror>iscuously throii.>;hout the bees. It i3 cau?ed " by several different fun^ii vhich gain sntrance to the stem an--', root near to the surface of -^he soil, ?nd kills tne plants i? a very short titie. Thi co.itrol is mors preventive, than curative, for after a bjd has once becorif infecxed , it is very hari to stop the ravages of this disease. The prc-er should raise his plants in g'ii^^i a ranner ttr't they '^I'ill ha-e plenty of ^-en- tilation, avoid over-crovKling , and v/atei; when possible, durin;- the uiorn- ings of pleasant days, so that the surface of xhe soil ar.d tops of xh.e plants '■/ill dry off bei ore ni^ht. Spray the oed -ith Bordeaux I ixture u?ing ' 4 pounds limr- , 4 pounds blue stone (copper sulfate) and 50 palloas of .-ater. Fai lure to Set Fruit s. It is very c ojin.only found that v/l-dle the vinee set a heavy crop of blossoms, rnany of th' for the canneries? 4. Nane three diseases of the tomato and the control of ct-ch . 5. Mhen and hovr should r;elons be planted? 6. If necessary to irriT-te nelons, v;hen should it be ,G c^abbage plant'; va ries from ?. to 2-\ f3et in the rov.- tho I'ov-: fi-ora 2^ to 3 feet apart. During '.he sunmer month?, the plants aro urvally <;et on f:e clce cf fv.rro^-'S ne/ie oy ore cf ^sveral rv.lt ivatcv attachnent? or by the single plov, an-'I tnrough '■:hich the water r;iay be run. XPnen f^ro-vinr the plants curing the -/inter, these furrov."v are not rlvays nceaed. Care r.uit bo taken to 7)res3rve a? rriany of the small roots as ocsisible -'.n pulliu;^ the plrnts a.n'^. in ^e'cting the pld:':ts in the field. Tut them a little dee'.jpr in the ground than they ,^re" in the seed led. The earth around thr- plants should be firmly packed and if thev hs-ve gro^:;n too large, tv^cy shov.ld De trirxied bad: in order to aid them in stf.rting. '■'hen !7ro-.";ing the crop for t.;p 'vintcr narliet , the -plants shovld be set in the field fr on July until September inclusive. Tho July and A.u;;:u3l. plantinr raturing bet-'een October an'! Ljcenber; -vhile the Scptemher planting doe? not generally mature before FeOiuary or r'arch. X!mr\ -proving the plants for the late spring market, they can be set xn the field during ■'ovember , •T.aturing a crop during March, April an-^. Fay inclusive. I rriratio n. L.;o'jt of the cabbage in r.rJ.ifornia is produced under irrigation, f^spr-:c Laily \';'^.en setting '^he pl-nts cut durinc. the sur.T.ier nontn-:-. The water is generally applied in furro-'p & to 6 inches 'ieep bet-;een the r'o^.-s of pl:ints, and enough r:;ater should b'^ put on at each irrigation r,c that the soil is f-oroughly wet tc a depth cf from 2 to '- feet. After the cabbage has beo-un to nature, it should not be irrigated, ar it •■'ill often cause th^ heads Course 53. iagc 5. Lesson 9. to go tc seed, mrking them unfit for the market. After each irrigation the soil should be faorovrihlv cuit i'/Fts-'l , especiPlly when tne plants are young. H ?.rve sting. As '=,11 of the h^aas do no'U mature at the same time, the fieJd is ,-one over t-vo or fire; tines during: the season. During the -. -inter, cabbage v;hich h^.s ija+urcd is r^eneraliy held in the ground for several ^-/eeks , but during th.e spri'ig, especially if tiie '.yeai^her has become 'varm, the crop should be harvested irciediately upon .-maturing, for if held in the field too long, it rill kc tc seed very i.,ui-:kly. Cabbage is ratured --^ihen the outsile leaves have turned yellc-', 'oeiy.n to wilt, and the heads become solid, ^'ihen groT;ing fcr ^ he local iriarket the heads are .tTGnerally trir.;med closer than "/hen shippiii^- r ccnsiderable distance. "iT--.en cutting the crcp for storage, the heads sho\'.ld be fully r.-ature'^ , and if the plants are to be stored in pits, the plant:; sliould Iiave f;e or.tside leaves trianed cf-f and sho'.'.id be pulled up by the roots. If they are to be rtored in a barn or storage house, they sn'-'uid bs trimned dc^vn pretty close, .^s a rule, storage is net used by the California cabbace r-rove;-. "larketinn, '.Vhen grov/ing Icrge acreagsc of cabbage, th^e best method for irarketinr i-^. ir, err load l--*ts th'-ou-r'n -Tholesale produce houses or associations. Cabbage thus ;uil ". :iiay be loaded nr. car'- as dug out of the field or packed xn cr'ites or sack-. Tho r.cst cccimon forr.i of pack'ige in '-'hich cabbage is shipped, is tn.^ Los Angf^le- cratT, holding fror 150 to li^J pounds. u'':'-?r6.-is also a larger crats '-'hich holds fr on 175 to 215 po-inds. Qabtaqr. is very seldom shipped fror,; ualifornia in barrels. In shipping to the loc:.l markets the cabbage i-6 of+en shipped in 'sacks and th-? miscellaneous vegetable Couroe 33. Fare 6. Lesson 9. grower generallv sello his c:.bb£.fre £:i it co.Ties ^'ron the field, not packing it in any way. "priet ies . T'-.e variety raost commonly usod for Eastern shipment when the plan"!, s r„re matured uurj-ng the winter incnths is V'iningatarlt , an-; for the la-^e "'inter anl early sprinr crops and for the manufacture of S-.uericraut , the Early and Late Flat Dutch. The Early Jerssy '/akefield is another variety i"hich is ^)op'ilar throughout California as an early Tiaturing cabbage. Insect Pest s. The cabhage wora is often troublesome v'hen the crop is maturing during xl.o spring. The fi.-'^t indication of its pre^-ence is the appearance of holes in the leave", and later in the center of the heads which greatly injui-es their quali'cy. These norms are hatched from eegs laid by a white butterfly vrhich is commonly seen hovering over cabbage fields. The worms are yellowish green in color and when fully grown are a little over an inch in length. Waen the cabbage is young, these worms can be controlled by spraying v;ith Paris Green , 1 pound Axr slaked lirne , ? pounds Water, 150 -r^allcns. After the cabbage has begun to he'^'.d aud especially if affeoted by ap"-is . the following spray should be used : - Blackleaf "40'. 1 gallon \Tnale Gil Sca-o , 4 pounds ■Jater, 1 ,000 gallons. These aaterials should be pit on r.oon after the worms have hatched. The spraying should be repeated as often rs necessary to hold the worms in chock, and snould oc applied in such a mann3r that all parts of the plants above the s Course 33. page 7. Lcsccn t . ground, ere tnoroughly covered. UsuP.lly from one to three sprayingc is sufficient. A^his . Thf=, cabbnge aphis or cabbage louse , attacks the plant quite frequently, and is ouc'.i a common in?ect that it? description ■;;ill not be giv^yn here, \7hen the olants are youns?, these may be controlled by using Kerosene (Coal oil) 5 gallons Laundry 3cap 2 pounrls V.'c,ter lOG gallons After the- plants liave begu;i to head, if they are attacked by the v/orm as well, the Blackleaf "40'' spray snculd oe applied. CA'.n:. irLcr.'F.F . Early Hist or y . Cauliflo-.7er belonrrs to the same fanily as the cabbage, c.nd it has been devploped from it into the type which is nov/ found. CaulifloT/er and cabbage were i'^enticdl during the early starves of t^e dovelopnent of this f a^-ily , and the caulifl ovi'cr of today is probably the result of continucuG variations and selections fron the original type. The cauliflower industry started on Long Isla^id , Mew York, suppt^^^ed at that tirnc to be the only S'-.-tion adapted to that industry. As the returns '-/ere so favorable, the industry socn rprcad from there to other parts of the Atlantic Seaboard, ^nd to the VJectern Coast. Today there is a larre anov.nt of land in Crliforr.ia devoted to the culture of this crop, what has been said regard- ing the culture, yields, returns, q-^c., of the cabbage, applies also to the cPuli flo'ver , r>lthour;h it is a livtl«": more di;ficul"i to grew. VTnen the c-uliflo^'er corrirr'=.nc3s to heal, gather t'le leaves Course 33. Page 3. Lesson 9. together and tie locsely ever the heads; this greatly fucilitates blpnching and protects thee from getting broi-m erA bittsr from the effects of the hot sun. They should be examined often t^nd cut •■viiile the head is close and compact, as after the head opens it separates into branches, gets coarse, tough fibrous, ctrcng ilr.vored and consequently o^ little market value. The principal varieties gro'.vn in this sxate arc the "Siiov;ball" , "Early Paris" ."nd the variety v/hich the Italin.ns use, hno-'n as "Broccoli". This latter variety being comn^nly gro'vn in tiie 3an ?'ra.ncisco Bay region. The diseases and insects vhich are troutalesc.^e to this crop are the same as given for cabbage. QUESTIONS 1. Give the best climati- , soil ana 'noisxure requirements for the cabbage. Z. XlhaX are the leadino; varieties? 3. Ho'-' are the cabbage -vorras and aphic controlled? 4. Y/here in the United States did the cauliflower industry firtt develope? Name tv.-o varieties grown in California. 5. Why is it nacessary, v.'hen gro-rxng cauliflower, to tie the leaves over the heads? 'Jhen shculd the heads be cut? Adc'rers r.ll correspondence to the DIVI3ICII OF AGRICULTURAL ED-JCATICN , U^Jr/iLRSITY OF CALIFORNIA, EERKELIJY. Ui:iVEIlSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLECT OF AG.ICULTUl.E AGuICULTUTua EXPiZRILENT STATION BERKELEY David P. Barrov/3 , President Thomas F. Hunt, Dsan H. E. Van Norman, Vice-Director and Dean University Farm School C 11 il E G P ;: D E r G E CO U USES I N A G i. I C U L T U R E couivSE }cc;iii VEGETABLE GiuDENIHC By S. S. Ro-ers Lesson 10 Address all cor:municatio;-'s reln.ti.ve to the correspordence courises in Agriculture to DIVISION OF ASlJCULTUIvAL EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERJCELEY. Course 33. Page 2. Lesson 10, CELERY - LETTUCE Celery : Early History . Celery has been- found ^ro-.ving wild in a lar^e number of countries, but is a native of Southern England, Europe and Asia, Very little is known concerning its early history, but it is thought not to have been cultivated earlier than the middle ages. Although it v;as found grov/ing in its wild state a considerable length of time, it was not until 1880 that this vegetable v;as used in America for commercial purposes, and at this time was used mostly for flavoring and garnishing. Thousands of acres of celery are grovm at the present time in the United States, the principal states producing this vegetable being Michigan, Florida and Cali- fornia. This vegetable has been grovm very extensively in this State and the average acreage planted varies from 3000 to 5000 acres per year. A large portion of this crop is sold in the Eastern and middle West markets at a time of the year at which it is difficult to obtain the fresh vegetable from the local gardeners. There are tv/o main districts in v/hich celery is grown in California. The oldest and up to a short time ago, the most important, was in Southern California, in Los Angeles and Orange counties, where several thousand acres v/ere annually produced. During recent years the center of the celery growing districts has changed from Southern California to the central part of the State. Here it is grown throughout the Delta section, which in- cludes the Islands and some of the main land in the vicinity of Stockton, Sacramento and Antioch. During the season of 1914 there was about three thousand acres produced in this district* Course 33. Pcge 3. Lesson 10. Cost of Production, Yields and Prices Received. The cost of producing celery under California conditions varies considerably, but it is estimated to be from C-3C.0C to 3110.00 per acre. Occasionally v;hen small amounts are grovm , the cost "dll reach 0125. 00 an acre. The yield of celery varies frori 100 to 200 crates per acre, the average being about 125 to 150, although many of the more experienced growers produce as high as 160 and more crates per acre. The average gross proceeds from celery per acre will vary from 3100.00 to 0800.00 per acre. IThen growing this crop under favorable con- ditions , one should reasonably expect from $200.00 to si>400.00 per acre, and occasionally larger returns than this are realized. The bulk of the celery is harvested from October until February inclusive, -vhere it is shipped to the Eastern portions of the United States. Occasionally there is a heavy demand for celery v/hich is matured in March, but this late market is rather uncertain and is dependent largely upon the Eastern Supply. On account of the favorable climatic conditions found in this state, it is possible in r.'iany sections to mature celery during every month of the year , but as the other portions of the United States are producing this crcp during the late summer and early fall , the celery which is raised during the spring and summer is generally sold in the more local markets. Cultural Requirements . Celery is very poorly adapted to v;orn out or impoverished land. In order that a good crop be grovm the soil should be v/ell supplied with the essential elements of plant food. This crop grov/s on nearly all types of soil, but the peat land is probably the best. As a rule, the plants are slow in starting on the heavier soil, but the yield is Course 33. Page 4. Les3on 10, generally larger and the celery is of a better flavor than vrhen grov;n on lighter clas'^es of soils. As the native home of celery is in swarnpy co-jjntrieS; this crop is best adapted to lov;, marshy lands which are v;ell supplied ".'ith moisture. Not only should t;-.e soil moisture be abundr^nt . b".t there should be considerable atmospheric moisture as well , making this croTo better adapted for growing during the rainy reason then at other times of the ^--ear. It is very important also that the climatic conditions should be favorable, and it is impossible to mature a first class crop during the summer months m the warmer sections of the state for this crop is best adapted to cold -veather. There is no other vegetable v/hich should have betxfr care caken in the prepara- tion of the roil, for unless the ground is in a good condition of tilth and free from all '^i-eed growth, it T/ili be impossible to produco a crop of good quality. Land v,rhich is to be planted to celery should be fell plcwed as deep- ly as possible, and just a short time b-3fore seeding the planxs. By the use of the various farming implements, the surface snnuld be vvell pulverized, and there should be an abundance of moisture. Care of the Plants . Celery is grown from plant inr seed in the seed bed and transplanting the young plants "men -they hf-ve attained the p:-opc-r size. The usual form of seed bed is the open bed which has been previously described. These bedc are from 4 to 6 feet v;ide, 4 to 6 inches high and as long as necessary in order tc accomodate the plants. As scon as the land has been put into proper condition the seed bed is cai-efully raked and pulverized very finely. The seed is broadcasted and raked in immediately, covering them u'ith from one quarter to one-half inch of soil. It is generally estimated Course 33. page 5. Leseon 10. that enough plants can be gvovm in one acre of seed bed tc plant about twenty acres in the field. In order to produce healthy vigorous plants, lieavy I'/atering is the rule at first , but as soon as the plants have commenced tc grow, the quantity is reduced and it should never be allov'ed to stand on the surface of the bed. The beds are usually irrigated by running viater m furrows between the beds, allov/ing it to soak into them fr-G^ tiiese ditches. The time of seeding varies from the last of February until the first of May. As soon as the plants have commenced to grow so that they are crowding each other, they shculd be thinned, leaving 3 to 5 inches between each plant. The "/eeds should never be allov;ed to start, for if they do, the growth of the young plants is seriously affected. The plants may be removed into the field when they are from 4 to 8 inches in height. They are generally set in the field about six inches apart in furrows 3-g- feet apart. The depth of the furrow is somewhat varied, depending upon the soil moisture and size of the plants, but the average depth is from 3 tc 5 inches. After the plants have been set out in the field , the cultivator should be used often m order that the weeds may be killed while f;ermineting and to keep tVie moisture in the ground for the utilization of the crop. The exact number of cultivationa de- pends wholly upon the local conditions, but should bs frequent so that the plants are growing under the best of conditions. After the plants have been get in the field for about 3 v;eeks or a month, the field is generally "crowded." This operation consists in moving the earth away from the plants so they will have more air around them and to kill what v;eeds have grown so close to them that it is impossible to reach them with a cultivator. This "cro\¥ding" also Course 33. Page 6. Lesson 10. helps to conserve the noisture. After the field has bean thus treated, there will be ridges bet'veen the ro";s of plants. These can be smoothed dowTi by the use oi a roller v;h.en the plants are small or by the cultivator if they have grown so tall that xhey would be mashed by the roller. After the plants ?.re 12 to 15 inches tall the earth between ths rov/s is drawn up to them, but care should be taken not to bank the earth too hirrh, for there will be danger of ^yeak6ning them, especially if the v.