Historical text (1918). The pesticides recommended here (arsenate of lead, Paris green and others) are highly toxic and long banned. Do not use them. Everything else about soil, planting and care still applies.

War Gardens · 1918

Appendix

Table I

Approximate quantities of vegetables obtainable from a row fifty feet long. This table is based on actual yields obtained from a plot of moderate fertility by using standard varieties of vegetables.

Beets40 bunches (5 in a bunch)
Bush beans (pods)27 quarts
Cabbage25 heads
Carrots45 pounds
Cauliflower25 heads
Corn100 ears
Egg-plant100 fruits
Lettuce50 heads
Onions20 pounds
Parsnips40 pounds
Peas (pods)20 quarts
Potatoes5 pecks
Tomatoes240 pounds

Table II

Approximate number of days from seed-sowing to first picking of crops. Variation is caused by temperature and character of variety—early, midseason, or late.

Beans (bush)45to65 days
Beans (pole)60to”80 days”
Beets60to”80 days”
Cabbage (early)95to”120 days”
Cabbage (late)100to”130 days”
Carrots75to”110 days”
Cauliflower100to”130 days”
Celery125to”150 days”
[5]Chard60to”80 days”
Corn (sweet)60to”100 days”
[5]Cucumber60to”80 days”
[5]Egg-plant125to”160 days”
Kale100to”120 days”
Kohlrabi60to”80 days”
Lettuce65to”100 days”
[5]Muskmelon115to”140 days”
[5]Okra90to”100 days”
[5]Onion (seed)130to”150 days”
[5]Onion (sets)90to”120 days”
   If “sets” are planted for use as bunch onions they are ready in about 40 days.
[5]Parsley90to100 days
Parsnips125to”150 days”
Peas45to”80 days”
[5]Peppers120to”150 days”
Potato (Irish)80to”140 days”
Potato (sweet)100to”130 days”
Pumpkin100to”130 days”
Radish25to”50 days”
Salsify125to”150 days”
Spinach30to”60 days”
[5]Spinach New Zealand60to”70 days”
[5]Squash (summer)60to”80 days”
Squash (winter)125to”130 days”
[5]Tomato100to”125 days”
Turnip60to”80 days”
[5]

Continue to bear until frost.

Table III

Showing the correct depth to plant seeds and the amount of space required by the plants in and between rows.

Depth to plantDistance between rowsDistance between plants in the rows
Bean (pole)2 in.3-4 ft.3-4 ft. if in hills, 9 ins. if in rows.
Bean (dwarf)2 in.15-18 in.3-6 in.
Bean (dwarf Lima)2 in.2-2½ ft.6-10 in.
Beet1 in.15-18 in.4 in.
Cabbage (early)¼ in.2-3 ft.1½-2 ft.
Cabbage (late)¼ in.3 ft.2 ft.
Carrot½ in.15-18 in.4 in.
Celery1/8 in.2½-5 ft.4-6 in.
Chard1 in.15-18 in.6-12 in.
Corn2 in.2½-3 ft.2½-3 ft. if in hills, 1 ft. if in rows.
Cucumber1 in.4-5 ft.15 in.
Egg-plant¼ in.2½-3 ft.2 ft.
Kale¼ in.18-24 in.8-10 in.
Kohlrabi¼ in.15-18 in.6 in.
Lettuce¼ in.1 ft.9-12 in.
Muskmelon1 in.6 ft.18 in.
Okra1 in.3 ft.2 ft.
Onion (seed)1 in.1 ft.4 in.
Onion (sets)2 in.1 ft.2 in.
Parsley½ in.1 ft.6-9 in.
Parsnip1 in.15-18 in.6 in.
Peas (dwarf)2 in.18-24 in.2 in.
Peas (tall)2 in.4-6 ft.3 in.
Peppers¼ in.2 ft.12-18 in.
Potato4-6 in.2½-3 ft.12-18 in.
Radish½ in.9-12 in.2 in.
Salsify1 in.15-18 in.2 in.
Spinach1 in.12-15 in.4 in.
Spinach New Zealand1 in.2 ft.1 ft.
Squash (bush)1 in.3-4 ft.3-4 ft.
Squash (vine)1 in7-10 ft.7-10 ft.
Swiss Chardsee Chard.
Tomato½ in.3 ft.1 ft. if trained to single stem, 2-3 feet if allowed to grow naturally.
Turnip½ in.15-18 in.6 in.

Table IV

Quantity of seeds required to plant a row one hundred feet long, and time of planting.

Time to plantQuantity required
Bean (pole)Late May or early June½ pint
Bean (dwarf)May 10 to August1 pint
[6]BeetApril to August2 oz.
[6]Cabbage (early)Feb. indoors; plants set out in March or April1 pkt.
Cabbage late)May; plants set out in June or July1 pkt.
[6]CarrotApril to July1 oz.
Cauliflower (early)Treat like Cabbage1 pkt.
Cauliflower (late)Treat like Cabbage1 pkt.
CeleryMarch indoors; plants set out in June or July1 pkt.
[6]ChardApril1 oz.
CornMay 10 to July 10½ pint
CucumberLate May or early June½ oz.
Egg-plantMarch indoors; plants set out early in June1 pkt. 
Kale,see Cabbage (late). 
KohlrabiApril to August¼ oz.
[6]LettuceApril to August½ oz.
MuskmelonEarly June½ oz.
OkraMay or June2 oz.
Onion (seed)April and May1 oz.
Onion (sets)March 15 to May 151 quart
[6]ParsleyApril¼ oz.
[6]ParsnipApril½ oz.
[6]PeasMarch 15 to May and August 1 to 201 quart
PeppersMarch indoors; plants set out in late May or early June1 pkt.
[6]PotatoApril to June1 peck
[6]RadishMarch to September1 oz.
[6]SalsifyApril1 oz.
[6]SpinachMarch and September1 oz.
SquashLate May or early June½ oz.
[6]Swiss Chard,see Chard.
TomatoMarch indoors; plants set out in late May or early June1 pkt.
TurnipApril, July and August½ oz.
[6]

Are hardy vegetables, and will stand slight frost. Should be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Dates given are approximate and apply in the vicinity of New York. Other localities should take into consideration the effects of elevation and latitude.

THE END


Transcriber’s Notes:

A few obvious punctuation and typesetting errors have been corrected without note. Chemicals mentioned for insect control should not be used in modern day gardens since they are not considered to be safe.

[End of War Gardens by Montague Free]