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.
| Beets | 40 | bunches (5 in a bunch) | |
| Bush beans (pods) | 27 | quarts | |
| Cabbage | 25 | heads | |
| Carrots | 45 | pounds | |
| Cauliflower | 25 | heads | |
| Corn | 100 | ears | |
| Egg-plant | 100 | fruits | |
| Lettuce | 50 | heads | |
| Onions | 20 | pounds | |
| Parsnips | 40 | pounds | |
| Peas (pods) | 20 | quarts | |
| Potatoes | 5 | pecks | |
| Tomatoes | 240 | 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) | 45 | to | 65 days | |
| Beans (pole) | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| Beets | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| Cabbage (early) | 95 | to” | 120 days” | |
| Cabbage (late) | 100 | to” | 130 days” | |
| Carrots | 75 | to” | 110 days” | |
| Cauliflower | 100 | to” | 130 days” | |
| Celery | 125 | to” | 150 days” | |
| [5]Chard | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| Corn (sweet) | 60 | to” | 100 days” | |
| [5]Cucumber | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| [5]Egg-plant | 125 | to” | 160 days” | |
| Kale | 100 | to” | 120 days” | |
| Kohlrabi | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| Lettuce | 65 | to” | 100 days” | |
| [5]Muskmelon | 115 | to” | 140 days” | |
| [5]Okra | 90 | to” | 100 days” | |
| [5]Onion (seed) | 130 | to” | 150 days” | |
| [5]Onion (sets) | 90 | to” | 120 days” | |
| If “sets” are planted for use as bunch onions they are ready in about 40 days. | ||||
| [5]Parsley | 90 | to | 100 days | |
| Parsnips | 125 | to” | 150 days” | |
| Peas | 45 | to” | 80 days” | |
| [5]Peppers | 120 | to” | 150 days” | |
| Potato (Irish) | 80 | to” | 140 days” | |
| Potato (sweet) | 100 | to” | 130 days” | |
| Pumpkin | 100 | to” | 130 days” | |
| Radish | 25 | to” | 50 days” | |
| Salsify | 125 | to” | 150 days” | |
| Spinach | 30 | to” | 60 days” | |
| [5]Spinach New Zealand | 60 | to” | 70 days” | |
| [5]Squash (summer) | 60 | to” | 80 days” | |
| Squash (winter) | 125 | to” | 130 days” | |
| [5]Tomato | 100 | to” | 125 days” | |
| Turnip | 60 | to” | 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 plant | Distance between rows | Distance 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. | |
| Beet | 1 in. | 15-18 in. | 4 in. | |
| Cabbage (early) | ¼ in. | 2-3 ft. | 1½-2 ft. | |
| Cabbage (late) | ¼ in. | 3 ft. | 2 ft. | |
| Carrot | ½ in. | 15-18 in. | 4 in. | |
| Celery | 1/8 in. | 2½-5 ft. | 4-6 in. | |
| Chard | 1 in. | 15-18 in. | 6-12 in. | |
| Corn | 2 in. | 2½-3 ft. | 2½-3 ft. if in hills, 1 ft. if in rows. | |
| Cucumber | 1 in. | 4-5 ft. | 15 in. | |
| Egg-plant | ¼ in. | 2½-3 ft. | 2 ft. | |
| Kale | ¼ in. | 18-24 in. | 8-10 in. | |
| Kohlrabi | ¼ in. | 15-18 in. | 6 in. | |
| Lettuce | ¼ in. | 1 ft. | 9-12 in. | |
| Muskmelon | 1 in. | 6 ft. | 18 in. | |
| Okra | 1 in. | 3 ft. | 2 ft. | |
| Onion (seed) | 1 in. | 1 ft. | 4 in. | |
| Onion (sets) | 2 in. | 1 ft. | 2 in. | |
| Parsley | ½ in. | 1 ft. | 6-9 in. | |
| Parsnip | 1 in. | 15-18 in. | 6 in. | |
| Peas (dwarf) | 2 in. | 18-24 in. | 2 in. | |
| Peas (tall) | 2 in. | 4-6 ft. | 3 in. | |
| Peppers | ¼ in. | 2 ft. | 12-18 in. | |
| Potato | 4-6 in. | 2½-3 ft. | 12-18 in. | |
| Radish | ½ in. | 9-12 in. | 2 in. | |
| Salsify | 1 in. | 15-18 in. | 2 in. | |
| Spinach | 1 in. | 12-15 in. | 4 in. | |
| Spinach New Zealand | 1 in. | 2 ft. | 1 ft. | |
| Squash (bush) | 1 in. | 3-4 ft. | 3-4 ft. | |
| Squash (vine) | 1 in | 7-10 ft. | 7-10 ft. | |
| Swiss Chard | see Chard. | |||
| Tomato | ½ in. | 3 ft. | 1 ft. if trained to single stem, 2-3 feet if allowed to grow naturally. | |
| Turnip | ½ 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 plant | Quantity required | ||
| Bean (pole) | Late May or early June | ½ pint | |
| Bean (dwarf) | May 10 to August | 1 pint | |
| [6]Beet | April to August | 2 oz. | |
| [6]Cabbage (early) | Feb. indoors; plants set out in March or April | 1 pkt. | |
| Cabbage late) | May; plants set out in June or July | 1 pkt. | |
| [6]Carrot | April to July | 1 oz. | |
| Cauliflower (early) | Treat like Cabbage | 1 pkt. | |
| Cauliflower (late) | Treat like Cabbage | 1 pkt. | |
| Celery | March indoors; plants set out in June or July | 1 pkt. | |
| [6]Chard | April | 1 oz. | |
| Corn | May 10 to July 10 | ½ pint | |
| Cucumber | Late May or early June | ½ oz. | |
| Egg-plant | March indoors; plants set out early in June | 1 pkt. | |
| Kale, | see Cabbage (late). | ||
| Kohlrabi | April to August | ¼ oz. | |
| [6]Lettuce | April to August | ½ oz. | |
| Muskmelon | Early June | ½ oz. | |
| Okra | May or June | 2 oz. | |
| Onion (seed) | April and May | 1 oz. | |
| Onion (sets) | March 15 to May 15 | 1 quart | |
| [6]Parsley | April | ¼ oz. | |
| [6]Parsnip | April | ½ oz. | |
| [6]Peas | March 15 to May and August 1 to 20 | 1 quart | |
| Peppers | March indoors; plants set out in late May or early June | 1 pkt. | |
| [6]Potato | April to June | 1 peck | |
| [6]Radish | March to September | 1 oz. | |
| [6]Salsify | April | 1 oz. | |
| [6]Spinach | March and September | 1 oz. | |
| Squash | Late May or early June | ½ oz. | |
| [6]Swiss Chard, | see Chard. | ||
| Tomato | March indoors; plants set out in late May or early June | 1 pkt. | |
| Turnip | April, July and August | ½ 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]