282 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



than a quarter of an inch from their 

 origin. 



In the carrot, the root system, as 

 compared with that of the beet is very 

 small. The tap root in the samples 

 examined soon tapered into a mere 

 filament, which extended downward but 

 about sixteen inches. The horizontal 

 roots seemed to extend little more than 

 a foot. The fibrous roots started chiefly 

 from the tap-root, though a few had 

 their origin near the base of the fleshy 

 root. These extended both deep and 

 shallow, some reaching to the surface 

 of the ground, and others seeming to 

 penerate the soil as deep as the tap- 

 root. 



Very little difi'erence appeared either 

 in the amount or distribution of the 

 roots between the Long Red Al- 

 tringham, and the French Forcing va- 

 rieties. 



In roots of beet and carrot set out 

 last spring to produce seed, the leading 

 roots penetrated the soil as far as in 

 those grown from seed. The fibrous 

 I'oots were, however, less developed. 



The root system of the onion differs 

 from that of most other garden plants. 

 It is more concenti-ated. The roots 

 seem to take complete possession of the 

 soil for a small space, but extend but 

 a short distance. In the samples ex- 

 amined, which wei-e of the Blood Red 

 variety, the roots extended but about 

 ten inches in depth, and about the same 

 distance horizontally. The greater 

 part of the roots seemed to be beneath 

 a circle eight inches in diameter, the 

 stem of the plant being the center. 

 There is no taproot. The roots that 

 start out from the base of the bulb are 

 very numerous, and these give rise to 

 very many branchlets. The latter, 

 however, do not sub-divide, and are 

 usually quite short. 



In the cabbage, the root system is 

 decidely less extensive than in the 

 cauliflower. The plant examined was 



of the Very Early Etampes variety, and) 

 formed an excellent head. The roots 

 were traced to a depth of about twenty 

 inches, and a distance of eighteen 

 inches on eithei- side. The main root 

 was quite thick for a depth of about 

 six inches, below which it divided into 

 many roots, which tapered for a short 

 distance and then became fibrous, ceas- 

 ing to taper. The fibrous roots in the 

 upper layers of the soil were not num- 

 erous, and some appeared at a consider- 

 able depth. 



It is quite probable that in the larger 

 varieties of cabbage, the root system is 

 more extensive than in the sample e.K- 

 amined. 



E. Lewis Sturtevant, Direcfor. 



HORSE-RADISH. 



There is nothing that gives better rel- 

 ish to meats on the opening of spring 

 than a preparation of horse-radish, that 

 every farmer can enjoy fully as well as 

 he can any vegetable that gi ows. This 

 plant will grow upon any rich soil, 

 although it will develop more satisfac- 

 torily if the soil is inclined to be moist. 

 An excessive development of the root is 

 what is desired, the hisfher decree 

 of fertility the more satisfactory the 

 i;esult. 



All that is reqired is to obtain a few 

 of the fine I'oots, which may be planted 

 in the soil by covering up to a little 

 depth, and which will send up young 

 sprouts that will develop good sized 

 smooth roots. 



It is not advisable to undertake to 

 use the crowns of old roots, as the 

 development from such is not as sat- 

 isfactory. The tendency is to throw 

 out a multitude of small roots that do 

 not grow to a size convenient for 

 grating. When once started, but little 

 cultivation is required, for the reason 

 that it is a plant that throws uj) very 

 vigorous foliage, that shades the ground 

 so fully as to prevent the growth of 