-eather i"^ hot. The object of this operation called "rplitting" is to gradually encourage the plants to grew tall and straight instead of spreading ou^ . This is generally repeated tv/ice dur- ing the season, the second time just before banking. This last '"splitting" aids the plants in blanching. As soon as the plants have attained the proper sire , they are rea.dy to be banked. This may be done in seve;ral different ways, but the customary inethod for blanching in California is by throwing the earxh around the plants well up on the stalks. This should be done very carefully, for if too much of the stalks are covered by the earth, they will become pithy and the quality will be greatly injured. The plants ar'-3 generally banked two or three times during the season. The last time the earth should be •thro'-n as high up on thera as possibls, leaving only the i(ops shov'/ing. Celery which is growing during warm v/eather or in the peai; soils shoul'! not be banked as long as when growing during the winter , or wlien the lighter soils are used. In the smaller gardens, celery can be grown by transplanting the plants into sunken beds, putting the plants about 10 inche^^ apart in both directions. If this form of culture is used, the celery v;ill be so thick that the banking will be Course 33. p^^^e 7. Lesson 10. unnecessary, for the leaves will protect the stalks from the sun. It is sor.etiines customary, especially for the smaller grov/ers and v;hen the plants are gro^/ing during the summer to use board? for blanching. These should be placed along side of the plants that have reached the desired size to blanch. The irrigation is generally done by running v/ater in furrovs hetv/een the rovrs of plants. Harvest in g : The celery is harvested by cutting the roots just below the 3vrf?.ce of tho ground. This can be done in several ways. The roost common one is by the use of a knife supported bet^-'een tr-o -vheels and drawn by tv/o horses. After being cut, the plants are pulled im-mediately , and the outer stalks renioved ; the bunches are then packed in crates holding from 7 to 9 dozen each, and shipped to the markets. Va rietigs . The most comiTiOn variety for long distance shipments is the •'Golden Self Blanching." When gro'vxng for the local market the "VJhite Plume", "Giant pascal" and "Green Top" are conmonly used. Diseases . The r.iost serious menace to the celery industry has been the Late Blight (Septoria petroselini apii) , -/hich affects the stalks and leaves making the celery unmarketable. This disease nakes itself knovn by the appearance of saall black spots en the plants and vill increase in storage cr during shipment ev-jn more rapidly than --rhen groir/ing in the field. This disease czlu be successfully controlled by spraying the plants v;ith Ecrdeaa-- ^or^^n^ wh-i'"V> if found in the colder sections of the United States, the future outlook, for this crop appears to be very encouraging. Lettuce is grovm quite --widely throughout the state, but the leading centers are in the vicinity of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay districts and in the vicinity of Sacramento and Stockton. Yields . The yield of lettuce varies fron 1500 dozen to 2500 dozen heads per acre, with the average about 2000 doren heads. Cost of Production and Prices Received . The cost of producing an acre of head lettuce varies from ^35. 00 to i^'SO.CO, and the price varies from 70 to 20(£ per dozen; -.vith the average from 100 to 150 per dozen heads- The ; Fall and Winter prices are generally better than the spring, as the demand is otronger during this season. Cultural reouirements . Lettuce will do the best en rich, well drained soil, r.enerally of a lirht nature. If an early sprin-^ crop is desired, the best type of soil v;ouli be lii;;hter than when the fall crop is grov;n. It it very essential that the soil be v;ell supplied with the necessary food ele- ments so that heavy manuring is the general practice. This crop also requir-'^s considerable moisture and does best where the soil is vjoll supplied with water- Care should be taken, however, not to have the water standing around the plants for they will rot very qvickly under such conditions. In order that a r^ood solid head may be rrovm, the clitnats should be cool; consoquently this vegetable is produced much more as a winter crop than in the sumr.Ter, especially throuf^jh the interior valleys of the state- The main section Course 33. Pago 10. Lesson 10. for the prcJuction cf Isttuca -iuring the i-rinter i? tne coast, and after the fir'pt 01 June, the t-e'ieral supply ccrae?- from this district. The -3 011 shoul^i be very care;'v.lly .jrepRred for thi? crop, and it is a general custc:n to plov; ur-ior frorri 15 to 25 tens of •.-.anv.re per acre a jhcrt tir.c before plantin!^. Car" rnv.st be talten , hov-e-'er , t: rp.ve tl-fi r.';anv.re co:-.pletely rottei beforo the plant'? are set in zhe f isld ; other-isr , it 'vill be difficult to start them, '/^.ile lettuce may be srovni under flat cultivption, tbe inost success is obtained by the use of the rai-;ed beds, as described in a previous lessen. 'rhe adv?.ntas;e th;it this form of culture has cvsr the ordinary culture, is ths.t the slants v:av be irri3;!::-ted in such a manner that the heads are not covered 'vith •••ut^r a-^i -.-/ould be z'r.t ce.se if sur.ker. bods v.'ere used. Time and .vjpnncr o f Plant inp. Lottuce luay bs grov.-n either by nlanting the seed directly in the field or >■ transplantinr: the plants from the seed '"hi-:h ••?.- sc"/n in the seed beds, -ihsrc a la.-ge he.'.d is desired, the latter is by far th.e uost preferable and is the most coni::joniy usci . "eed shoul I t-3 so'^T. eitner in the hot bed, cold frav.'e or in the open, about a nionth to six v/eeks befor-- the time for setting in the field, and it is generally estimated that t'-,ree to foui- pounds of 3Ped will cT;ro-r a su'-iicient nurber of p?. ant^j for one acre. The usual distanc? for setting plant:; in the field is about 18 inchies aucn-t , -.vhere the large variety, such as Los Angeles, is gr cv/n , and 12 inches -/hen vTrom'inp- a si.ialler variety. In transplanting the plants, care should be taken to renove theT.: in such a mam-er from tlT: seed bed so that as i-nrmy of the s~all roots as possiblr; may be retained and the plants shoul'^i- be ^■;ell covered until setting in the fi^id. If -^-hey have grown too tail . Course 33. - page 11. Lecscu 10. the tops of the leaves should be cut off and they should be planted a little deeper in the field than they -were growing in the -^eeH bed. Unless the soil is v;eil supplied v;ith water , f-ie 3'oung plants should bs irrigated as soon as possible after setting out and it w:. 11 ain materially if they can be sprinkled. The exact number of tiiiies v;hich the field should be irrigated, depends v/holly upon the local conditions. Gener- ally ^men growing the crop during the winter , one or tvo irrigations will be all that are necessary, and during some seasons, no irrigation is needed, "/here irrigation is practiced, care nuct be taken to have an adequate amount of moisture in the soil continually, for if the plants are allGv;ed to suffer from drought, their growt]-. will be checked and their qualify injured. V.'hen growing this crop in the spring, the care should be such that the plants will mature as quickly a", possible, for during the war.Ti v/eather the plants will quickly go to seed, which renders them unfit for market. The cultivation of lettuce should be such that all the weed growth is checked and a mulch is formed on the surface. As a rule, unless the r-eeds are very bad, hoeing the field once or twice during the season v.'ill be sufficient , especially if raised beds are used. If the sunken bed or flat culture is used, cultivation '-/ill be found niore necessary, and the field should be well cultivated after each rain or irrigation. H arvesting . It is very important in order that a good quality of lettuce should bo obtained, that the plants should be fully matured before harvesting. This c^n be determined by feeling of the head; at the time of maturing it should be firm, the outer leaves will often commence to turn Course 33. Paee 12. Les-on 10. yellow and (iio , and thr top of the head v/ill oftentimes become a grayish color, due to drying of the outer leaves. For the local markets it may be carried loo63 in a viczon or packed in crates. For long distance shipments, the crates are the only method used in packing. The ccrnmon lettuce crate holds betvveen three and five do-en heads :^nd weighs from forty to sixty pounds '■.'hen filled. Lettuce may be sold either by the crate or by the dozen. After these crates are iirmly packed, and nailed, they should be hauled ?s soon as possible to the peeking house, 3toro or market. It is generally customary to pull off the outer leaves and the neads should be cut near the surface of the ground, leaving a little of th-; s~em on the head, v^hich helps to hold the head solid and prevents withering. For long shipments , iced cars are ;;enerally used, and often it is desirable to sprinkle ico over the crates, for this is a difficult vegetable to ship and have it reach the markets in pood shape, for if the heads are not fully matured and packed carefully, they v/ill rot very quickly. Vrristieg . There are four varieties of lettuce i-;hich are most commonly grci-m in California. Hamely , California Cream Butter. Black Seeded Simpson, Hanson and the Nev; York Market or Los Angeles. The last variety, namely, the Los /.ngeles, is the most commonly gro-m , and is pre- ferred to any ot];er variety '-hich is on the market at the present time; for the market demands larp;e solid heads and this variety comes nearer than any nther to the requirement. There are no diseases rior insects v/hich are a detriment to the industry in this state. Course 33. Page 13. Lee j^ on IC, QUESTIONS 1. Where are the leading celery gro-.-ing districts in California located? 2. Vms-t are the soil requirements- for celery? 3. V/hat is "crov/dincr" , "splitting", "blanching"? Ho'v and why ia each dene? 4. 7/hat are the desired soil, rrioisture and cliitiatic conditions for the cultivation of lettuce? 5. Hov; it lettuce jjlanted in the field? 6. yhat are the leading varieties of lettuce? 7. Hov; is lettuce packed? 3. Ho'v much can rea-onably be raade per acre from growing lettuce? Addreco all c orrespc.jd'-ncc to the DIVIGlCvi CF AGRICHLTUnAL EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF CK.J.i,.:>^l& , BERKELEY ,' CALIFCRI.'IA . UNIVI^RSITY OF UALIFOB.NIA COLLEOr OF AGRlCULTURi; AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BERKSLEY David F. Barrels, president Thomas F. Hunt, Dean H. E. Van Norman, Victj-Directrr and Dean Univ-^rsity Farm School CORRES'PONnSNCE COURSES I N A G R I CUU L T U R E COURSK XXXIII VEGETABLE GARDENING BY S. S. Rogers Lesson 11 Address all conmunications relative to tho corrospondsnce courses to DIVISION OF ftGRI CULTURAL EDUCaTION UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY . Course 33. Page Z. ROOT CR0 P3 . PEAS . ESAN3 Early Hi^toi-y. The original hone oi the bee"., 'vap m Southern Zurone , and it v^ns eepecially abundant in the Canary Inlands. It is nc^' nidel" irrown thrcugrhout the ivorld and is especially imyortant in the Unixed Gtater;. The beet ha? oeen develcpec from it^ original v.-ild st-'-xe until it is ncv; found in distinct type^' : t'-.e Garden Beot , S'viso Chird , 5ugar Eeet and the Ivdangel. In Ca''ifor.iia it x- found in ^i-actically all of the counties and is especially adapted ;c che conditions found in the Delta region. Tnere is also a conr more per sack. Cvfit u r al Re q u ii- eme nt s . This crop should only be g.rorn on rich soil and tl'.e draina-e -:hculd be pr,cod. For the production cf an early spriiig Course 33. ?3.ge 3. Lesso-i ].l. crop, a lighxer type of scii is more desirable than ■vhc-n gro'.7i.ng ir. midsumner. It is B. conirron piactice to manure xhe ground her.vily just previou; to planti:i;. bvrt. alT-C'Ting siuficient time be'~ore the planting so triat the dressing •vill be completely rottec'. Under ordinj.ry conditions, 15 to 25 ton-; of .nenure per acre should bs used, li Tbe beet -vill grow '-'ith an ordin&r'- amount oi Toisture and csre should be taken not to allot? the giound to l.ec^rne too dry at any time uTrins the gro\"th. During the --intsr -vhen rains are }ieavy it -.vilL be found best to ha^'e some system of drain Ins tne oi'rplus 'va^^er an-n.y from the field. This crop is considered to be hardv so that it is specially adapted for proving during i^inter. It •-ill a?. so st'nd considerable heat , providing, there is plenty of moisture in the soil, end in order to have the plrnts grow rapidly, the temper- ature should be moderate; for slthou^;;!. tlie beet will not be killed \/it,i ordin- arily cold •%'eaxher , its gro-.