CRUCIFERjE. CII. RAPHANUS. 



261 



3. p. 438 to 441 . The varieties are called Long-rooted or Spring 

 .Radishes. 



1 Long white Radish, white transparent, or white Italian 

 or Naples Radish. This is the oldest variety mentioned in our 

 gardens, and is called by Gerard the Radicula sativa minor. 

 It is a week later of coming to perfection than those sorts com- 

 monly grown ; it is very mild, and has a delicate pleasant flavour. 

 The root is white ; the flesh is transparent when young, but 

 becomes more opaque as the root enlarges. This is the La Rave 

 blanche of the Bon Jardinier. 



2 White Russian Radish. The root is long and white. Its 

 flesh is not transparent, and it is much hotter to the taste than 

 the preceding variety. It remains good even when large, and 

 is not fit for use until a week later than the other long radishes. 



3 Twisted long white Radish or Rave tortillee du Mans of 

 the French. The root grows long and does not taper much. 

 A considerable part of it grows above ground, from whence it 

 does not rise straight, but is bent or twisted, the exposed part of 

 the root is tinged with green. The flesh is white and firm with- 

 out heat, and insipid. The footstalks of the leaves are tinged 

 with purple. The root is slow in coming to perfection, and may 

 be considered a pleasant variety for use in the latter part of the 

 year. It is not destroyed by frost. 



4 Scarlet Radish, Salmon Radish or Rave rose of the 

 French. Scarlet transparent Radish of the Dutch. The root 

 is of a brilliant pink colour, and when young is full an inch 

 above the ground. The flesh is transparent and colourless. 

 This is the kind cultivated not only most frequently, but almost 

 exclusively, within the last 30 years, especially for the supply of 

 the London market. The Short-top Scarlet and Early Frame 

 Scarlet Radish are sub-varieties of this plant. Perhaps the Rave 

 corail, the Rave petite hdtive and the Rave couleur de rose or 

 La Rave saummonee of the Bon Jardinier are also sub-varieties. 



5 Purple Radish, or Rave longite rouge of the French, though 

 formerly much used, has been of late driven out of our gardens 

 by the universal preference given to the Scarlet Radish. It is 

 the Long red transparent Radish of the Dutch, and it was 

 formerly called the Short-top Radish. The seed-leaves being 

 large has caused it to be used exclusively for small salading. 

 The root grows high out of the ground, and is externally of a 

 deep purple colour ; the flesh is white. It is a very early sort, 

 equally as good in flavour as the scarlet Radish and perhaps pre- 

 ferable for forcing. 



6 Red-necked Radish or Rave blanche a collier rouge of the 

 French. The upper part of the root is dark purple, and the lower 

 part white. It is a good flavoured radish, but is more remarkable 

 for its singularity than peculiar excellence. 



Far. y, oleifera (D. C. syst. 2. 664.) root slender, elongated, 

 scarcely fleshy. R. Chinensis, Mill. diet. no. 5. This variety is 

 cultivated in China for an oil, which is obtained from the seeds 

 by expression. 



* * B. NIGER (D.C. syst. 2. p. 665.) root with compact hardish 

 flesh, which possesses a very sharp taste. The varieties of this 

 plant are commonly called Winter-radishes. 



Var. a, vulgaris (D. C. syst. 1. c.) root oblong, with black or 

 violet skin, and white flesh. Raphanus niger, Lob. icon. 202. 

 f. 1. Herat, fl. par. 265. Mor. oxon. 2. p. 265. no. 2. sect. 3. 

 t. 13. f. 2. Weinm phyt. t. 860. f. c. The following varieties 

 are enumerated in the Hort. trans, vol. 4. p. 13. 



1 Black Spanish Radish, or Le Radis gros noir d'hiver, or 

 Le Radis Raifort, of the French. Root very large, externally 

 black, and regularly pear-shaped. The flesh is hot, firm, and 

 white. 



