112 



Commercial Gardening 



Kohl-rabi flourishes in rather a heavy soil that has been deeply dug 

 and well manured. The seeds may be sown in drills about 18 in. apart, 

 the young plants being afterwards thinned out to at least 12 in. apart in 

 the rows, giving about 30,000 plants to the acre. The seeds may also be 

 sown in beds from which the seedlings are transplanted 18 in. apart every 

 way, a little less than 20,000 plants to the acre. From 20 to 40 tons of 

 " bulbs " may be obtained to the acre. The bulbs are best for household 

 purposes when young and tender, and 3 to 4 in. in diameter. 



Being a Crucifer Kohl-rabi is subject to attack from the "clubroot" 

 fungus (Plasmodiophora brassicce), and should therefore not be grown in 

 soil known to be afflicted with this disease until it has been well dressed 

 with basic slag, lime, or chalk. [j. w.] 



17. LEEKS 



This widely used vegetable (Allium Porrum) is increasing in impor- 

 tance since the practice has spread of using it as a boiled vegetable and 

 not only as a flavouring. It requires rich land to come a good size. 



The giant specimens with 

 bleached stems 1 ft. in length 

 that one sees at vegetable shows, 

 like so many other show items, 

 are not commercially possible. 

 The leek of the market is sown 

 first of all for early work in 

 February under glass, and for the 

 main crop in March out-of-doors. 

 Plantings begin in April, and can 

 be continued up to the end of 

 June. In order to get as much 

 bleach as possible drills are made, 

 either by weighting the racer or 

 with a hoe, 1 ft. apart, and the 

 Leek plants dibbled in these 6 in. 

 from plant to plant, and the plants 

 put down in the holes up to where 

 the leaves branch. 



Leeks are trimmed of outside 

 leaves and made into fan-shaped 



Fig. 478. -Leek bunches, six or eight to a bunch, 



according to size, and washed be- 

 fore sending to market. Two good varieties are Musselburgh and the Lyon. 

 The price is Is. to 2s. per dozen, and the crop 2J to 3 dozen bunches 

 per pole. The cost of digging, trimming, and washing is 3|d to 4d per 

 dozen bunches. The planting of a crop of Leeks will cost 35s. to 40s. per 

 acre and the hoeing about 3 per acre. 



