RADISH 249 



space should give most excellent results. Some gardeners 

 prefer to apply a light dressing of manure before each 

 crop is started, though a heavy application in the fall will 

 be sufficient to grow several crops. Inasmuch as it is 

 not feasible to sterilize the soil before starting each crop, 

 probably the better practice is to apply all of the manure 

 in the fall, unless the grower is willing to take chances 

 in using manure that has not been sterilized. 



Soil preparation. Directions for the preparation of 

 soils for vegetable forcing are given on page 70. As pre- 

 viously stated successful growers of radishes apply well- 

 decayed manure to the beds either in the fall or before 

 each crop is started. A more expensive plan is to compost 

 sods and stable manure, but this is not considered prac- 

 ticable on a large commercial scale. 



The turnip-rooted varieties may be grown successfully 

 in beds only 4 inches deep. It is better, however, on ac- 

 count of more favorable moisture conditions, to make the 

 beds from 6 to 8 inches deep, and a greater depth will be 

 an advantage from this standpoint. It is probable, how- 

 ever, that the usual application of manure will give the 

 best results when incorporated with the soil in beds that 

 are not more than 8 inches deep. 



Seed. Disappointments in the forcing of the radish 

 are often due to the planting of poor seed. Sometimes 

 the seed is old and does not germinate well, but the most 

 common loss is from seed of impure strains. The roots 

 from inferior seed may be small and ill-shaped, or a large 

 percentage of the plants may not produce roots of market- 

 able size. Sometimes the radishes do not have the char- 

 acteristic shade or color, and this may result in a heavy 

 loss if a special market is to be supplied. Poor seed may 

 also produce large tops and small roots. 



When ordering radish seed it is important to specify 

 that the best forcing strains are desired. Most of the seed 

 houses have strains of special merit and these should be 

 obtained if possible. 