-th '.vill be very slov;. Soil to be used for gro^r-inf., beetc should be rorhed as thcrov.p:hly as possible, and under ordinary conditions, the raised beds are advocated. Timo of plentin K- Planting nay be done during each month of the year xn California, but there are t'.vo seas-^ns for the main planting. The first planting is generally made as early as possible in the spring, during T,\e months of January and February. These plants "I'ill be ready to "narvest fron^ npril until July. A second planting is generally made during the latter pare cf July or A\'.gust , for the second crop. For the production cf a vinter crop, the seed should be pl;,nted early enough so that the plants rrill have a month or so of warm ''eather in vhich to groif. There is also a limited amount planted Cov'-Je y>? . Page 4. Lesson 11, duriiig I'lovombGr end D5:eniV;er, but as there is a liatility of these plantc going tj ^ecd ;nvtsaie Detroit Lark ?ed va-ie~ie= are gro'-m to some extent. There -ore no diseases nor insect pests 'vhich are especially severe to this crop in California. CARROTS Sr.rl-^ Histor y. The carrot is a native cf Europe and has been cultivated for over 20CC year'-, rnd is more 'generally favored in Europe than in the United States. This croo is no-y. regarded as one of xhe most important Co^r-se 33. Page 5, Le^ror. 11. vegetables, yet t'^ere in probably no garden in -vhich some land ic net devoted to ixs culture, j.n California it is found very 7,6jisrally grov/ing throughout the state anc. ir frot tnsre is niore danger from an over production than from difficulty in securing a I'lrge crop. Yi elds ■ The yield of csTotg varies from 150 to 250 sacks per acre and about 20u sacks per acre is regarded as ? good paying crop. The prices r-^ceived v-.ry from one-half to t-.-'o and one-half cents per bunch (e.'-ch bunch co:isisting of six half gro-;n ccrrots; o:- 50f,' to $1.00 per sack. Cult ur£.l Reni.irfc .'pent s . The cultui-al requirements of carrots rrs prr.ctically the saae as for beets, .although as the grov/ing season it, longer, they require '■ longer taire in '-'hich to mature. They \7ill stand the cold v/ith- out injury a li+tlo better than beets. Varieties. The Danvers Half Long and the Long Orange are the most importc'.nt variexies; xhs former maturing slightly quicker than the latter, although not prod".cing as nany sacks per a.cr5. There are no diseases nor insect pests Vr.ich are troublesone to xhis crop in California. TURNIPS The original home of the turnip is in Europe and Asia where it ■;/as cultivated a^ early as 2500 B. C. Frorri its ^'ild form it has been gradually selected and improved jntil v/e have the highly flavored ti,u"nip of today. Wliile this vegetable is not considered to be such r, delicacy as many others, yet its culture is very 'vido anc it is founa growing in many countries of the -world. In California, it i- very v-idely distribu+ed and is especially comi.icn near the CoyiG^' 33. page 6, Lesson i?. . lar--er ci'^^ieT. As the amount ox lard aviiilatle for xhs pro-'luc+iori of -t'lis vegeta'^le is vesy large ir. Calif oi-nia , t>erc is nove dsni^er of ovt;r prodrc'cio.. ^han in the laiii'.re of the ciotd to produce oatlsfact orily . T.\e yielQs obtained frcn turnips are practicilly t'lo sar.e ao fror oeet'^; the^'r cultur'-.i requirements rre similar. V-irieties. Tl.e r.o-st 'popular varieties are the ?:arly Flat Dutch f-.nd Purple T-p '"hite "lobe; the form-jr raatjring slightly quicker than the latter so that it is reconfflendsd iTiostl y -^or th? e-'.rly sprine. crop, 'vliereas the latter variety finds mere favor on the market and is frro^-n for tne main crop in summer anc' 'winter. There are ■10 dasaacss nor insect pests serious tc this crcp in California. PARSNIPS This vej^exable is grown t- some extent m California, but is not nearly o<" so rrjuch imiDortancs as the foregoing vegetable? , mainly due to their long grov;ino season and the need of cold weather in order that they ::&-■ mature properly. The cultural -eqv.ircroents of parsnips is identical to the other root crop-. The Loi.g Gmooth or Hcilov; Crcn'n is the v.--.ripty r.ost ccrrr.onlj r,ro'-m in Calif orni-.. There are no diseases nor insect posts 'vhich, are especially troublesnrrie to this crop in California. PKA3 Early Hi str'rv . Tne pea has been cultivated in Europe and Asia for many generations, but the exact origin has never betn decided upon. At the present time it is widely cultivated ever many portions of the United Jl Ccursa 33. ?ag- 7. Lesson 11, States anci "ji-.y ^'le'il be rs^arc'ed as one of ti.e important regetablcs, "Epnrtp.nc? in Californi a. This crop is widely cuitivpte.f thrcugl out California, being especially -nopuldr. a'^; an/inter c^op. The r.-Sii. pea produciiijj :;fcctj.cns are f cunc. ii. the vicinity of Los Ar.j^eles , 5a.. Frpncisor Pay a:id thro'-gh cs'^tain portions of "he San Joaq-.im and Sacranienxc Vcllsys. Jn the southern part of the stt.^e, and in the interior valley-, it is used raoGtly a^ a v/inter crop, rhile thrcug]".o\it the Coast sectioi; ix is gro-va .I'^t only as a 'ii'inter crop, bi'.t as a suiruTier rrcp ai 'vq;^!. Yiqld . The yi.eld of peas varie- from i>0 to 75 sacks per acre, the average beinp; 65: a sack -veighinc:, from 70 to 35 pour.ds. Cost of Prod'.-c t ion and Pric3s P.ec3iv3d . The average co-'t of producing an acre of psas "/ill va:-y iroa $25.00 to i;^40.C0 per acre and tho prices v/hich a-e rec?iv^^ri vary from 2/ to 9/ per pound, the average be.ing between j/ and 5/, durinj^ certain seasons of the year, vhile during tne winter the gro'vers gf'tn received fro.Ti ^/ to 3/ per pound. C ultural Requir'^'inents . Peas do best upon » heavy soil , ^ich in plant food and having a considerable amount of moisture; and they are very poorly adapted tc com so s^.nd or gravelly soiic. This crop vfill stand 2 luw degree of tf.itiperaturc , but does liot do v/ell vvhere t^e cliraatc is hot ivi ciry, snch as in tho interior valleys of the State during the riiddls of euD'aer , When gro'virg the crop dyring thr rainy season, the seed should be planted in ridges so thnt the drainage will he f>uch that the surpl'.'.s vater '"ill be carried off quickly. During th? drier months, peas are uru&lly gro',7r> under flr.t cultivation Cour'se 33, P£.gs 8. Lessen 1.1. Tiii-j o:r pl-?nt'n g. '"^lere pas7irf 'Vgar 're planted. Dlse':.?eg .. When -jhis crop is fT'*v'n -''uriTig Vr.'^ ■7ir;ter t];e -i'O'-'er-- are oit ?.n trrv.bled -/ith rdlce^:? on tnc- vinec. Tnls sho-./s at first _s a grs.yi-h r-uo^tance oa th^ leaves and stems which spreads very quickly under favorable condition; and vill ruin "J'he crf^p in a short tin^e. Thi'3 trouble is controlled by spraying the vin..3 ';!":.;■. di-y Gulfur as soon as the disease appears r.nd re'>6atiri~, a™ often e.~ necessary i?i order to keep it in checli. On a sirall are..., •vhi;5 can je applied by du-^ting tlirough an ordinary ."jrain sack; -.'hile on larger areas, a blower ^vill be found more sdvanta'^eous , A n'-iiL- . The Aphis or plant louse is the cause of large losses ■ alter t}>e v;arn '■»ec-th.er has started and t.iis insect has prohibited the raising of" this crop m certain localities. The control of this insect is rather difficult rving to the impossibility of spraying the vines after they have become raatur-^d. This is con^iro-ied by plan->;ing as early as possible in the fall so th.at the crop ^''ill be .natured before the appearance of thi-^ insect , o: hy us in;- xhe follo'vinc; spray :- black Leaf "4C" 1 Z"''-- vfhale oil soap S los, vrciter ' 1300 b^-'i="='- '' This should be applied a- soon as the aphis appears and put on m such a r.ianner th?t all of the under surface of t'e leaves and stems are thorou?:hly cr/ered; for in order for the inge^^ts t -> be killed, the spray roust con"? m direct contact ''it^ them. Course ?2 P'-L- ^^- Lecson 11, BEAICS ' li-rlx Hir-tor-.'- snd Im^iortance in ?alj -f ornip . The bean V:?a3 found orig-'naJly i:i Gouthpra Asia.; it wa? produced in Europe at an early pcriod e.nd -.^a'.- f .u;i:" in A;.ier;-ca wh-re it v^as u3ed quite extensively by tre Tiidian-. ^cday tre r-ean i-^ very cor-^ior.ly fo;nd throu~r.out ail the •:jirv.'tT secti&.i!^ cf t.'^-^e ''Siitcd 'vt-its'i, -ad has long beon regarded as one of ihe rr-^re inportant ■'e~-ta''le ■ , Calif crn::.?. prcj'.<:ce'3 an ii-nm^nss quantity cf Isar.s , and tjiere are proV.ably no vegetable rardenp ir che state in -^'hi^-iii thi-: crop is nc-: found auring soine soasor. of tiye year. There are t-vo large cla^j^ifications of Dran^ , --ameiy , busn and pole beans, both of Vihich are very -popular -A'ith the grov/er^,-. y-'.fcld. '_]•'=- yield c^ jrardsn beans varies fron fi:^ty to seventy - five sauVs yer a^re , a ^ach v;'pi;Thiiift froiTi seventy to eigMy-f i'^f; pouncs. J ost cf .rrod'.-cti o.i ai.d P rice s Received . The averare coot. of produci::^ ..ne acre of beans varies from -.^25.00 to 05O.CO per acre, and tb.e price-^ ^rauy from 2 to 10 cen-i'S per pound; the average being botv-een xhrec and fivo cei'it" prr pound. Cul-cural Roouir '-.-ne nts . Tbe cultural requirernents for beans ore essenti.aliy x'-e rarae a- lor peas, '-ii-h the ■exception ^h•;.t thi-j crop is injured r/^uch "lore easily by tj.e cold tiian is the former. "Tire -f nl-nitr'n?:. The planting season in Gouthern California :"^e;if.rallv extends fro" Janvarv -^c Harch, cni. in thi' in^er3.c•/ p-:-rt o: 'i-i'.e ■^tatp :rc;:i inarch to ;:ay; 'sdiile in the northern sections, the planning is often deferred u;^til June. "Beans should mi; b3 planted until all danger of Course ?3. . la^e li. Less on 11, fi-ost ±z past, anc -.he fTro"--er should -■mi'z'v.nzi.l the grcund hv.s •.•arned up cor-sidsi-Eiblj- rctnor ■^han plavi-ting v/hen th„^ soil arJ clirraoic conc'.ition:-; are not Fio favoi-abie. If ITne lield is xo he cvltrva+eJ by hand ^-nipleraents , the di^.tance bot'veen th= rows ^^ari&s froiii 2 to 3 feet , Jut -^'hcn hor,?e r'.rav/n inpler.ents tM-e usoa, this chould be increase:! to fror. 2-1 \o 3-;j i>et. "he sesd r=:ay t^ plarted either in drxllo cr in hills If the forL.er method is used, the seed nay "op sown 2 +-0 5 inch'^c apart. If thu ■second i-.iethod is used the hills rray ce placac rrc.-i 3 tc 2-^ feix apart and -jlantinr 5 to 3 beans p3r hill, 'ihs laxtsr niethoc- is o'-ten u-^ed in prr-fgren:;e to the lorraer , as it en'^.bl'^'s "^.he gr'^v.e^ to haiveyt the crop ;.icro roadil'/. At the ti^ie of planting, the field j>c.;.]d be frse frcrj all •.veed ^rcvth, a;.d "va'.'e an abundant suuply of noistv.re near the surfaiv; -'nd t'rxQ ground shcnid be pulverized as finniy t.s pcT-sible. Harvesting-. Eeans are ^enerallv harvested in 38.o>s, eaoh sack weigjvinf- from 70 tc 35 pcndn, and are sold either by the sack or by the pound. Varieties . For the early and late piantin^s, the Golden Wax and Canaaian Worder vrricties ■<-:iii be found v.->,ry desirable, •■.'■die for inidsurx.i and fall crops, the Kentucky 'Vondtir iS preferaMe. Aside from th3 above varieties, the lina bean is often found in r-.iscellancou!:: and '•.onie vegetable gardens. The iri-.st coomon v.^rieties are the Lev/is and Daily", which are' V I se?-octed strains of tiie p.'le liira bears. In Calif ornia/th^' lii.a :..s adapted on ly to th/ hur.iid ccstal climates, Govirce 33. i-ar.e 12. Lesson il. Di sca sag . C:ir of the principal diseases which "the gra7.T has to coiitsuc ■"itz'r, is rrdldei", vhi'^h ^'rp-'ar-. dv.ring tl,e iz-iny season, ao that it i" trouble'^ome mainly to t'r.e v.inle.r or r-arly pprin.- crop. This disease i^ vory ra-ily controlled by covering xhs rinco v.-itV Tinely pov/dered svlprui" "/r.ich may oe applied either by a blower or through a ?;i"8ii» sac:; shaken ov:,ady. Under ordinary conditions, from ontj to thrOw irrigations ^"iil be 3uf:ri:;icnt, After -.ach irrigation, the field -hould be thoroughly cultivuLod, '...-s scon ••.;• the •;:ioil is in the proper conditioii, except v;he.n the stalks have made their full grov.-L'^ , 9X ''rhich time it nr^y be ordtted. Harvestin g. When grov/ing the corn for the early market , it is often hjirve-'ted oefore it has fully matured in order to get the henefit of the high prices. I: there is a l..rga amount of c-rn in the m'-.rket f.nd theprices are rather Icri , it should not he harvested until the c'-rs -ha'-e' fully matured. T!i:.s can be detennined •:!y examining then, u-hich at this tir.8 should contain '■;ell formed keenels, and t'\e silk should be brown or deod, Th.e cr:Sto^n&ry method for sellin; corn is by the sack. Each sack contains from 3 to 9 dozen ears, the uverpge nunber bexn^ %, For the locil "'.rket '-. . ears are c:ten sold by the dose-'i. As a rule, the larger the ear, the better ±\\e corn, so that the gro'.vcr shcnld endea-zor to get v-s lirgs plur.p ears ae uoesiblc, Tha field is sensraliy picked over froiii tvo to five tines during the- sea?on, deyendini.: upcn ho"' rapidly the ccrn is maturing. Ccur^c 32. Prge 5. Leoscn 13. Varie'',ieg . There are a larg;e number cf varieties of sweet corn in California., the choice of which depends larpely anon the season of the year a'ld upon the location of the gerden. For the ecrly corn, "The Gcldc?.n Banta-i'' , '•F;E-.--Iy ?!innesota" , ''Crosby's Early", and "Early Alaireca" are corrr.only grcwn. Tor the main crop, "Stowell's Evergreen", "Late Alameda" or "r^amnoth'' ^nd "Country Gentleman' are used, A large number cf the more pro- gressiva gardeners sP.ve their own seed so that a considerable amount of corn is gro'ivn 'vhich is a result of careful selection and havin;; no special trade name. This custom of sciving seed is one which is strongly advocatod , for by so doing, the prov.'er can deve''-op in a few years, a strain which will be more suitable to his conditions than can be found by using the ordinary commercial varieties. D iseases and Insect Pe sts. There are no especially bad diseases affecting sv.-eet corn v/ith the possible exception of the smut v;hich occurs only in very limited areas .?.nd during certain seasons. There is, hov;ever , a very troublesome pest v;hich the corn fro^-ers hf.ve to contend v;ith, and which in many localities in California, has prohibited xhe grov/inf^ of this vageta.ble; namely the corn ear rvorra. It is found much more severe in the interior valleys of the state, as in some localities , especially along the coast, it has caused very little dama^^e. For t'ne grower »'ho has not had experience vith o'/eet Corn, it 'vould bo very advisable to find out whether or not thi& 'vorm is severe in his immediate locelity before planting a large area to th.is crop. The moth of this ivorm lay? its eggs in the silk at the ends of the ears , and when the worm er.erges , it eats its vjay i:oyni into the ear, making it unfit for food. From Course 33. Page 5. Lesson IZ. observations whic';; hove been ,-nad.e upor, this ini:ect , it appears to bs worse curing the mid-rumrier cro}) r'-.nd oftentimas oven i;i c. badly infected locality, ti-'.e earlv c^cp ^/ill bt only sli-htly infeci^d, and. mr.y j.iossibly evade ixc. ravages entirely. There e.re several investieatior.s under v/ay to determine '•bether o:- net thi<:; pe^t may be controlled, but up to the presenx time its control has beeii anytliin^; but satisfactory. V.'here po=5sible , an early cro;) ?ho\ud be planted and if the grov/er is rcismfr a limited aacunt of corn, thece '••orna ray be hand picked fr-/r.i the ear^; p.oing over the field from 2 to 5 times' during the s-./agon; depending upcn the quantity of v;orms v.