74 VEGETABLE GROWING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



than those from late crops, as they have longer to ripen off. Care should be 

 exercised that the fruit is not bruised in handling. They should be stored on 

 slatted shelves in a dry, airy shed, and looked over from time to time, any 

 showing signs of decay being removed. 



Varieties. 



The following are the recommended varities of the various plants in the 

 pumpkin family : 



Pumpkins. Squashes. Marrows. Rios* 



Crown. Summer Crookneck. Mammoth White Bush. Trombone. 



Button. White Bush or Patty Pan. Cocozelle. Mammoth 



Iron bark. Fordhook.' i Long White Marrow. 



Triangular, Pansy, or Hubbard. 



Shamrock. Golden Hubbard. 



Sugar or Pie. 



Diseases and Pests. 



Downy mildew (page 99); eelworm (page 118); powdery mildew 

 (page 104;; pumpkin beetle (page 111) ; spotted ladybird (page 124). 



RADISH. 



This is a quick-growing vegetable that under our congenial climatic con- 

 ditions can be grown practically throughout the whole year. 



In the elevated portions of the State, the crop will not succeed in mid- 

 winter unless given some bottom heat in the shape of fresh manure ; but at 

 least 6 to 9 inches of soil should be placed on the manure, and it may 

 even be necessary to put some cloth covering over the beds during the cold 

 night Raising the plants in such localities during cold weather is better 

 carried out in the hot frame. In the heat of summer in the coastal and 

 western districts it is advisable to provide shade. The crop is one that can 

 be profitably grown in conjunction with other crops, such as parsnips, <fcc., 

 with which germination is slow ; the radish attains sufficient size for use 

 before the parsnip plants are large enough to be harmed. This practice has 

 the additional advantage of indicating where the parsnip seed has been sown, 

 and thereby allowing of an early cultivation between the rows before the 

 main crop actually appears. 



Where the crop is cultivated in beds, the sowings should be small and 

 frequent, in preference to several large plantings. The seed may be sown 

 either in rows or broadcast, the rows varying from 6 to 15 inches apart, 

 but in all cases the seed should be sown thinly and not covered more than 

 half an inch deej>. It is usual to firm the surface soil after planting, and a 

 mulching of fine dry horse manure will be found beneficial. 



A sandy soil is the best suited for the growth of the radish, but heavier 

 soils can be brought into a suitable condition. As with other root crops, 

 the incorporation of stable manure iti the soil just previous to planting is not 



