plain to any ordinary mind what is here meant, and attention to the matter will pre- 

 vent the garden from ])resenting ugly vacancies. For the first sowing choose a warm 

 situation, and when the young plants have advanced three or four leaves thin out 

 to six or eight inches, after which give a good and deep hoeing, and keep clear 

 of weeds with the same instrument as they advance in growth. The following are 

 amongst the best varieties in cultivation : — 



Extra Early Turnip, or Bassano. — The earliest of all beets. Flavor, sweet and 

 good. Texture, crisp and tender. Color, yellowish pink, striped transversely. 



Early Blood Turnip. — The best for all purposes after the first sowing, where 

 the turnip-rooted form is preferred. Flavor, good. Texture, solid and crisp. 

 Color, light blood crimson. 



Long Smooth Blood. — If a large, long, and well-formed root is preferred, this 

 is the kind ; but there is no advantage, excepting quantity, in a large beet for the 

 table. Flavor, good. Texture, solid and coarse-gniined. Color, dark crimson. 



Whaite^s Dicarf Dark Blood, or London Dwarf Blood. — As a long beet, this 

 is decidedly the best, although it will not produce the same weight, on a given 

 space, as the last described. Flavor, sweet and nutty. Texture, crisp and tender, 

 even to maturity. Color, blackish crimson, both root and leaves. This variety 

 ought always to be grown, in preference to all others, where coloring is required 

 for confectionary, &c., and it makes a most beautiful pickle. When true, it is of 

 small size and dwarf habit. 



Silver, or Sea Kale. — This is fibrous rooted, and the serviceable parts are the 

 leaves, which, if cooked in the same manner as spinage, make a very good accom- 

 paniment on the dinner-table. Or the stalks may be stripped and boiled like 

 asparagus, ^when they are very little inferior to that esteemed vegetable. It is, 

 however, tender, and will not bear much frost nor wet; consequently, when de- 

 sirable to have it in the winter, the seeds should be sown in a suitable place about 

 the middle of June, so that a frame may be covered over when frost is expected. 

 In this way we obtain another to our, at present, meagre supply of fresh vege- 

 tables through the winter season. 



Green-Leaved. — Another fibrous rooted sort, and only serviceable for flavoring 

 soups, to which the leaves impart a sweetish pleasant taste. This is considerably 

 hardier than the last. The seeds may be sown early in spring, and a supply of 

 leaves will be furnished throughout the season. 



Beets are soon injured by frost, which renders it. necessary to house them in due 

 time. When taking them up for this jnirpose choose a dry day, and do not bruise 

 them nor break the lower top roots off more than can be avoided ; cut the leaves 

 to within an inch of the crown, but not through it ; reserve the central tuft entire, 

 as the juices and coloring matter are sulyect to ooze out from the wounds, thereby 

 causing the bulbs to shrivel and deteriorate in quality. For the same reason they 

 ought to be boiled entire and peeled afterwards. The quantity required up to the 

 latter part of winter may be put up into barrels and kept covered with straw in 

 a cool but frost-proof cellar ; or the lower ends covered with sand, or earth, in a 

 similar place ; and the remaining portion should be kept in a heap outside, in the 

 same way as recommended for turnips in the Septeml)er number. 



To save Seed. — Choose those roots that are perfectly true to character, of good 

 form and color ; plant out when all danger of frost is over, eighteen inches apart, 

 with the top level to the surface, and do not put any two kinds in the same vici- 

 nity, as the progeny would be more or less mixed up by cross fertilization. 