>hic>. are present. This is, ho'vever, only prr.cticable ■•/here a very limited amount of corn is grown, for it entails coA?id'^-ratle labor and expense to inspect each ear, but if the t-,rov. er has had some e;;perie;ice in this line of work, he v.dll find that it can be done quite rapidly. The ea:"s may be dusted v;ith po-vdered arsenic in the form of c^rsenate of lead, (.dxed as follo-'s:- 2/3Po7d2red arsenate of lead to 1/3 air slaked liue cr sulfur. As this po-vder is extremely poisonous, one should be very careful not to enhaie the d'.'.st or get the poison in a -.'round or cut. There also seems to be some difference in the various varieties, f.nd the grovver should choose one "-hich matures as quickly as possible and which has the husk covering the ear as ti^^htly as possible. Course 33, Fige 7. Le^soM 1?. F.OG PLANT 5t.rl;/ Kl st ory. The F?rg PlPnt vva? origina?.ly icmd gi-o?/in^ •^n India frc:n -■■•-r -- it Y.i^j bee;i r.n^rodv.oec" ii.to ArnL-rica. -.nd is nor; founJ g:'o-, - Infx ouite f^enerdlly f.'Trou';^hoi;.t the United StEitos , ar.d v;hil3 its culture is en a -nuch -:;r^,ller i5cale than rnaiiy other vegc;ta"oles , it is occasionally quite remunerative, Ir.portance in Gitli f ornia . Th.is ve.T;etabl3 is grown to quite f- lar.?:e '^'xtent in C?.lifornic; anc- ire r-niovnt o; land c'evctec to this crop is determined r-toro by z'i.3 dsmand zm^n by the possibility for its production. As the ce:a".nd for this vefietablT i^ often light, and the pricss nay be so lev that ixs culture is not renmierativp , the grower should not grow a large anount '•/ithout kno'ving the m'^rkst d errands. Co st o f Frodu-.ti'-n ':;.nd Prices Hoceived, The cost of producing $20.00 to ^-30,00 per acre sue the net returns ve.ry from egg plant ^ould very frcrri/^30.00 to '.ilCO.OO ps^' acre. As abovG stated, the cultivation of this vegetable is very liriitec so t}iat the grovrers as a rul-: , do not plant -ore than one-quarter to one-h'^.lf an acre unless they are fc.vorab]; situated for the disposition of this crop. Cultural ."-.&■:; uirement s . The cultural requirements for Egg Pla.it are essentially the sane r:s for tomatoes. H-: rv es t-H? . Lgg Plant is fenerally sold by the dozen or packed in crates some^vhat smaller xhc.i those used for le~tuco. There are no diseases nor insect pests ^vhich are especially troublesome to this crop in California. Course 33. page H, l.e.-so:i ll. y.arly H istory . Thi?. vegetable lias been c;- o'-.o f^.x- a coneidore.ble lenf;tr-> of tiuo i.ni itv origin i*^ -probably in South America, from where it v/s? eA^-iorted zo other c runtric-5 , anc'. io no'-' found grov/in/; quit.2 extensively throu!^■- - ou'.: tho UrTi'cfvd "tates- Imp.jrt -ai-ca in California . In southern C3.1ifornia, thi=? vegetable 1? very coraonly foun-d growing in quite large areas in aiany of the vegetable ,?;arden? , --hile in central C.lif ornia , it is found -ro^rinr ir a large nuaber of garden'^: but net a^ exten^^ively as in the former '3ection, j.t i^ especially valuable in localities where it can ba gror;n durin.f^ the v/inter, for the prices .r^i'e so lov d-uing t]\e su::ir.ier that the miscellaneous- vegetable gro'/er should plant only a =!nTall ar.ov.nt . ':^>u..t has been said regarding the profits and cultural requirerents cf ths tor.atc will also apply to thi-j crop. Var ietie s. The best variety for the vegetable gardener to grov.- is the "Bull Noje" or "Bsll Pepper"; 'vhile the ''Ruby I.ing" J.s also grovm to soine extent. If red peppers ar;- desired, the "Red Chili" is the racst popular variety. There r'.rK>. no di'':je?^ses nor insect pes't'-' -vhich are especially trcuble- oome to this crop in California. CUCUMBERS Z-rl-'^ History . The cucLunber has been cultivated in India for the last 3000 years, and ■••as found in China tn o centuries B. C. It is founa rro-vin;-^ throughout th-5 greater portion of the United States, and is one of ti'-r prijicipal crops i^^hich the vegetable grc^-ers raise, especially v;hen located ne^r the lerger cities. Coarse 33. Page 9. Le<-son 12. Importance in Calif crnia . TV-e cucv.mber is an important vegetu.bl-3 in California., not only for the fi esW m^-rkct , but for canning pur- poses and picklo'5 . A large amount of cucu;Tiber<:. are qrown throughout the San Francisco Bay Di<3'orict3 , in the vicii'ity o^ Los Angeles , and near the larger citie-^ of the ?tatc. Unless the p_;rover is very favorably situated, he should not plant a large amount of ground to. this vegetable, for it produces very heavily, and xhe prices received in the middle of '^urr."ier are not very reiTiunerative. '.'here an e:.rly spring crop can be secured, it is ^jenerally the custoE to pl'tnt quite an area, and '.^hen the riarket is so 'veil supplied that the prices are lov;ered ra-cerially, the growers generally piovi' up the vines v/ith the remainder of the crop on theni, and use the land for =ome other vegetable. Tor this earl;- crop f-'.e ^o"7er often received as high as ,100.00 to .,;15Q.OO net; for the rain siramer crop the net returns are generally from ^30.00 to '60.00 per acre except in especially good seasons of the year or -"here the gro-er has found a large market for this crop. Cultur al Requirenents . The cultural requirenents for cucumbers are essentially the same as for melons or canteloupes. V arieties. ?he leading varieties are the "Long Green" and the "V/hite Spine." The crop is r-enerally sold in small crates or by the dozen. There are uo diseases nor insect pests v/iijch are especially troublesoi.ie to this crop in California. Course 33. page 10 Lesson 12. QUE5TICNS 1. Hov is garden corn planted? 2. Ho'v and -vhy is corn " Tuckered"? 3. '''/hat are the leading- varietiec of Sweet Corn? 4. In ivhG.t -vay does the corn ear vrorn danage the ear? How may it be controlled? 5. At what season of the year is the cucumber crop most profitable? 6. Name two leading; varieties of cucumbers. Address all correspondence to the DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. UNIVERSITY OF wi.LtrORIlK COUvEGE OF aGRIJULTUFJ; IICULTUR.'.L EXPERirENT STivTION BERKELSf Dr.vid p. BarrovB, Prenlr'.ent Thoinuo i>'orsyth Hunt, De- n H. E. V-i-n Ncrm-.n, Vice-Director end De-'.n University Fxrm School CORRESPONDEI'CE COURSES I N AGRICULTURE COURSE XXXIII VEGETiibLE GnRDENING By S. S. Ror.Rrs Lesson 13 Address all communications relative to the correspondence courses to DIVISION OF AaRICULTUR:.L EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY or CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, Course 33. Page 2. Leoson 13. RHUBARB - ASPARAGUS Rhubarb : Early Hirfcory . Rhubarb has been grcvn since 3000 B. C. , but at this early poriorl, it was used only as a medicinal herb. It has been grown as a garden vegetable during the past two or three centuries. It v/as originally found grov/ing in China and this country is evidently its native home. Importance in California. During the last few years , this crop has come into prominence in California, so that at the present time there is a large acreage being planted. Rhubarb is found in nearly every county of the state, but the principal centers of the industry are in the San Francisco Bay district , certain portions of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, and in the vicinity of Los Angeles. Yields . The average yield of rhubarb is 100, 40 Ibr. boxes per acre during the first year, and cutting 200 to 300,40-lb. boxes v;hen the plants have reached their maximum yield. Cost of Production an d Prices Received . As this vegetable is a perennial, the heaviest cost is incurred during the first year. It is generally estimated that the cost of seeding one acre of rhubarb, not in- cluding buying the roots, is approximately i;^6.00. The cost of the roots varies from v'J- to Ol2. per thousand. The cost for growing and harvesting an average crop of rhubarb, after the second year varies from $60. to v80. per acre. The average prices received vary from 75/ to ^1 . per box, depend- ing upon the season at 'vhich the crop is sold. The highest prices are generally Course 33. Page 3. Lesson 13. given during March and April. Cultural Requirements . This crop is best adapted to a heavy rich soil u'hich holds the moisture well, but which has sufficient drainage so that the excess water is quickly rftmoved , for the amount of moisture necessary to produce a good crop, is considerable. The climatic requirements for rhubarb are very exacting, and it will make its best growth during the ccol season, so that it is especially adapted as an early spring and winter vegetable. There is, ho'vever , quite a difference in the varieties, as to their resistance to heat , and there are certain ones v;hich vi/ill produce a paying crop during the '.'/armer months , providing there is a large supply of moisture in the soil. Preparation of the Soi l. As rhubarb is a perennial and can be cut for a number of years , great care should be taken in preparing the soil for planting. Unless the field i^ very rich in plant food, the soil should be heavily manured a few months before seeding the plants. At the time of planting, it should be plov/ed as deep as possible and worked thoroughly with the various farm implements, so that it is in the finest possible condition of tilth. Under no considerations, should rhubarb be planted in soil which has been carelessly prepared. Plant ing . Rhubarb may be grown from planting the seeds or from transplanting the roots taken from the crowns of older plants. If the former method is used, the seed should be sov/n in drills during the spring, having the rows between 2 and 3-^ feet apart , depending upon whether the cultivation is to be done by hand or horse drawn implements, and planting the Course 33. Page 4. . Leocon 13. seed one inch apart. After the plants are 2 to 4 inches tall they should be thinned, leaving a plant every 2 to 4 inches apart. Vi^iere the stand of plants is poor, those v;!->ich have boen ta!:en out y-her. thinning can be re- planted in the vacant places. These plants vrill be ready to set in the field either in the fall or during the coning spring. The nethod of transplanting the roots from older plants, is the most conracn form of propagation, and it is the one v/hich is recomraended , for the results obtained from seedling plants is very uncertain, and by taking the roots from t'.e older plants, especially if they have been carefully selected, the grower will get a much heavier yield and the product ".'ill be nuch More uniform. One or tiro years may be saved by using this method in preference to raising plants from seed. It is very essential, lr.o\-jovsr , that th.e roots be taken snly from the best plants and these should be secured either in the fall rr spring. The exact time for planting in the fisld varies considerably according to tlae location, but during the month of February v/ill , under ordinary conditions be found thie most satisfactory time to transplant. Roots which are to bs used for this purpose should contain at Isrst one eye r.nd arc generally cut into tv;c to four pieces 2 to 4 inches in length. Thece are planted in the field about 5 to 3 inches deep, and the distance bet-een the hills varies from 4x 4 to 6x6 feet. If grorn in the heme garden, the plants may be set at a closer distance than this, but if the scii is rich ro that the grorvth of the plants will be vigorous, the abeve distances should be left between each plant. It is sometimes desirable to grow sons other vegetable between the ro'.vs of Course 33. Page 5. Lesson 13, Rhubard during the first season, for the plants will not need the entire space during this time. Care of the Plants the first year . It is very important in order to secure large, fast growing thrifty plants that they should be grov?n under the best possible conditions , during the first year. As thieds. In order that the plants may grov: as long and ac thri.-^ty as possible, no cutting ^should be d.one the seccnd year, although occasionally the gro'"er harve^-S^s a^ft^all portion, of the crop during this period. Thic , hoivever , is a^■7ractice not to be recommended. The field from the second year on, should be well car?.d for, never allaving the -sveeds to .gf-ovf^nd always preserving a good mulch on the surface. It is possible to gro';' vegetables between the asparagus rows during the second year and if the Course 33. Page 10. Lessen 13. rov's have men plant'^d 6 to 8 iest apart , this prj-ctice may be- kept up v/ith- out detriment to the crop. If an early spring crop is desired, the field should be plowed ir. the -dnter , plowing the earth away from the roots and into the middle of the ro^vo; thus encouraging a quick grov/th of the plants. After th3 plants are nearly rap.dy to cut, +he earth should be plov/ed up to the roots again, covering tlxera a^ deeply as possible. This v/ill produce a long, well bler.chsd stalk '■;hich xs desirable on the I'.iarket, During the cutting season, th? e?rxh between the rovrs should bo cultivated frotn time to time in order to keep the 'veed grorth down and prevent the soil fron baking. Irrigation is soraetijies necessary daring this period. After the cu^^^ng soason is over, it is very important that the plants should be so cared for that they "ill grow -^s late in the season as possible, for the summer grov.'th is mainly valuable for storing up the food supply for the next year's crop. Care should be taken, however, to cut the tops do'ovn before the seeds have m.atured, for if they drop in the I'ield , as before stated, it is very difficult to rid the field of the plants. Harvesting. The cutting seasou in California starts about the middle of January and continues until the middle of June. There has been developed during the last few years, a heavy demand in the market for grsen asparagus, to be shipped to the Eastern states at a time during v/hich it is inipossibls to produce it in these coldir climates. In order to get this green product , the ridges should not be as high as when the bleached asparagus is v;anted. For long distance shipments, the asparagus is tied in bundles and packed in small bcxe^. On the bottoms of the boxes, is generally laid a Course 33. Pa^e 11, -Ler;son 13. covering of mess v/hich has been vret , in ordsrto have the crop arrive on the market in as irsch a condition as possible. For long distance shipmento, the season generally la';t.^ from the niddle of January until 'iferch. Vnen produc- ing this crop for the canneries, the harvest season generally comrnences in March and continues v.p to the middle of June. V/hen harvesting the canning crop, the asparagus cay be packed in lug boxes, hauled directly to the cannery, where it ir iraed lately canned .being packed in cans or jers. The production of the canned produce nao teen developed co highly that the asparagus may be canned and ready for sale ivithin six hours after cutting. The stalks are cut by the use of a long gouge v/hich cuts then off ^^.s close to the crovm as possible. V/hero the beds are v;ell cared for and are gro-;;ing under favorable conditions, they nay be cut from five to fifteen years v'/ithout replanting. Varieties . TJiere are tv.'o leadinrc varieties grown in California,, the "Conover's Colossal" and "Palmetto." The first is the old standard variety gro^vn chiefly for the canneries and the second is grown niostly v/here the crop is to be sold as a fresh market vegetable. This is also grown to some extent for the canneries as -.veil. 