127 Vegetable Growing in Southern Arizona. 



beet plants endure heavy frosts and considerable heat, and conse- 

 quently grow through our winters and considerable of the sum- 

 mer. The young seed-plants are somewhat sensitive to cold, 

 hence it is sometimes difficult to secure a good stand during the 

 latter part of November, during December, and the early part of 

 January. By irrigation, a fair stand can be obtained from August 

 to November that will result in furnishing beets for the table from 

 December to April. From the middle of January until March is 

 the best time to sow beets. If the soil has been previously irrigat- 

 ed, and is moist when the seed is sown, no irrigation will be re- 

 quired for some time after the beets are up. A better stand can 

 be secured in this way at this time of the year than by sowing in 

 dry soil and irrigating the seed up. Care must be taken not to 

 cover the seed too deep, from three-fourths to one and one-half 

 inches being the proper depth. It may be covered deeper during 

 warm than during cool weather. Beets respond promptly to cul- 

 tivation, which should begin as soon as they are an inch or two 

 high. 



Varieties. All varieties do well here. The most popular 

 ones are the Blood Turnip and the Dong Blood. The sugar beet 

 is easily grown and produces a very sweet root much relished by 

 some. 



CABBAGE. 



Culture. This vegetable can be grown quite easily during 

 the cool part of the year. Seed may be sown from August to Oc- 

 tober, and the plants set during September, October and Novem- 

 ber. Seed of the early varieties may be sown later, and the plants 

 set during January and February, but the results are not always 

 satisfactory. The warm weather of early summer soon checks 

 their growth. Seed sown during warm weather requires consi- 

 derable water, and the young plants should be watered daily. 



The cabbage grows best in a rich mellow soil. Well-rotted 

 stable manure greatly improves the soil for cabbage, there being 

 ^ittle danger of getting the soil too rich. They are usually set in 

 rows two and one-half to three feet apart, and 15 to 24 inches in 

 the row, the larger sorts being set further apart than the small 

 ones. Cabbage require considerable water, and are benefitted by 



