The Field and Garden Vegetables of America

The Field and Garden Vegetables
of America, by

Fearing Burr This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost
and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it
away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Containing Full
Descriptions of Nearly Eleven Hundred Species and Varietes; With
Directions for Propagation, Culture and Use.
Author: Fearing Burr
Release Date: June 5, 2007 [EBook #21682]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE

FIELD AND GARDEN VEGETABLES
OF
AMERICA;
CONTAINING
FULL DESCRIPTIONS OF NEARLY ELEVEN HUNDRED
SPECIES AND VARIETIES; WITH DIRECTIONS FOR
PROPAGATION, CULTURE, AND USE.
BY FEARING BURR, JR.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: CROSBY AND NICHOLS, 117, WASHINGTON STREET.
1863.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, BY FEARING
BURR, JR.,
In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.
BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON, 5, WATER
STREET
* * * * *
TO
HON. ALBERT FEARING,
President of the Hingham Agricultural and Horticultural Society,
WHOSE EARNEST LABORS AND LIBERAL CONTRIBUTIONS
IN THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY HAVE ENDEARED HIS NAME
TO THE AGED POOR AND TO ORPHAN CHILDREN, AND

WHOSE ACTIVE SERVICES HAVE EXERTED SO BENEFICIAL
AN INFLUENCE ON AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS IN HIS
NATIVE TOWN,
This Volume is gratefully and respectfully Dedicated
BY THE AUTHOR.
* * * * *
PREFACE.
Though embracing all the directions necessary for the successful
management of a Vegetable Garden, the present volume is offered to
the public as a manual or guide to assist in the selection of varieties,
rather than as a treatise on cultivation. Through the standard works of
American authors, as well as by means of the numerous agricultural
and horticultural periodicals of our time, all information of importance
relative to the various methods of propagation and culture, now in
general practice, can be readily obtained.
But, with regard to the characteristics which distinguish the numerous
varieties; their difference in size, form, color, quality, and season of
perfection; their hardiness, productiveness, and comparative value for
cultivation,--these details, a knowledge of which is important as well to
the experienced cultivator as to the beginner, have heretofore been
obtained only through sources scattered and fragmentary.
To supply this deficiency in horticultural literature, I have endeavored,
in the following pages, to give full descriptions of the vegetables
common to the gardens of this country. It is not, however, presumed
that the list is complete, as many varieties, perhaps of much excellence,
are comparatively local: never having been described, they are, of
course, little known. Neither is the expectation indulged, that all the
descriptions will be found perfect; though much allowance must be
made in this respect for the influence of soil, locality, and climate, as
well as for the difference in taste of different individuals.

Much time, labor, and expense have been devoted to secure accuracy of
names and synonymes; the seeds of nearly all of the prominent
varieties having been imported both from England and France, and
planted, in connection with American vegetables of the same name,
with reference to this object alone.
The delay and patience required in the preparation of a work like the
present may be in some degree appreciated from the fact, that in order
to obtain some comparatively unimportant particular with regard to the
foliage, flower, fruit, or seed, of some obscure and almost unknown
plant, it has been found necessary to import the seed or root; to plant, to
till, to watch, and wait an entire season.
Though some vegetables have been included which have proved of
little value either for the table or for agricultural purposes, still it is
believed such descriptions will be found by no means unimportant; as a
timely knowledge of that which is inferior, or absolutely worthless, is
often as advantageous as a knowledge of that which is of positive
superiority.
That the volume may be acceptable to the agriculturist, seedsman, and
to all who may possess, cultivate, or find pleasure in, a garden, is the
sincere wish of the author.
F. B., JR.
HINGHAM, March, 1863.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
In the preparation of this work, I have received the cheerful
co-operation of many esteemed personal friends, to whom I would here
express my grateful acknowledgments.
For many valuable suggestions with regard to the culture and general
management of the Potato, as well as for much important information
respecting nearly all of our American varieties of this vegetable, I am

indebted to J. F. C.