'Jj s ease s. The principcl disease which the asparagus graver has to contend vdth is the rust. This is mainly troublesome on the crop after it has gone to seed , and can be controlled by spraying the plants with sulphur. There are no insect pests v/hich are especially troublesome to this crop in California. Course 33. Ptig7ill not need any irrigation vith the exception of coarse, sandy soils. Its resistance to the cold is about the same as melons and it will stand heat well, provided there is sufficient moisture in t'-: so:l. TI?.£ OF PLANTING. Pumpkins for -vinter use are generally planted bet-een May and August inclusive. The seed is generally sown in hills Course. 33. Page 3, Lesson 14. 8 X 8 to 8 X 10 feet apart, planting 5 to 8 seeds per hill, and covering "/ith 1 to 2 inches of soil; ths exact depth depending upon the moisture conditions. Ths cultivation during the season should be sufficient to kefep zhe ".'eed grcrth do'Tr., and after the vines are coranencing to cover the ground, this may be stopped entirelv. Harvesting. . The crop should be left on the vines until the latter have been killed oy frost in the fall , v;hich is generally betv/een October and December. They should be hauled off the field as soon as the vines have been Villed and piled in ? suitable place protected from the rains and extreme ccld -veather. Varieties . The leading varieties are the "Connecticut Field" and the "Ilatraoth King." There are no diseases nor insect pests '-/hich are especially trcubrescme to this crop in California. SQUASH Barly Mi story and Importance in California . The early history and importance of ^he'squr.sh in California is quite- similar to tliat of the pumpkin. • ■ Cultural Re'quirenents . The cultural requirenients of the aquash and method of gi-o'virig is approximately the sane as for the pumpkin. There ere tn'o classes of squashes, - summer and '"inter. For ^he summer squ^i^sh, the seed should be planted as early as possible in the spring, and for the v.'inter squash, the planting .riay be deferred until May or June. Varieties . The leading variety for Vm^ suiraner squash is the "V/hite Bush Scallop" , vhile the "Yf^llo'v Crooked Meek" is also used to some Covrse 33. Page 4. Lecgon 14. extent. For tMe nyinter squash, the "Hubbard" variety should be used. There are /lo diseases nor i'usect pests ■vhich are especially trcubleso.Tie to this crop in California. RADISHES . EPINACH , SWIGo CHARD AMD MUSTARD . The above crops may all be consitiered under one heading, for their cultural requirements are the same. These ^re used chiefly for greens, and as the yields are hirrh per acre , not too much land should be devoted to their culture, without being assured of a ready inarket. These crops are gro"'n mostly as a winter vegetable. They mr.y be planted either in raised or sunken beds, the former being preferred unless a large area is to be devoted to their culture. VJith the exception of the Swiss Chard, the seed is generally so'vn broadcast ar.d the plants tl-.mned to the proper distance. The Sv/iss Chard should be planted in rows 2 to 2-g- feet apart mien cultivation is to be done by hand implements and 2-g- to 3 feet -.^hen horse dravv.i imolements are to be used. It is a general custom to sov; radish seed along with some other vegetables, such as beets, carrots, lettuce, etc. , for they -/ill be harvested before the are main crop needs all of the space. Radishes/generally tied m bunches and sold either in crates or by the dozer, bunches. Varieties . The leading varieties of radishes are "The Freic'.-i Breakfast", or "White Tip", "Early Scarlet Turnip" and "Early Long Scarlet." The main variety for the spinach is the "Prickley" for the Fall, and the "Ne'- Zealand" v/hen producing the crop during the hot v-eather. The leading varieties of &-viss Chard are the "Lucullus" and "VJhite S^viss Chard." T.here Course 33. Page 5- Lesson 14. are no diseases nor insect pests which are troublesome to these crops in California, ARTICHOKES Early History . This vegetable has never been reported as being found growing wild, but it evidently origiriated from a v;ild plant known as "Gardoon." This was found growing quite profusely in Southern France, Canary Isles and several other countries. The first authentic record regard- ing the use of this Cardoon was written in 1466 and artichokes have been gro^vn in England since the year 1543. Importance in California . There is probably no other state in the union which holds so nany advantages for grov;ing this vegetable, as does California. The plant is found growing in rather limited numbers in many of the vegetable gardens throughout the State, the largest sections devoted to the culture of this crop are found south of San Francisco in the district knov/n as Half Moon Bay, The advisability of growing this crop is dependent more- upon the demands of the market than upon the possibility of production. Cost of Production and Prices Received . After the field has become established .artichokes nsy be grown at a cost of from §30. 00 to $50.00 per acre. The net returns vary from ^30. 00 to iJlOO.OO per acre, depending largely upon the season of the year at '/hich this vegetable may be harvested. Cultural Requirements . Artichokes will grow on a variety of soils, the best being a soil of rather light texture, holding moisture well and rich in plant food. It is a rather undesirable crop to grow on soil of poor quality in \''hich the amount of moisture is inadequate. This crcp grows best Course 33. pp.ge 6. Lesson 14, v/here there is plenty of atmospheric moisture and where the climate is temperate. It vrill ordinarily sta-nd cold weather much better than -"/here the temperature is very hot and dry. As this is a perennial crop, care should be taken to have the soil in a^ fine a condition as possible before planting, planting. Artichokes may be grovm from planting the seed or shoots from older plants. The former method is very unreliable, for many of the plants produced from se3d 'vill fail to bear a crop. The most common form of propagation and the one v;hich is recommended for use,, is by planting the shoots which gro'v from the roots of the old plants. The grm-;er,theref ore , has an excellent opportunixy by carefully selpcting the plants from v;hich the shoots are taken., to proc^ire plants of a very high producing quality. These roots should be taken from the plants as soon as possible after they have commenced to grow and mey be cut from then by the use of a knife or a gouge; care being taken not to disturb the roots more than is necessary. The most favorable distance oet-;een the plants is 4 x 4 feet and many of the groovers prefer leaving a greater distance between tne rov;3, and setting the plants 4x6 feet apart.. The field should be carefully cultivated and irrigated throughout the season in order to proc\.u"e as fast growing plants as possible, the exact number cf times the^e operations should be repeated, depending wholly upon the local conditions. Harvestin g; ■ The artichokes should be harvested as soon as they have attained their grov-th , but should not reraain on the plants too long, for they will quickly commence to deteriorate in quality. They are sold by the box or by the dozen. Course 33. . ' Fac;e 7. Lesaon 14. Varieties . The two varieties which are grcvn are the Italian and the French. The latter, however, is preferred on account of the quality. There are no diseases nor insect pests which are especially troublesome to this crop in California. ,. THE ffiDr.E VEGETABLE GARDEN. "The home garden to the California resident is an agricultural advantage which a large percentage of the people are overlooking, for there is no other state -i^hich holds- so aany advantages to those '^ho v;ill grovr a home, vegetable garden than does California. The neglect in establishing such a garden not only holds true for the city resident , bat for those vjho are making their living from some agricultural pursuit. This condition is largely accounted for by the fact that a large percentage of the ranches in this state are specialized, and it is indeed a rare sight to' see a well kept vegetable garden even on some of t'ne largest and most prosperous ranches. Aside- from securing vegetables of a much higher quality than can be bought in the market, the garden should afford healthful er.ercise to those vhose business confines thera to offices and stores and should be a source of inspiration and aid in beautifying the ranch or yard. In plannirg the hone garden, many conditions should be taken into account, which would net be important v^hen growing" vegetables on a larger scde. As before stated, the general aim of the truck 'gardener is to produce large quantities of a comparatively small variety of vegetables, while for the home garden, the gro'-'ex' should aiw to gro"/ a small amount of a large variety Course 33. Pags 8. Lesnnn 14. of ve[;;etablcs. The sole aim of the truck grower is to produce those vegetables which will secure for him th°. highest net return? for his labor end land; but for the home garden the final returns are not of so much conse- quence , and his planting calendar should be so arranged that it will be possible to get vegetables from the garden during each week of the year. There are, generally speaking, two classes of home gardens. Those which are produced in cities '-/here the amount of land is extremely limited, and those which are produced on ranches, having a relatively large amount of land I'i'hich can be used for this purpose. For the former class of gro'wers , horse cultivation is in most instances, cut of the question so that much more can be produced per square rod than when groi-'ing upon a tract of land large enough to permit cultivation by the use of horse drawn implements. The rows for the city garden should, therefore, be as close together as possible, leaving only sufficient room to hce and v/ork around the vegetables. For the other class of home gardens , the rows should be spaced far enough apart to allov the use of horse drawn implements , 'vhich ^;ill do away with much of the tedious hand cultivation. The size of the garden, depends mainly upon the follc.ring conditions: size of the family, choice of vegetables v^hich v;ill afford the greatest satisfaction, and the land available. The one who is grovving this type of garden does not, as a rule, have much choice as to the location, soil, etc., but one should alv.-ays select a location which will be as warm as possible., and the soil should be rich in plant food and easily irrigated. It should also be located as near the house es convenient , for it is often desirable and ■> — «„ aj. Page 9. Lesson 14. Gr.n«it-ir.K:o »ioo»o.;j<:ir jr to make several tr^'ps to tho garden each day. Heavy manuring should be prucfciced, putting it on at the rate of not less than 25 to 50 tens per acre, and if a sr^all piece of ground is to be used. heavier ppp1-i.oa-t.iona tlioii this c^n be applied with enod r<--X-i^. Tt i.r. fl^jv vo.-y important that the garden be securely fenced, for it may be quickly ruined by the invasion of animals which are running at large. Before planting, the forever should have a plan dravn on paper, sh'O'f/ing this exact location of the various vegetables tc be grown and follow this plan as nearly as possible during the season. By having such a plan, one can keep accurate accounts vhich aids greatly in plannjjig a rotation from one year to another. Perennial crops such as artichokes, rhubarb, and asparagus should be planted z'r.e fartherest a-'ay from the water supply, for these v/ill not need as auch irrigation as many of the' .^^'^ lived vegetables. Companion crops may be grov/n between most of the roir;s of vegetables, as for example, radishes , may be grcvn bet'7een ro'7S of lettuce , ivhich in turn may be grown betT.'een the cabbage plants. It i=; well to rra^.e several plantings of the same kind of vegetables , as for exarnjple , lettuce should be planted every two or three '---eeks; monthly plantings cf turnips, and radishes may be sown each '.'eel:; thus affording the table a c6ntim»ou'== supply of vegetables of the highest quality. 'Tnat has been caid regardi-ng the choice of crops for the larger gardens, applies to a certain extent to the hoc^e garden, although it is possible and always desirable to gro-" vegetables at the season of the year in which it is irapossible tc produce them on a large scale; thus for instance, by the use of hot beds, cold frames or muslin, such crops as tomatoes may be planted much Course 33, Page 10. Lesson 14. earlier in the home garden -nhere they can be taken care of , than \-'Ould be possible in the fields vjhere they are produced on a large scale. It v;ill be found very advantageous to procure a box in --/hich the various seeds may be kept and it is always ^j^ise to order a much larger amount than the grower expects to use; ef^pecially is this txuo when endeavoring to produce vegetables out of season. Most of the vegetable seeds nay be safely kept from one year to another, so that -rhat is not used up the first se?.3on , can be sov/n the follov/ing year. It is also possible xo save seed from the best plants fror,-. year to year, for the quality of the vegetables can be greatly improved by so doing. It is especially desirable to save seed from such crops as lettuce, onions, caulif lever and cabbage. The practice of raising one's ovm vegetables is strongly recommended and it is hoped that more vdll maintain a home vegetable garden in the future than have in the past; for not only does it help to keep the family bills down, but it should afford the ero'ver a great deal of pride, exercise and make possible the securing of fresh vegetables vjhich are so often difficult to obtain from the markets. Course 33. ?^g3 H Leaeon 14. ■ -QIJE3TI0NS. i. At v/hat season of the year should pumpkin seed be planted, and at v.'hat distance apart should the hills be placed? 2. ^That are the cultural requirement •? of the pumpkin! 3. To what soil is the artichoke, best adapted! Ho'v are artichokee propagated? 4. V/hat are the principal advantages of the home garden? 5. What conditions should be studied before planting the home garden? 6. Name the vep;etables ^;hich are best suited for grcw;ing in yciir hoir.e garden? 