158 Commercial Gardening 



the whole is covered with clean straw. When the seed has germinated, 

 and the seedlings appear above the soil, this protective covering of straw 

 has to be carefully removed on favourable days by means of a very 

 long-handled rake, to be again returned over the seedling Radishes before 

 daylight fails; since, if they are not exposed to light they will perish, 

 and if they be exposed to frost they will likewise perish. 



Later crops are sometimes covered with straw, but more frequently 

 they are left uncovered, and birds are scared away by means of lengths 

 of string on which are fastened old tins containing several loose stones, 

 bells, pieces of glass, &c. The string is kept several feet above the 

 ground by means of strong forked sticks. A boy is stationed at one 

 end, and is sometimes armed with- a noisy rattle, and it is his duty 

 to keep the birds at a distance by scaring them with his rattle, by 

 emitting such vocal sounds of a hideous nature as he is capable of 

 making, and by frequently pulling the string bearing the other noise- 

 making instruments. So that when he is simultaneously halloaing, 

 using his rattle, and pulling the string he creates a noise that only a 

 bird stone-deaf could bear without fright. [j. U.] 



Radishes under Glass. Some modern market gardeners who have 

 large unheated glasshouses utilize them during the winter and spring 

 months for the production of early Radishes. One of the largest growers 

 in this way is the firm of Messrs. Smith, of Feltham and Isleworth, Middle- 

 sex. In the latter district twenty-one large glasshouses, covering about 

 10 \ ac. of ground, are put down in Radishes after a crop of Tomatoes. 

 From 36 to 40 Ib. of seed is necessary to sow 1 ac. of ground, and about 

 20,000 to 30,000 bunches of Radishes constitute the crop to the acre. The 

 seed is generally sown about January and February, and Radishes are fit 

 to pull by the second or third week in March, and continue till the end of 

 April or early in May, when the ground is wanted for the summer Tomato 

 crop. Radishes grown in this way realize about Is. or Is. 3d. per dozen 

 bunches. [j. w.] 



27. RHUBARB 



Probably with regard to no other crop that is grown by the market 

 gardener does the treatment vary so much according to locality as in the 

 case of Rhubarb (Rheum hybriduwi). In some places, particularly London, 

 there is a considerable demand for the natural product, or green Rhubarb 

 as some call it; in others, the only demand there is is restricted to the 

 yellow-leaved forced product. 



In some districts the stools are lifted, placed in sheds erected for the 

 purpose, and heated either with flues or hot water and there forced; in 

 others, manure is heaped around the crowns, which are covered with pots. 



In some districts the crop is grown solely for forcing, and none is pulled 

 as natural ; in others, the principal crop is the natural, and only the worn- 

 out crowns are forced. 



The Rhubarb is a gross feeder, and responds especially to manures of 



