RAP 



RAP 



row, along the middle septum : the seeds, one 

 !.i each cell, but in each row from three to 

 i.velve, subglobular, large, ferruginous, co- 

 iL-n:d with very minute raised dots. It is a na- 

 tive of China. 



There are several varieties ; some of which 

 have the appearance of distinct species, from 

 their shape," size, and colour of the roots ; as 

 the Long-rooted, which is that commonly cul- 

 tivated in kitchen-gardens for its roots. Of this 

 there are several subordinate variations : as the 

 Small-topped, the Deep Red, the Pale Red or 

 Salmon, and .the Long-topped Striped Radish. 

 The small-topped is most commonly preferred 

 by the gardeners near London, as they require 

 much less room than those with large tops ; for 

 as forward radishes are what produce the great- 

 est profit to the gardener, and these are com- 

 monly sown upon borders near hedges, walls or 

 pales,' the large-topped sorts would be apt to 

 grow mostly at top, and not swell so much in 

 the root as the other, especially if the plants 

 should be left pretty close. 



The Small Round-rooted, which is not very 

 common here, but in many parts of Italy it is 

 the only one cultivated; — the roots of this are 

 very white, round, small, and very sweet. It 

 is now frequently brought to the London mar- 

 kets in the spring, generally in bunches, and is 

 sometimes mistaken there for young turnips: 

 when eaten young, it is crisp, mild, and pleasant. 



The Large Turnep-rooted or White Spanish, 

 which has a moderately large, spheroidal white 

 root, and is esteemed chiefly for eating in autumn 

 and the early part of winter. Both these sorts 

 M-c commonly called indiscriminately Turnep 



Radishes). . 



The Black Turncp-rooied Spanish, which has 

 a root like the preceding, white within, but with 

 a black skin ; and is greatly esteemed by many 

 for autumn and winter eating. 



Culture. — These are raised from seed by dif- 

 ferent sowings from the end of October till 

 April or the following month. They should 

 have a light fine mould, and the more early sow- 

 ings be made on borders, under warm walls, 

 or°other similar places, and in frames covered 

 bv glasses. 



' The common spindle-rooted, short-topped 

 sorts are mostly made use of in these early sow- 

 ings, the seed being sown broadcast over the beds 

 after they have been prepared by digging over 

 and raking the surface even, being covered in 

 with a slight raking. Some sow carrots with the 

 early crops of radishes. 



It is usual to protect the early sown crops in 

 the borders, during frosty nights and bad wea- 

 ther, by mats or dry wheat straw, which should 



be carefully removed every mild day. By tin* 

 means they are brought more forward, as well 

 as form better roots. 



Where mats are used, and supported by pegs 

 or hoops, they are readily applied and removed. 

 A second more general sowing should be 

 made in January or February. 



When the crops have got their rough leaf, 

 they should be thinned out where they are too 

 thick, to the distances of two inches, as tnere 

 will be constantly more thinning by the daily 

 drawing of the young radishes. 



When the weather is dry in March, or the 

 following month, the crops should be occa- 

 sionally well watered, which not only lorwards 

 the growth of the crops, but increases the size 

 of the roots, and renders them more mild and 

 crisp in eating. 



The sowings should be continued at the di- 

 stance of a fortnight, till the latter end of March, 

 when they should be performed every ten days, 

 until the end of April or beginning of the fol- 

 lowing month. In sowing these later crops, it is 

 the practice of some gardeners to sow coss-let- 

 tuces and spinach with them, in order to have the 

 two crops coming forward at the same time, but 

 the practice is not to be much recommended, 

 where there is sufficient room. 



In sowing the main general crops in the open 

 quarters, the market-gardeners generally put 

 them in on the same ground where they plant 

 out their main crops of cauliflowers and cab- 

 bages, mixing spinach with the radish seed as 

 above, sowing the seeds first, and raking them 

 in, then planting the cauliflowers or cabbages ; 

 the radishes and spinach come in for use before 

 the other plants begin to spread much, and as 

 soon as those small crops are all cleared off for 

 use, hoe the ground all over to kill weeds 

 and loosen the soil, drawing earth about the 

 stems of the cauliflowers and cabbages. 



The Turnep Radish should not be sown till 

 the beginning of March, the plants being al- 

 lowed a greater distance than for the common 

 spindle-rooted sort. The seeds of this sort are 

 apt to degenerate, unless they are set at a di- 

 stance from that kind. 



The White and Black Spanish Radishes are 

 usually sown about the middle of July, or a 

 little earlier, and are fit for the table by the end 

 of August, or the beginning of September, con- 

 tinuing good till frost spoils them. These should 

 be thinned to a greater distance than the com- 

 mon sort, as their roots grow as large as tur- 

 nips, and should not be left nearer than six 

 inches. 



To have these roots in winter, they should 

 be drawn before hard frost comes on, and laid 



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