7. Nat'ie three vegetables -^/hic'n maj?' be grovvn as an inter-crop at the s'xm.e time. Address all correspondence to the DIVISION OF AGRICULTU3UL EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFCPJJIA , BERKELHiy , CALIFORNIA. COLLEGE OF AGRIC;'J^7-u:iE /uTRICULTrRAJ, 2XP£RI.,/iT:TiT STATiOlJ BERKELEY E sn- ide V/hcelpr, President Thouas Fors-;rth Hunt, Dean ar.a Director H. K. Van i.'oi-rnan, Vice-Director rnd Beai University Tarn! 5'chocl DIVISION OF AGRICULTUR;!. EDUCATION V/. G. Hummul 0. J. Kern H. K. Butt..rficld ^. T/. Uofaus C C R R E S P C H D E M C E CO j R 5 E I K A G R I C U L T U R E COURSE V. N I IJ C U L T U R E By 3. '^.. Rogers Lessen 1. INDEX G ourse 5 , - Onj.on Culture Lesson 1, Structure: Habit of Growth. Soil and Climate Requirements « Varieties, Seed Testing, Qr owing from Seed. Lesson 2, Crop Rotation and Fertilizers » Planting, Cultivation, Irrigation, Lesson 3, Harvesting, Curing, Storing, Grov/ing from Sets, Growing for Pickling Lesson 4. Transplanting from Seedlings. The Hot Bed. The Cold Frame. Growing Onions for Seed, Lesson 5, Diseases: Damping off. Jlildew, Smut, Insect Enemies: Thrips. Cut VJorms . — 000- — inSTRUCTlONS TO STL'DSNTS You are expecterl to send in written answers to the questions found at the end of each lesson. Complete the first lesson, send in answers to the questions and begin work on the second lesson. On receipt of your ansv/ers to Lesson 1, they v/ill be returned v;ith corrections and Lesson 3 mailed to you. On receipt of ansv/ers to Lesson 2, a fourth lesson will be sent, and so on to the end of the course, the student being constantly supplied vith a lesson to be studied . Students are requested to rrite vjith ink and use letter paper sinilar in size to that on which the questions are printed. Care and neatness in the preparation of the papers vdll be a;-)preciated by those v.-ho correct then- The nane and file number of the student , the nane of the course , and number of the lesson should be rgven v/i th each paper. Students should keep the lessons for future reference. Should a chance of address occur, please notify this office immftdiately as lessons beinr; sent as third class mail will not be forwarded from one address to another. It is deemed advisable in all cases that one course be completed be- fore another course is taken up. Upon comi)leting a course, a certificate will be rant and a card that you may enroll for any other course should you desire to do so. trades Used in Cnrrectinp Answers . 1 - ?ose for -'hich it is to be used. It is n very shallow fee'ier iuring its entire fro-tn "^na xhe roots penetrate the soil only i very fe'.' inches froD the surface. The ncrn-il position of the bulb Is it the surface, exteniing Thout 1 70 thirds out. This position c^.n be ch^npea consiieribly by the v'rious cultural rethods epployecl during the groVoh of the crop. The tops grov.' fro." fii'teen to tventy-f our inches in height, dependi^ig upon variety, locitiou- tt.'^ fertility of tlte soil. The gro'-rth should be steady ?nd uniform thrcuR;hout the entire season; if it is cnecked the onion 'vill be unfit for nrket for -vhen the growth 3t,-3i-ts ^gnin , the pl-'.nt -vill send oi-t ? f lever ct^lk •-)nd go to seed. Soils .md Climatic Re'Vuirennents . The choice of ■? suit-^ble soil io o'le of the f und.Trrent-il frictors in onion grov/ing. The onion c-5n he n'ode to gro-' on r-r^w. v':rjetios of soils providing the r-oisture rt^'^ cultural conditions i.re f'=ivcr"ble. The best soil for the onion is one n'hich is retentive enough under cultiv'tion to feeep sul'fii^ient moisture -ibout the roots and friable enough to be easily ci-\tiv?te'- 3nd to t11oi7 the exp-«naion 01 the bulb. Aside from the suitable nech-?nic.?l comi- ;ion. Course 5. Pnze 2. Lessen 1. the soil should be rich in the necessary plant fo'>c;s and humuc, for it is iinnossi'cle te rro'v "^ m\'inf: "ro'i of onion; ~r. " ;oll of Door (iurlitv. A' he"'.";' adobe or clny soil ic very expensive to > ork rrc is "o hard p.rd rolid thn.t is ve-ry ''if^icult for the onionc to retain fneir th.ine - r.ile &.rov/ing . The, '^■oiln of thi? crrar>>cter are :-enerallv rich in plant food and if \ orked exci:ecinc:ly carefully good crops can be raired, but the exoense is so p'eat thr.t it v.lll r.irdly aay except unaer certr.in favorable local conditions. Soil;? of .'. -ver-- €-'.n6^r ri''^ure >^re very liRble to te de- ficient in the necessary food naterialr and it is difficult to retain sufficient T.oisture for tiie plants unlesr frequent irrigation is practiced. The crop vill •mature earlier and be of a little v.ore uniform size than on the very heavy soilr. '^'j'sien '^ro-'in^ the crop for the earlv irarkete the ideal soil would probably be of a lighter ch-'.r?.cter than for arrowing sets, seeds or for the late fall rr.arket. It is absolutely essenti and the soil should be free from all laiips or rocks. This fine mechanical condition of the soil is very essen- tial, for the oir.ionseed is planted very shallow and v/ill fail to gernunate unless the moisture conaitiono are favorable. The treatment of a field wiiich is to be planteci to onions should be be- gun in the fall, especially if the soil is of a heavy nature. At this season the field should be plowed as deenly as possible nnd left in this condition until spring. Lard vhich is thus treated will be in the beSt possible condition to catch and ■re- tain the v.dnter rains. In the spring after the veed grsvth has started and earl" I enoagh so it will be veil roted by nlanting time the field should either^ be nlrved Course 5. Page 3. Lesson 1 shallow or disced. The deoth of plowing vdll depend largely upon the v/eed grovrth and should be deep enough to thoroughly bury ell weeds. The choice deoends unon the amount of weed growth, character of the soil and amount of moisture oresent. " 'Jnder "ill check the grovth of the young onion plants and often kill thera. If the soil is in a poor mechanical condition it will interfere seriously with the stand of plants. If the soil is of a loose sandv nature it is advisable to pack it firmly before ;:^lanting preventing the loss of moisture as '.ruch as possible. :oiu'3e 5, p.Tge 9. Lesson 1. QUESTIOi^lS. .1. I;e3cri;;e the h-?bit:; of gro'vth of the onion. 2. Give the most desir'-'bie clic-^tic 3vn coil conditions for the production of onions.' 3. :;o7/ should oaic.i seed be tested before purch.'^sing cr planting? 4. Hc-v Te onions prop^^gited? 5. Give detailed direotio. s for the pz-ep^rr^ticj of the field for planting onion seed. Address -^11 correspondence to the DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION , UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA . BERKELEY , CALIFORNIA I UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA C0LL|;9E OF AGRICULTl'RE AGRIGULTUR/iL EXPERIMENT STATION BERKELEY Davirt P. Bnrrov73, president Thomas F. Hunt, Deun H. E. Van Norman, Vice-Director and Dean University Farm School CORRESPONDENCE COURSES • : - ' IN ■■ •■ •• AGRICULTURE COURSE V. ONION CULTURE By S. 5. Rogers Lesson 2 . iddress all cpmmunicntionF relative to the correspondence courses to * • DiVlSrON-'-OF i^GRICULlUP^L .SDUfiATION UNIVERSITY OF C;->.LIFORNIA ■ . .-'... ..;-■.... .bsri'^lsy;' '■'■ ' '■ Course 5 Paga 2 Lesson 2 FERTILIZERS AND PLANTIHG . Crop Rotation . The average soil in the onion greds should be used. This liability of infecting the soil with weed seeds is the most serious drawback to the use of manures in prefer- ence to Tommercial fertilizers. Amounts . Stnbla manure should be applied heavily. I.'any advocate a dressing of thirty to forty tons per acre. Under ordinary conditions about t-venty five tons of vrell rotted stable manure put on every two or throe years would be Course 5 Page. 4 Lesson 2 sufficient to keep up the fertility of the soil. Some grov/ers prefer using the manure the previous season on some other crop so that it will be thoroughly mixed with the soil when the field is used for onions. Sheep manure may be put on every three years at the rate of twenty tons per acre. Hen manure is generally used at the rate of one ton per acre, A thoroughly mixed well rotted compost of all of the above mentioned manure makes an excellent dressing. The quality of the manure is influenced largely by the manner in which it is kept. To get the most out of it, the manure should be kept in a large pile well sheltered from the sun, drying winds or rain, hauled onto the field and im - mediately plowed under . Under no circumstances should the manure be scattered on- the surface in a thin layer and allowed to dry out. If it is necessary to haul It onto the field it should be left in as large piles as possible until just be- fore plowing. Commercial Fertilizers. A commercial fertilizer is a material contain- ing one or more plant food elements in concentrated forms, A complete fertilizer is one ';ntaining all three of the commonly deficient food elenianta , namely , ni- trogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. A material containing only or'5 or two of the essential plant food elements is called an incomplete fertilizer. Such fer- tilizers as nitrate of soda, sulphate or muriate of potash are examples of incom- plete fertilizers. The question of the choice and use of manures and fertilizers is an extremely largo and rather complex subject so that only a few important suggestions can be given here. If it is undesirable or impossible to use manure the grower will be ob- liged to resort to the use of a commercial fertilizer. In many of the onion growing localities of the state , especially in the reclaimed river bottom lands , the soils are bo rich in decaying organic matter that no more humus is needed. Course 5 P 5 Lesson -. On these soils as v;o 11 aa ou those havinfr a daficicncy of orly one element, com- mercial fertilizers should bo used in preference to any of the manures. In the choice of the kind of fertilizers needed each grov/cr must decide for himself. It is impossible to Rive one general foVmUla which v/ill be best on all -inds of soils and under all conditions. There' are t^?o general "/ays by v/hich the proper fer- tilizer can be selected. Onc'is by having the soil tested by some reliable chem- ist and the other is -by trying various combinations and determining by the gro'-'th of the plants ••/hich is e^iving the most favorable results. Tc be of much value, this latter test should' continue more than one season. Another method by v;hich experienced men car determine this point in a very general v'ay is by the appear- ance of the grovdng crop, B:2lovy' bill be found' the formulae which have' been rec- ommended by experj-cnced' onion grov'ers . A complete fertilizer adapted to growing onions under ordinary conditions- -/ould contain 4 to 5 % nitrogen, 5 to 7 ^ phos- phorifc acid and 6 to 10 /c potashi' : Nitrate of Soda 15;i Nitrogen ' • ' ' . 300 lbs. .Dried Blood ' ' • 500 " luriate of Potash 50 ^ ' ' 400 " Where it is possible tc obtain cotton seed meal reasonably , the f oUov/ing can be .used: ■ ' ' ■ Nitrate of Soda 15^. ■.iitrogon • 200 lbs. Cotton Seed Meal ■ '' ' 750 " Acid Phosphate 1&% '■ 750 " Kuriatc of Potash 50/. ' 300 " Either forviula may bo used at the rate- o-f 800-1200 ibs . per aero. Course 5 Page 6 Lesson 2 There has been much written upon ready nixed versus hone mixed ferti- lizers , each having some merit the other does not possess. As a general rule the home mixed fertilizers ar? preferred, providing the proper care is used in mixing. This is also much cheaper than buying the ready mixed fertilizers and there is an additional value in that they can be mixed exactly according to the requirements of the field. The fertilizers should not be mixed until ready for use a d before. mixing the raw materials they should be carefully 'veighed. The mixing should be done on a clean floor and the materials should be v/orked over until all of the lumps have been finely pulverized and the mass is of a uniform color. Time and f'cthod of Application . Commercial fertilizers are generally applied just previous to planting , and they should be thoroughly scattered through the soil. Some grovrers broad cast and hr.rrow thoroughly v/hilc others so\v the fertilizer in by the use of drills. Either method is good providing it is car^.- fully and thoroughly done. Instead of applying all of the fertilizer at this time many grov/ers reserve a portion to be used later in the season as a top dress- ing. Especially is this true of the nitrate of soda. This latter material v/ill be found to be especially valuable when a quick grov/ing early maturing crop is de- sirodl Where the fields are to bo irrigated, it is better to apply the fertili- zers, especially the quicker acting ones, just after the irrigation, n-orking them in as soon as it is desirable to cultivate the soil. The T'fhole subject of the choice and uses of the many kinds of ferti- lizers is one '-.'hich each e;rov'er must nork out to a certain extent for himself only after the most careful investigations and observations. Planting The dates of plaiting o^ion eoed in this state vary considerably ac- cording to the locality , character of thk; soil and purpose of growing the crop. Course 5 • Page, l?i Lesson 2 Professor Wickson states in his book ont.i.tled "California Vegetables", "The pre- cise date of planting depends upon two conditions, first the local rainfall and second upon the local weed growth." In localities in which the spring rains arc severe and the weed growth is luxuriant the date of planting should be deferre'' longer than in those localities in which the spring rains are very light. It is alv/ays best to put off planting until the soil has become well wanned , for onion -5ed will not germinate in cold damp soils. It is very important that the Weed growth be stopped before planting, as onion seed is very slow to germi- nate and it is practically impossible to cultivate the field before the rov/s of plants can be seen. If th■' . -• ■ ■ ■■^. ,■ . ■■ ^■■o-.;. ' . .-. ° _.■ • market. If there i'j no. danger, irom iinroediate rain, the crop can, .be., left, spr.ea'' out ,in thin piles upon the field until thorou,^hly cured and dried. These .piles should be v/atched carefully, and the- onions, turned .frequently enough so that-the^^ will dry evenly on all sides. Ir certain localities along the coast .especially ...,?Pr,.^?E certain seasons , .the. ^log.s are sojy.etiraes troublesome and it might be de- sirable to occasionally cover the piles with a light canvas reraoving it after the fogs have lifted, Aiter the onions have become thoroughly dried, they are ready to be sacked fpr.inarket , or stored. Care should be taken that they are thoroughly dried on the outer Surface before being sacked , for if this is ^lamp-, those onions in the center of the sack are liable to sprout or become diseased. Under, ordiijary.f; onditi.ons , these sacks ar» left on the field until 3oId,.provid _.ing ther.q .