i88 FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



If a further supply of early Onions is required, or 

 if the rows have to be " made up " where plants of 

 the previous sowing have failed, seeds are sown again 

 to provide for these contingencies in January and 

 February. At this season the seeds are sown on hot- 

 beds under lights, or under cloches, and sometimes 

 between other crops. The plants will be ready some- 

 what later than those sown in August, but they will 

 make a good succession crop. 



Many growers also sow seeds of the " Early White " 

 (blanc hdtif) Onion at intervals from February to 

 June in the open air. The beds are dug, manured, 

 and prepared in the usual way, and after the seeds 

 have been sown a layer of nice rich mould is spread 

 over the surface of each bed. When the Onions appear 

 they are " thinned out " in due course, if too thick. 

 Afterwards they are watered well from time to time 

 when necessary, according to the state of the weather. 

 As soon as the young bulbs begin to swell, they are 

 almost ready for pulling, as it does not pay to leave 

 them to mature on ground for which high rents have 

 to be paid. An excellent little Onion for spring sowing 

 is the blanc tres hdtif de la Reine (Early White Queen). 

 When sown in March it is ready in May, but as it is 

 little more than an inch when fully developed, it is 

 grown more in private than in market gardens. 



RADISHES 



There are now many varieties of small Radishes 

 (Raphanus sativus) suitable for cultivation either in 

 the open air or on hot-beds with other crops. They 

 vary in colour from the purest white to the deepest 

 crimson, passing through light and dark rose, and 



