Vegetables with Edible Tubers or Roots 273 



inch high, they should be thinned out to about 3 inches 

 apart in the row. If the land is strong, two rows may be 

 drilled, about 4 inches apart in place of one row; or if 

 the seed is sown by hand, a drill about 5 inches wide may 

 be made and the seed scattered along this. The seed 

 should be covered from f to 1 inch deep, depending on the 

 soil and amount of moisture. 



Soon after the seedlings are up, there is a period during 

 which they make no apparent progress, especially if the 

 weather is unfavorable. If the temperature is at the 

 freezing point, it is well not to force the plantlets ; but 

 during warm weather an application of liquid manure or 

 a solution of nitrate of soda will hasten them over this 

 stage. 



Cultivating should all be done with a wheel-hoe or a 

 horse cultivator; avoid using a hand hoe as it is slow 

 and expensive. The soil should be kept loose, so that the 

 fleshy roots have room to form in the ground. As the 

 tap-root goes down straight and deep, there is no danger 

 of disturbing it while cultivating. 



It is usually unprofitable to transplant beets for the 

 market ; therefore it should not be practiced, except 

 when it is known that the product will sell well, or for 

 home use. 



Marketing. 



Beets may be marketed as soon as they are two or more 

 inches across. They should be pulled, and the leaves 

 cut an inch or more from the fleshy root. If the leaves 

 are cut too close, the roots lose more moisture than they 

 otherwise would, and hence appear in the market wilted. 