^re no ra,in5.. „ Sacks standing on, damp, soil should be turned qft&n r.;, ti^e,pj9ions at...tLii9 bpttoin„a,i:$. ^.pt to take up r;oistur» fron the soil. It is rr.v better v/hen keeping onions. under, these conditions to place the sacks upo.n. rails or. boards, thus preye,i2t;j,n;T. ;the.fSoil moisture from comiag in contact with the 'on- ions. When. the crop is-;^x; Sets . This is by far the least important method of gromng onions in this state, althou?,h it is of sufficient interest to deserve more than passirv^ mention. A set is an onion ^"hich has stopped growing prematurely but v.'hcn plant ed again will resume its grovrth. The seed from which the set is grown is planted in the spring according to the method described under the heading, "Grc- ing Onions from Seed". They are pulled in the fall, stored over the winter and set in the field the following spring. The main advantage of growing suts lies in the opportunity of getting the onions on the market a little sooner than if the seed was planted directly in the field. Tho preparation of the field, mr-.- of growing and caring for the young plants has already been taken up under rh^ heading, "Growing onions for Seed". The quality of the soil may be much poor v for growing sets than for ordinary onion culture, and the seed is sown at the Course 5 Page t Lesaon 3 ' rate of about tv/enty pounds per acre, Tbis acount will )n Jieavy enough so that tho youne: plants will stand in the rows as cloae as possibl*. These should not be thinned, but care should be taken that they are not choked out by the weed growth. The seta should not bo more than one half inch in diameter and when the majority have reachad that size the gro^h should be stopped. If the soil is of a poor quality and the soed planted thick enough, they will soon reech the possi- bility of their growth and should atop growing at about tho desired size. If irrigation is practiced, the water should be kept off the field when it ia desired to chock the gro\Tth, Uhcn the onions have stopped growing and the tops ■ be are cocjconcing to dry, they aro ready to/barvestcd. After the seta are pulled, they arc thrown in piles, dried and kept in suitable places until planting tine, A few growers save the small rnions when harvesting their marketable crop to be used for sets the following season. This is not considered a good practice how* •ver. In selecting the sots tc plant, care should be taken to discard all 0 Address all correspondence to DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CALIF. UNIVERSITY OF fiALIFORTJlA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPSRI^ffiKT STATION BERKELEY David p. Barrows, President Thomu3 F . Hunt. Dean H. E. Van Norman, Vice-Director and Dean University Farm School CORRESPONDENCE COURSES IN AGRICULTURE couRs:;; v ONION CULTURE By S. S.. Rogers Lesson 4 Address all con..unxcat.ons relative to the correspondence courses to Address ai rji^jisiOU OF AGRIOULTUR..L EOUCnTION • ■ UNIV3]RSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE RI'CELSY Course 5, Page 2. • '' Lesson 4. THE NLi; ONIor C ULTURL. PROEUCTIOr O F b'tZD. Tran splant ing the Seeul-.ngs. Although this aethod ie coniparatively uev/ in the eastern states, it has been practiced for over twenty-five years in this state and a much longer time in certain portions of the onion grovdng districts of Europe. Raising the plants according to this system simply means sowing the seed in hot beds, cold frames or sometimes in the open in the early spring or v/inter and transplanting the young plants in the field. This system is used extensively in this state and under ordinary circumstances is to be recommended in oreference to growing sets or somng the seed directly in the field, especially if a small area is to be planted. It is however a very costly v.^ay of ^rowing the plants and one xiha' is trying it for the first time would probably do better to put in not over one acre. This is cer- tainly the ideal method of groving early ma.rket onions and has many advantages over the old irethods. The onions raised according to this system are very uniform in size and are of excellent quality. In this state the seed is sown in hot beds, cold frames, or sometimes in the open, from September to Kovember inclusive, the exact date depending upon the locality and manner by which they are grown. If the grov.er is situated in the Southern part of the state t>'here the winters are mild, the seed aiay be sown later than in the northern or central portions v/here the winters are more severe. Plants which are to be grown in hot beds can be planted later in the season than when grown in cold frames or in the open. The choice of using the hot bed or cold frame depends largely upon the location and ceason of planting. As a rule the plants will grow faster in the hot bed than in the cold frame .-although they Course 5. Ppgc 3 Lesfac-o ^ will be more tender in the forr.'.er. VJ'hGK the location and climate -vill permit the open bed will probably bs fo-.-.nd more satisf ictory ar.d should have the prefev ence. The Hot Bed. The hct tec corsists of manure, freoh clean sarth of good quality and a frar,e i"hich is generally made of •-Tocd. The top ia made of glas^ set into \vooden frames called sashes. It should be situated in a convenient warm location where the drainage is the best. Horse nanure is used in prefer- ence to that from other animals and the soil should be of good quality, heavy enough to grov; sxrong vigorou;- plants and light enough so it will net bake and pack wher "vatered. In making the bod, the first step is to put up the frame. This is gen- erally made three feet in width and long enough to accoiTirnodate the desired num- ber of plants. The Jront or south side, should be a little core shallow tha.n the north side so that the top v;ill be cm an angle which aide in letting in th^: sun and v/arnth. A layer of fresh uinrotted horse manure should next be; put in the frame to a depth of two to two and one half feet in thickness. Thds should be tamped firmly anrl covered with a layer of suitably i.-.ixud soil to a depth of about one foot. In the selection of the soil, the light class should have the preference, even if a little deficient in plant food, as +hie can be overcone to a large degree by the use of commercial fertilizer, or manurt.. .Sandy soils are much warmer and will encourage quicker grcv;ing plmits than the heavier one^, Th'e be'd should be well watered a short tline previous to planting and the quar- tity used 'will make a great difference in the heat given off 'for it i^■ the ac- tion of the v;ater in the manure which generates the heat. Up to a certain point the more v/ater used, the mcro heat there v/ili' be given off. When the soil has become thoroughly warmed, although net hot enough to burn th-: Couree 5. Page 4. Lesson 4. seed or tender seedlings, it should be put into the finest possible condition pre- paratory to planting. If manure or fertilizer is to be /aixed v/ith the soil this should be done just previous to the planting. The seed is generally sovnin fur- rows placed one and one half to two inches apart and covered about one inch deep. For convenience, these furrov.'s are generally irade from front to rear of the bed. After the seed has teen v/atered, the bed should be covered v;ith cheese cloth or light canvas until the seedlings appear at the surface. The soil should be v.atch- ed carefully and not alloved to become too dry nor too wet. After the ter,'iporary covering has been removed and the_ location of the rows can be found, the earth betv;een them should be carefully and thoroughly stirred and keot free from all weed growth. The plants phould be v/atered ^.t regular intervals being careful that the soil does not became too dry. The vatering should be done preferably only on bright sunny days so that the surface of the ground nnd the tops of the plants will dry off as toon as possible. If the weather is rather cold, it v/ill aid the plants materially if the water be v/arr-ed a little before applying it to the bed. The bed should always be v^ell ventilated in order that the plants rcay be as healthy as possible. The glass tops should be raised on pleasant varrs days and during a v.'arm shov/er it vill help if tne tops be taken off entirely, tut during a long cold storrn, the plants should be so protected that they will remain dry, If the tops are growing too luxuriantly, they should be cut back fron tir^e to time. By careful handling, the plants, should reach the desired size from Febr-uary on, de- pending principally upon the date of planting. The _C_old ^Frame. The cold fra.ne is .'!inde similar to the hot bed, ex- cepting that no fresh manure is ured to generate heot. The plants are raised in exactly the saiae iianner as described for the hot bed. Course 5. Page 5, T.espon 4. Estimating the Size of the Bed. It in eenerally eatimated that each field acre will Veqvdre r.bov.t 1?0,OOC 'olants. • If the rovs are wlarted in the bed as suggested above, one nnd ore half ouncep of seed vdll be rea-dred for each space three by six feet, which means that 5,000 to 3,000 plants -.vil?. be grown in . each of the above mentioned spaces. • Trang planting. The plants should ?De palled and' replanted in such a mari- ner that their grovirth in checked as little as possible. ••If the [;lnss tops are still in use, they should be raised a little, increasing the amoiiht each day until they have been entirely re:'''.oved a few days before thepisnts are to be removed. If this precaution is not taken,' there is danger of injuring the plants vAen.they are exposed after' planting. The plants .should "ae'-removed from the bed by r^ieans of a shovel, being careful to get as many of the roots as possible. The tops and- roots are then trimmed back, cutting the roots to about one half inch from the bulb- and the tops. to about one inch in length. Cutting back the tops and roots aid the tDlants in becoming established v.-hen transplanted. If the roots afe Itft long,- and straggly, they are liable to become injured' M'hen planting, the bulb.. If the t*ps .are left too long they v/ill' bend over to the ground v/here they vili be broken or ':uried' bv the- various i;-:pleraents used in cultivatiT.. • ' The field in which these plants are to be set should be •pf6,->E.red ■'•it-a. as much care and thoroughness as when. planting the seed in the field." If the field is free from all lumps and 'the soil is roist to the surf:-ce, it ''.'dll'not only hel-. the young plants to start but will nakc it possible to ' set more plants ner day-^han if the soil is in a 'bad condition." ' This alp.ne"' is import--.nt for under the most f^v-or- al^le conditions , it is difficult for one pers6n to set over 4,000 or 5,000 plants in a day. These are generally set in' fallows' which are 12 to 14 inches apart, t}.e o ourse 5. Page 6, Lessen 4. plants being ret 3 to 4 inches apart and about one inci; in depth. The distance between the plants is tepenaant largely upon the variety. The Prize Taker is the most pr;pular variety for this kind of culture. The fut-i.re care of the plant sr is similar to when growing directly from seed, although thinning docs not have to be done and very little hand weed- ing should be necessary. The croD is harvested and marketed as before described. P roduction of Seed. The natural conditions for growing onion seed i;. this state are po favorable that California leads the --vorld in the production of the highest grade onion seed on the market. The long dry summers which are found in this state ensure a perfectly ripened crop for rain at the .f-season of the year v/hen the seed heads' are ripening, injures the quality jiiaterially. As two seasons are required to produce a crop of seed, the expense and labor are great, so that onion seed sh'uld be grovm only undei' the laost favorable conditior; Growing the Bulbs. The first season's work consietc of grov/ing the bulbs. These are grown in exactly the same iranner as for grov.ing onions fr^m seed for the market, Sorne growers use about six ■■.•ounds of seed per acre instead of four oounds as for grovdng for the market.. In tae fnll, the bulbs, or"Mother bulbs" as they are often called, are harvested, cured and sacked in the same rcan* ner as for grovdng for rn£;rket. After the crop has been properly cured, topprd, and piled, each bulb should ';e c?'refully examined !^r\i tl:oEe conforming to the desired type, caved for planting, w'tile tho bulbs undesirable for propagating are nld in the market. .Before splf^cting the bulbs, a description of the de- sirable color, shape and size of the id«>al Tiother bulb should be made r.nd clcoely followed. This description of the idt-ai onion will v^ry somewhat, depending Course 5. Page 7. Leseon 4. largely upon the vrrie-'.y. In the selection, the desiral'le varietal character- istics should alv/Tys be conforir.ed to. Generally, the ideal size of the mother bulb is one and one half to tvo inches in diaineter. After the 'ov.V:-s for the generfd seed crop have been selected, they : ■ ■ ■ ■ •■ " the ■■:■■. •> / should be gone over for the second time and, finest ones set acide. When plant- ing, these bulbs of extra quality are to be kept separate anci the eeed from these tised f?r groTir-g the seed for the coning bulb crop, by tnis careful selection, it is possible to inprove the quality of the seed fro::: ye-^r to year, 'ifter this second selection, all of the r:other bulbs ?h'uld be carefully stored -jntil spring according to the riethods before described. r'lrr.tin£ t_h_e _B;.;..lbs_. The crreful ^reparation of the son.1 for the plajit- ing of the mother fculb^i is ju£,t as iin^oortant as "'hen preparing the field for sets. The bulbs are planted in the s'oring a? soon as the soil has been out into proper condition of tilth and is free fro-, all veed Trovth. The b-lbs are set in rov;s two and one half to ^hree and o:-j6 half feet apart and saoald oe planted c.eeo enough to be con-pletely covered v/ith earth. The distance between the bulbs is generally equal to the dia:r.eter of the bulb. This vnll rive the bulbs sufficient space in v.-hich to develop and close enough so tnat the grov.th v;ill go xr.to '.he not ■ ■ ■■ ^ ■-"■''■ ■•■•" ■■ • ■■ ■ ■■'■■•■■^■- seed stalk and/v.holly into the bulb. The cultivation during the entire season should be sufficient to keep the v-eed gro-.'th do\.n and the. soil in constijit good tiltn. ■,..:'-t ..r.t _;een vTitter. regarding the ;iecj3ssitv of thorough cultivation vhen gro-. ing the crop from seed or snts is jupt as p-r^^-icr'-le -ben the croo is being .^ro^-r for seed. AftPr the seed rtq.lks have b.egun to grpv, the earth should Le gr-duali-' —^rbec". Course 5. Page S. ■. Lesson 4. towards thera v;hich .vil?