636 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. P^rt III. 



four feet wide, with small alleys, are convenient of access. Let the ground be thoroughly dug. Whether 

 broad-cast or in drills, sow thinly ; and rake or earth in about an inch deep." 



3774. Subsequent culture. " When the plants are up, showing leaves about an inch broad, clear them 

 from weeds, either bv hand or small hoeing ; and thin the plants where crowded (especially the broad-cast 

 crops) to three inches apart ; and when advanced in growth, every other may be cut out for use, increasing 

 the distance to about six inches, that the remainder may grow stocky, with large spreading leaves. The 

 plants of the earlv and succession crops attain proper growth for gathering in April, May, and June. When 

 the leaves are from two to five inches in breadth, cut the plants clean out to the bottom, or sometimes cut 

 only the larger leaves. But as soon as there is any appearance of their running to seed, they may be 

 drawn out clean as wanted." 



3775. Winter crop. " The prickly seeded, or triangular-leaved, is alone constituted to stand a severe 

 winter, and the quantity of seed is the same as in the spring sowings. The main winter crop should 

 be sown in the first or second week of August, and a secondary one towards the end of that month, 

 to stand later in the spring, until the round spinage comes in. The plants of these sowings will acquire 

 proper growth and strength, and will not run the same year, nor very early in the spring, which is 

 apt to be the case with crops sown sooner." 



;377n. Site. " Allot a compartment of dry-lying mellow ground, with an open aspect to the winter s 

 sun ; and let it be digged regularly." 



3777. Process in sowing. " In general, sow broad-cast, treading the seed down, and raking it well 

 into the ground. The bed may be one continued space ; or the garden may be divided into 

 beds three or four feet wide, with spade-wide alleys between them, which are convenient both in the 

 culture and the gathering of the crop A portion may be sown thinly in broad shallow drills, from 

 six to twelve inches asunder. When the plants are advancing with leaves an inch broad, in September, 

 they will require thinning and clearing from weeds ; which may be done either by hand or by small- 

 hoeing : thin the plants to two or three inches' distance. If by October and November the plants are 

 forward in crowth, with leaves two or three inches broad, some may be gathered, occasionally, in the 

 larger leaves ; or, where most crowded, plants may be cut out to give the others room for a strong 

 stocky growth, so as to be more able to endure the cold and wet in winter, and produce larger and 

 thicker leaves. In this stage, clear out all weeds by hand, as any left in hoeing would grow again, 

 especially in a moist season. During the winter, if the spinage advances in pretty free growth, some 

 may be partiallv gathered as wanted, taking the larger outward leaves : the others will increase in suc- 

 cession. At the end of winter, thin the plants to seven inches by seven, ten by five, or twelve by four. 

 On a dry dav, stir the surface of the mould, if it has been much battered by rough weather. The plants 

 will reach full growth in Februarv, March, and April, bearing, for frequent gathering, numerous clusters 

 of large leaves. In April and Mav, the larger plants may be cut out fully for use, clean to the bottom, or 

 drawn, if the ground be wanted ; as they will then soon go to seed-stalks, past useful growth ; and will 

 be succeeded in May and June by the young spring-sown crops of round spinage." 



3778. To save seed. " To obtain seed of the round-leaved, leave a sufficient quantity 

 of established plants in April, May, or June, to run up in stalks; or transplant in autumn 

 some of the spring-sown which have not run. To save seed of the triangular spinage, 

 transplant in March some good strong plants, of the winter crop. For large supplies, 

 a portion of each may be sown in February, or the first fortnight of March, to stand 

 wholly for seeding. Sow each sort separate. Respecting both sides, observe, that 

 they are of the class Dicecia, the male and female flowers growing separately, on two 

 distinct plants. When the plants are flowering for seed, the cultivator should examine 

 whether the male plants, distinguishable by the abundant farina upon the blossoms, 

 stand crowded or numerous to excess ; in which case he should pull up the superfluous 

 plants, leaving a competency for fertilising the female blossoms, which else would 

 prove abortive. And when the female blossoms are set, it is best to dispose of all the 

 male plants, drawing them by hand ; which will give more room to the females to grow 

 and perfect their seed. The plants rejected may be profitably given to young pigs. The 

 seed ripens in July and August." (Abercrombie.) 



Subsect. 2. White Beet. — Beta Cicla, L. Pent. Big. L. and Chenopodece, B. P 

 Bette, or Poirce, Fr. ; Mangold Kraut, Ger. ; and Biettola, ItaL 



3779. The white beet is a hardy biennial plant, with leaves larger than the red beet, and 

 very thick and succulent. It is a native of the sea-coasts of Spain and Portugal, and 

 was introduced in 1570, and cultivated by Gerrard and Parkinson. It produces greenish 

 flowers in August and September. 



3780. Use. The white beet is cultivated in gardens entirely for the leaves, which are 

 boiled as spinage, or put into soups. Those of the great white, or sweet beet are 

 esteemed for the midribs and stalks, which are separated from the lamina of the leaf, and 

 stewed, and eaten as asparagus, under the name of chard. The variety called the Man- 

 gold IFiirzel, Ger. (Mangold-root), is reckoned a valuable agricultural plant for feeding 

 cattle, and affording sugar. 



3781. Varieties. The principal of those known in this country are — 



The common green-leaved small rooted I leaves whiter, and with white ribs and 



beet; the roots not thicker than a man's I veins 



thumb { The great white, or Swiss chard ; large 



The common white small-rooted ; the ' stalks, smaller erect leaves, with 



strong white ribs and veins ; grown 

 in many parts of the continent for 

 the chard, which in taste nearly equals 

 asparagus. 



3782. Propagation and soi!. It is raised from seed ; and, for a bed four feet and a half by twelve sown 

 in drills, one ounce is requisite. The soil for the varieties to be used as pot-herbs, may be considerably 

 stronger and richer than for the red or vellow beets, and need not be quite so deep. The plants endure 

 for two years, shooting the autumn of the second ; but it is best not to depend on the shot or shoot leaves 

 of the second vear, but to sow at least annuallv. 



3783. Sowing. The white beet is generally sown in gardens in the beginning of March, and sometimes 

 also in September, to furnish a supply of tender leaves late in the season, and early next spring. Sow 

 either broad-cast, and rake in the seeds ; or in drills, six or eight inches apart for the smaller kinds, and 

 ten or twelve for the larger. For the mangold, eighteen inches are not too much. 



3784. Culture. When the plants have put out four leaves, they are hoed and thinned out to from four 

 inches to a foot, according to the sort A second thinning should take place a month afterwards, and the 

 ground should be kept clear of weeds, and stirred once or twice during the season with a fork or pronged 