2 Large purple winter Radish, or Le Radis gros violet d'hiver 

 of the French, is a beautiful variety in shape and character. It 

 much resembles the preceding variety ; but the outside, when 



cleaned, is of a beautiful purple colour, though it looks black 

 when first drawn out of the earth. 



Var. ft, rotundus (D. C. syst. 2. p. 665.) root roundish, with 

 black skin and white flesh. Mor. oxon. 2. p. 265. no. 1. sect. 

 3. t. 13. f. 1. Weinm. phyt. t. 860. f. b. It is perhaps only a 

 variety of the common Black Spanish Radish, and therefore 

 may be properly called the Round Black Spanish Radish. 



Var. y, griseus (D. C. syst. 1. c.) root with a grey skin. For 

 the following varieties of this plant, see Hort. trans, vol.4, p. 12 

 and 13. 



1 Round brown Radish, or Radis gris rond of the French. 

 The root may be called round, though it is rather irregular in 

 its shape. When allowed to grow large it becomes hollow ; and 

 it therefore should be used when young. The flesh is mild, 

 rather soft, of a greenish white colour ; the skin is mottled with 

 greenish brown. This is an autumn Radish. 



2 Oblong brown Radish, or Radis gris oblong of the French. 

 Root pear-shaped. It does not grow particularly large, and is 

 hardier than any of the other winter Radishes, and therefore 

 fit for late use. The flesh is hot, firm, hard, and white. The 

 skin is rough and brown, marked with white circles. 



Var. S, albus (D. C. syst. 1. c.) root of a depressed roundish 

 form ; white, both externally and internally. R. orbicularis, 

 Mill. diet. no. 3. This is called the White Spanish Radish, 

 Le Radis gros blanc d'Augsb:,urg of the French. The root is 

 rather oval, and grows to a large size. The flesh is rather hot, 

 firm, solid, and white. The skin is white tinged with green, and 

 streaked with purple on the part which is exposed above ground. 



Cult. Radishes are all of easy cultivation. They are sown 

 at various times of the year, according to the time they are de- 

 signed for use. Those intended to come in early in the spring 

 are generally sown in October, on a warm border : the long- 

 rooted kinds are preferred for this purpose. The Turnip-radishes 

 are generally sown in spring or summer, to come in after the 

 long-rooted kinds. These all force well on hot-beds, or dung- 

 beds covered with mats. The winter Radishes should be sown 

 in July ; and those intended for winter use should be taken up 

 in dry weather, in November, be divested of their leaves and 

 fibres, and preserved in sand until they are wanted. 



Formerly the leaves of the Radish were boiled and eaten, but 

 now the roots are chiefly employed. These are eaten raw in 

 spring, summer, autumn and winter. The young seedling leaves 

 are often used with Cress and Mustard, as small sallad ; and 

 Radish seed-pods, when of plump growth, but still young and 

 green, are used to increase the variety of vegetable pickles, and 

 are considered a tolerable substitute for capers. 



" The spindle-rooted kinds are cultivated in the largest pro- 

 portion for the first crops. The small turnip-rooted sorts may 

 be sown in spring as secondary crops, and in summer and autumn 

 for more considerable supplies. The winter sorts have a coarser 

 flavour than the other kinds, but being of a hardy nature, are 

 frequently sown ; they are sliced in salads, or occasionally eaten 

 alone, with salt, vinegar, and other condiments." 



" The soil should be light and mellow, well broken by dig- 

 ging. For sowing between the middle of October and the mid- 

 dle of February, let the site be a dry sheltered border, open to 

 the full sun. From the middle of February to the end of March, 

 any dry, open compartment will be suitable. As spring and 

 summer advance, allot cooler and shaded situations. A scattering 

 of the smaller growing sorts may be sown among some broad- 

 cast crops of larger growth, such as Spinach, Lettuce, and Onions. 

 It may be also drilled between wide rows of beans, or on ground 

 intended to be sown with a late spring-crop." 



The crops raised between the middle of October and middle 

 of February, are usually confined to the spindle-rooted kinds. 

 Of the early short-top-scarlet, a first small sowing may be made 