^ aid in ntrengthenir.g t/ier. ani preventing breaking v^hen the seed stalks are forming. Care shr>uld be use^ nrt to injure the rccts v/hile pushing the earth tov/ards the alants. If the plants are Jir^wn under irrigation, the \'ater should be applied in such a manner that the plants arc kept growing steadily. H arvesting. The proper tirae to harvest the seed is when the inside cf the grain has reached the dough stnge. At this time, the pods and upper end of the stalks have turned yellov. and a few of the seed should be ripe enough to fall out of the pods when shaken or disturbed. It is very impcrtant that the seed be gather- ed at the proper time, for if harvested too early it will be immature and germinate very poorly, while if it is gathered too late, much of the seed will be lost. The seed is collected by cutting off the seed stalks an inch or so belo'-' the heads and removing directly to driers where they are allov/od to remo.in until thoroughly dried. If there is danger of rain, the seed should be dried in a water-proof shed or drier. If the climatic cohditi^ns will permit, the seed ;r.ay be dried out of doors by spreading on sheets made fro.n heavy muslin. V.'hether the seed is drying in a drier or in the open, it should be spread out in a thin layer, preferably n-^t over two heads in thickness and dried as rapidly and thoroughly ac possible. It is a good plan to turn the heads every few days so that they will cry evenly on all sides. After the seed has been th^ro-.tghly dried, it is threshed and then cleaned by fanning and stored in a thin layer in a suitable place until sold. Before going into the onion seed business ti.e novice should seek the advice of a ouccessful grover in the i.-nmediate locplity if possible. There is an excellent future for growing onion seed in Culiforrda, but there is so much expense and time involved in the production of a crop that the local conditions: should be Course 5. Page 9, . Lepaon 4. thoroughly kn'>v,n bef'^re enterinp irto.cuch p.n or.ter jrirje *n a large scale. ,. ■ ■ QUEETIOIiS 1. How are onionr frowii according to the new onion cv.it;.\re? 2. Give detailed directions for the preparation of tl;e h't bed. State tne difference between a. h't bed and a cold frame. 3. Give detailed directions for raising the pln.nts in the hot bed. 4. Give detailed- directions . for growing o.nion seed. ■ f '. . 5. Give detailed diro.ciions for curing onion seed: Address all correspondence , to; DIVISION OF AGRICITLTURAL LDUCATIO!' WJircRSITY OF CALIFORNIA. BERKELEY UMIVKRSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLI.Z:-E OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULIURAL EaPI^RI: .7.iW STATiOiJ BLKKEiiEY De»jj. Ide V'heeler, President Thoras Forryth Hunt ,Dea" nnd Director H. F,. Vrir\ ijon.an , Vioe-Director ar>d Dean University Farm School. C u ?. E i: P W D E H C E COURSES I N AGRICULTURE COUliSE V .>! I W CULTURE 3y 3, S. Rogers Lesson 5 Course 5 Page 2 Lesson 5 Diseases and Insect Pests . Onions grown in Cal:fcrnia ore reirarkaoly free from all diseases which are often so serious to the ^^fcstern onion grower. There are during certain seasons or in certain localities two diseases which are scinetimes quite troublesome , nanely , damping off and mildew. The \vr iter has never seen here any of the onion stiut vhich is ro troublesome in the eastern states , but on account of its importance there , a brief description together v.'ith the control measure v;iil be given. D iseases . Damping Off . This disease is troubleso.T.e mainly in the hot beds or cold frames v-hen grc/ing the young seedling plants. This is a very common trou- ble in gro«-iog many other vegetables, trees, plants, etc., under the same condi- tions. Damping off is cau:^ed by several different fungi v;hich live in the soil and i'^fect the young tender seedlings. These fungi are microscopic in size and are found at and near the surface of the soil at -''hich points they affect the young plants causing them to fall over and diei The plants are subject to at- tacks of these fungi during their entire grovrth, but are more susceptible just after breaking through the surface. When the disease first begins to appear, a plant here and there scattered over the bed v^ill be found fallen over on the soil as if it had been broken off at the surface. If the conditions are f avo". •■ able, for the rapid growth of the fungi, there will be noticed in a day or tr;o that several plants have fallen over at the places where but a short time ago only one plant had become affected. These diseased areas are generally circulf.: in shape, and increase very rapidly until they can be plainly distinguisned. Under favorable conditions, this disease spreads very rapidly and from these scat tered diseased areas the entire bed may become ruined in a very fer; days. Pient^, of moisture, warmth, and a v/eakened condition of the plants presents the most Goi.rse 5 Patre 3 Lesson 5 favorable conditions unciev 's'hich this disease grows and spreads. The dattping oTf iu'-.gi are capable of living in the soil fro:r. ens season to another. Contro l. Under favorcblo conditions for the gro^rth of the plants trds disease is ^-ot ordinarily troublesotie. The successful treatEent is preventa- tive rather than curative, for after this disease has once become establishad , it is very difficult and ofte>^ itpossible to check. The successful control oi this disease ccn'5istb of throe parts, namely: using soil v/nich is not infected by t'.esfc f u'^iri , careful -^-atering a.id care of the plant , and avoiding overcrowd- ing' Soil that is to be used for seed bed should be free from these fungi and '^hanged each season especially if any damping off ras present during the pre- ceding year. The character of the soil is also very important, and only easily drained lipht soils should be used. If the soil is of a heavy nature, it shoulo be covered -^ith a thi-^ laver of sharp sand. This viil allots the surface to dry quiclily after irrigating. If the soil is very heavy, the texture %7ill be rauch Improved hy thoroughly rrixing sand ■p.'ith it. The soil :;noisture should be kept as uniforr. as possible, never allowing the ground to becoir.e too dry nor too -Tet. The v/atering should be done z.s far as possible only on bright suriny days .prefer- ably i<^ the Eorning , fillox'ing the surface of the soil and tops of the plants to dry quickly. Plants which are v/eakened by insufficient water, plant food, etc are very susceptible to attacks from the damping off fungi. The culture .water- ing and care of the plants should be such that they will rsake a steady, vigorou. ?rovrth throughout the entire season. The beds should be veil ventilated at all tines. Avoid overcrov.'ding the plaits. If the disease hat started, pull up all affected plants and discontinuF: T'ntermf; as long as possible -'ithout serious injurv to the remaining plants, if Goui-rse 5 P?i?Te i Lesson 5 the diseast' is not nViecked, spray ■'vith amrTioniacal copper carbonate mixed a3Co."o- ing to the follo'ving formula: Copper carbonate 6 oz. Strong ajT.mon.i.a 3 pt . Water 50 gal. Make a paste of the coj^per carbonate with a little water and add to tha.s- the aEmonia diluted with about tv-o gallons of vjater. Stir vigorously and con- tinue to add the ammonia Ui-til all of the copper is dissolved. Dilute to 50 gallons. The plants, and especially the soil, should be thoroughly saturated with this spray. The deeper i-o is made to penetrate dovn into "ohe eart'o , the better will be the result. Repeat the spraying in a fev/ days if the disease has not been thoroughly checked. poy.-ny ?:" ildew (P '^'"ono spoi-a schleid enj.an a) . This disease is mainly trou- bleaome in Galifor'iia ^■hen grcving onion seed and it is onlj' during certain sea- sons and in certain localities that it is present. The disease attacks the seec stalks a few inches above the ground, causing then; to fall over and die before the seed has matured. It- is seen on the stalks as a grs^yish powder and can be best observed in the early morning v/hen the plants are vret v/ith dew. Downy idl dev.' has not yet becoue serious enough in this state to require any special treat-- irent. It is controlled in the eastern states by spi-aying vith Bordeaux Hixti-rc made up at the strength of four pounds of bluestone, five pounds of unslacked line to each fifty gallons of water. Sone sticker, such as resin, should be added. The develcpnent of resistant strains by selecting the seeds fror the healthy heads which are surrounded by thoRe killed by this disease holds out nu^' promise. Clean cultivation and burning all of the old diseased stalks is stro >jl, ly reconsrended. Gourde n ra^e a Onion Sput (Urocygris ceoulae) > This disease is caused by a fun-us and is -sevare ir the oaster- states but has never bsen troub?.riSoue to the Califor- nia onion ^io-ers. It r.:ay attack the plar-to any time after the first leaves are forr.ed. The disease catxses dsrk spots to appear ir the affected areas. A.<5 the funr.vis lives f-i the soil fror one searon to a'^other , rotation of crops and clear culture arc re corr. ended. Transplanted seedlings ctre not attacked by frjs. disease and this' raethod of r.-.:it-j.re in those fields rhera the o^ion smut is se- vere is recoTa.'.e'^ded. ■ I'is ect Sn ejjps. Ey far the r.ost serious insect to the onio-i crop in California is th.^ o-ion thrips , rhich, during certain seasons and in certain lo- calities, causes heav/ looses-. ■ Such general pests as the western ariLy v.orn , "'•ire wonr:H anc cut '■■orES are also nore or less conjx-.on on the onion, Onj on Thrii)s » This insect is -ddely distributed over the United States ar-d has been the c.v.se of e-!cr-:ous loi'ses. It is. generally j-.ora serious in dry clirates puch as that of this sta.tc. Host Plan ts. 0-iion thrnps is found on a very large variety-of plants i- cluding nany of our corrmon garden ve^eta^les such as cabbage, melons, tomatoes, etc. It is s.lso found o^^ many ornamentals such as carnations , roses and astei's Life Hi:'torv r.nd Ha': its. Tha followi-i}? account of the life history and habits of the o>-ion t;:rips is taken from the 1912 year book of the United State" Departinent of Agriculture, Page 321, and vritten by Dr. Chittende'^: "O^ving to the minute size of the thrips , it is a matter of soi.e diffi- culty t:) investigate th';ir ■full life hir;tories , and it is particularly diffl^v" • to generalize -"'ithbut knowing more of the habits of the iinycrtant groups. "The pureiit thrips is usually found on the lo-'er side of the loa"3^ or srbcdded in the; flo"'ers. The'fcciale, by rears of a tiny sav-like or}-an ,: v;ith Gourde 5 i'a?:^ 6 . '-^^^-"-^ ^ rhich she i;-; provrded e.t tnt end of th'? abdornon ^ cuts :- clit , i'l a -.^af. cr; .v^". i:3-uall/y, n^O. i'l this-dopoaits an . es^g generally ins&i-ti"g it urder the tv.ldr.zTLr concealed fron viev. Hex-e the egg hatches in a ie^" days sind the young thrii^s v.-crks its v;ay cut a'-'d n^Rins to feed. .. The tlirips larvae .-uck the juices of t'l-v plantK i" the i;am;o mannor ris do the adults, a^d since they ieed continu..uGl- /i: • grovrt-i is rapid. In one or tvo veeks , depending upon thn tfir.,perature , they cef.n- foedi^g ar-d seek a suitable iacation in which to trancfon. to the final stage oi the n;-r'ph and froKi that stage to the adult. The life cycle from "ohe tinve of dc- pouiticn of thu eggs until the Katuring of the adult haa been found to require, under the most favorable cbr'ditions— -that is , in a v-arr. tGn;perature--about throe vreeks. Half ?> Uozo cr inorci generations n.ight thus be produced during a seaso"-. The adult thrips are so sr.'t.l'. thc.t they are neai'ly r.icrojcspic in sise and are vi.:- difficult to c-ee vithout -.nshectxng the pla-vos very closely. They are greon yel lowit-h ifi color. Tro at-en t , Dv.rin-- the pact few years , the Bureau of Entomology of the 'J' -it fd States Departre-^t of • A&iri culture has conducted many experiments for thd co trol of thripc in the onion fields of California, an account of '.vhich is given bslov;. Early planting shoL'Xd'l)e practiced v-hcre possible. As this insect is capable of livi '.c' on :jany. v.arieties o* vegetabl.^s , rotation vill, i-nder cvdinai"; conc^itic•■^s be of very little hcnefit-w- It is very ir^portant that the borders cf th3 fi<.?ld and fieidu adjacent be kept free iroir! all v/eed growth as this in?t,ct lives on rany kindo of v.-eedK; and these sarve constantly as centers for infection throughout the. entire season. If the plants are kept. r,ror;in- steadily, they rii •■•ithstand attacks fror. thrips r.iuch better than if they are weakened fror ir.v,i'op;- care cr i isuf f icie'"t nourishment, Thrips can be- controlled by careful, thcEOUgh spraying, but fii accouvt Courss 5 Page 7 Lessors 5 their very snail size and habit of living, this is often difficult. There hai/e v,=--v7 -niany sprays thoroughly tested for the coi^trol of this insect and the follow- ing have proved especially beneficial; Formula No. i. iiicotine sulijhate 3.2 oz . Crosol soap (85;/i) 3 pt. Water- 50 gal. Fomiula No. 2, NicotitTe sulphate 4.3 oz . Uhale-oil soap 4 ib. Water -50 gal. On account of the necessity of dissolving the V/hale-oil soap in Formula No. 2, the first fo:-rr;ula is a little easier to prepare. Both give equally good results and the choice cepends mostly on the grower. It is hovvever very iffiportant that the sprayi'-.g be done in goo" time for if the thrips become well established, very little ca;- be done to check their ravages. The fields should te' watched vbvy closely and when thrips can be seen in the field, the spraying should bo started iinniediatsly. Ir ten days or tro -rree'^s , a second spraying should be given the plants. These tii'o sprayings will generally be sufficient, but the field should be watched very closely throughout the season and whenever there is a general infestation, spraying should be resorted to. It is often quJ .c difficult to reach the thrips on account ef their habit of growth and location but this can best be done by using three nozzels , one on either side of the rov; and the third directly over the plants. Unless the underside of thfi leaves is •■& covered, the spraying will be of very little advantage. The spray should bu put on T/ith sufficient force to cover the entire leaf surface. Cut V/ornis . Occasionally infestations from cut v/orms are seen in th,^ onion fields. Those woms cut" off the plants just below the surface of the grou < Course 5 I^ago 8 "esjon ? They ca^i b-s control. le-l by pDison bait made up by usinc inc poaud of paris (ric-p-r, or arsor.lc to 3 gallons of r^-.ter. Put ercugh tr-.ii-; in tl^i-s s-^lution to r.c/r - pasts. Scatter this around the field during .he afternoon. If they arc trv,..> hlasone in the seeci beds, snr.tter poison bait around and if th3 beds arc not tCD badly infe3^Gd, hand picking: the -"jrr.s at night -'ill keep them in control. FcIj. plc-'ing aiid clean cuitivatim of the fields \vill aid nuch in keeping these v/oie'; in check. 1. "'Jhat ir, ae^c^vi-iz off, rr'here docs it occur and t/hat is the treatment? 2. Give xa dot-.ii .Vo.s trea-Lrr.-Bnt for the onion thrius. In v/riting this course , the following books and bulletins have been consulted very freely and due credit is here given to the authors: Caliicrnia VegctaMec Prof. E. J. V'icksor Cyclopedia of irei-ican Agri. L. H. Bailey The Nev; Cnion Cvlture T- Greiner Pacific Rural PrsbS California Cultivator Farn'-rs Bu. #434 U,3,D.A, _ Fanr.ers Bui. #39 D.S.D.A. Ind .Experiment Station Cir. ;/fl5 Gol,S:cper,Sta.Bul. #81. .„— Address all corrGsp..ndence to DiVISIO":: Or AGRICULTUR.-.L EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF GaLIFGRXIA , BERK2L£Y. This took is DUE on the last date stamped lielow WAR 2 5 1938 Form L-9-15m-7,'32 / 53 C(i\xxt.e- UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNl - AT LOS ANGELES^ LIBBAKY