Artichokes—The Jerusalem is best, are cultivated like potatoes, (tho’ their stocks grow 7 feet high) and may be preserved like the turnip raddish, or pickled—–they like.
Horse Raddish, once in the garden, can scarcely ever be totally eradicated; plowing or digging them up with that view, seems at times rather to increase and spread them.
Cucumbers, are of many kinds; the prickly is best for pickles, but generally bitter; the white is difficult to raise and tender; choose the bright green, smooth and proper sized.
Melons—The Water Melons is cultivated on sandy soils only, above latitude 41 1/2, if a stratum of land be dug from a well, it will bring the first year good Water Melons; the red cored are highest flavored; a hard rine proves them ripe.
Muskmelons, are various, the rough skinned is best to eat; the short, round, fair skinn’d, is best for Mangoes.
Lettuce, is of various kinds; the purple spotted leaf is generally the tenderest, and free from bitter—Your taste must guide your market.
Cabbage, requires a page, they are so multifarious. Note, all Cabbages have a higher relish that grow on new unmatured grounds; if grown in an old town and on old gardens, they have a rankness, which at times, may be perceived by a fresh air traveller. This observation has been experienced for years—that Cabbages require new ground, more than Turnips.
The Low Dutch, only will do in old gardens.
The Early Yorkshire, must have rich soils, they will not answer for winter, they are easily cultivated, and frequently bro’t to market in the fall, but will not last the winter.
The Green Savoy, with the richest crinkles, is fine and tender; and altho’ they do not head like the Dutch or Yorkshire, yet the tenderness of the out leaves is a counterpoise, it will last thro’ the winter, and are high flavored.
The Yellow Savoy, takes next rank, but will not last so long; all Cabbages will mix, and participate of other species, like Indian Corn; they are culled, best in plants; and a true gardener will, in the plant describe those which will head, and which will not. This is new, but a fact.
The gradations in the Savoy Cabbage are discerned by the leaf; the richest and most scollup’d, and crinkled, and thickest Green Savoy, falls little short of a Colliflour.
The red and redest small tight heads, are best for slaw, it will not boil well, comes out black or blue, and tinges, other things with which it is boiled.
BEANS.
The Clabboard Bean, is easiest cultivated and collected, are good for string beans, will shell—must be poled.
The Windsor Bean, is an earlier, good string, or shell Bean.
Crambury Bean, is rich, but not universally approved equal to the other two.