262 



CRUCIFERJE. CII. RAPIIANUS. 



at the end of October, another in November, and another in the 

 last fortnight of December, if open temperate weather ; respec- 

 tively to stand over the winter ; but make the principal early 

 sowings in January, or the beginning of February. From this 

 time sow every fortnight or ten days, in full succession crops, 

 till the end of May, as well the white and red small turnip- 

 rooted, as the autumn sorts. The winter sorts are sometimes 

 raised at the beginning of summer ; but the fittest season to sow 

 them is from the end of June to the end of August ; that is in 

 July for use in autumn, and in August to provide a supply 

 throughout the winter. 



Sow each sort separately, and for a bed four feet six inches 

 by twelve feet, two ounces of seed will be required of the spring 

 sorts, and an ounce and a half for the summer, winter, and au- 

 tumn varieties. All the kinds may be either sown broad-cast or 

 in drills, but the latter is preferable, as allowing the roots to 

 be drawn regularly with less waste. If sown broad-cast, it is a 

 good method to make beds four or five feet wide, with alleys be- 

 tween a foot wide, the earth of which may be used to raise the 

 beds or not, as the season may make it desirable to keep the 

 beds dry or moist. Avoid sowing excessively thick, as it tends 

 to make the tops run, and the roots stringy. Rake in the seed 

 well, full half an inch deep, leaving none on the surface to attract 

 the birds. If you trace drills, let them be for the spindle- 

 rooted kinds, half an inch deep, and about two inches and a 

 half asunder ; for the small turnip-rooted kinds, three quarters of 

 an inch deep, and four or five inches asunder, and for the black 

 turnip or Spanish six or eight inches asunder, because the root 

 grows to the size of a middle-sized turnip. As the plants ad- 

 vance in growth, thin them, so as to leave the spindle-rooted 

 kinds two inches square distance, and the other sorts three, four, 

 or five, leaving the most space to the respective sorts in free, 

 growing weather ; water pretty frequently, this swells the roots 

 and makes them mild and crisp. 



The crops sown between the end of October and the end 

 of February, besides being favoured in situation, will want oc- 

 casional shelter according to the weather. On the first approach 

 of frost, whether the seed is just sown, or the plants have ap- 

 peared, cover the ground, either with clean straw, dry long 

 haulm, or dried fern, two or three inches thick, or with mats 

 supported with short stout pegs. The covering will keep off 

 the birds, and by its warm effect on the mould, forward the 

 germination of the seed. The time for removing or restoring 

 it must be regulated by the weather ; as the plants should be 

 exposed to the full air whenever it can be safely done. If the 

 season be cold without frost, take off the covering every morn- 

 ing, and put it on towards evening, and if the weather be sharp 

 and frosty, let it remain on night and day, till the plants have 

 advanced into the first rough leaves, and afterwards occasionally 

 till the atmosphere is settled and temperate. Replace it con- 

 stantly at night till there is no danger of much frost happening, 

 then wholly discontinue the covering. Radish seed-pods should 

 be taken for pickling when of plump growth, in July and August, 

 when still young and green. 



Abercrombie says " to obtain the earliest spring Radishes, sow 

 on a hot-bed of dung or leaves some Early Dwarf Short Tops, 

 in December, January, or the beginning of February. Having 

 made a hot-bed two feet, or two and a half feet high of dung, 

 place on a frame ; earth the bed at top six inches deep ; sow on 

 the surface, covering the seed with fine mould about half an inch 

 thick, and put on the glasses. When the plants have come up, 

 admit air every day, in mild, or tolerably good weather, by tilting 

 the upper end of the lights, or sometimes the front, one, two, or 

 three inches, that the Radishes may not draw up weak and long- 

 shanked. If they have risen very thick, thin them, when young, 

 moderately at first, to one or two inches apart. Be careful to 



cover the frame at night with garden-mats or straw litter. Give 

 gentle waterings about noon in sunny days. If the heat of the 

 bed declines much, apply a moderate lining of warm dung or 

 stable litter to the sides, which by gently renewing the heat will 

 forward the Radishes for drawing in February and March. Re- 

 member, as the plants advance in growth, to give more copious 

 admissions of air daily ; either by tilting the lights several inches 

 in front, or, in fine mild days, by drawing the glasses mostly off; 

 but be careful to draw them on again in proper time. Small 

 Turnip-rooted Radishes, or the white and red kinds, may be 

 forced in the same manner. For raising early Radishes on 

 ground not accommodated with frames, a hot-bed made in Febru- 

 ary may be arched over with hoop-bends, or pliant rods, which 

 should be covered with mats constantly at night, and during the 

 day in very cold weather. In moderate days turn up the mats 

 at the warmest side ; and on fine mild days take them off alto- 

 gether." 



" For seed transplant a sufficiency of the finest plants in April 

 or May, when the main crops are in full perfection. Draw them 

 for transplanting in moist weather, selecting the straightest, best- 

 coloured roots, with the shortest tops, preserving the leaves to 

 each ; plant them by dibble, in rows, two feet and a half distant, 

 inserting each root wholly into the ground, down to the leaves. 

 Keep the kinds in separate situations to prevent the commixture 

 of the pollen, and to preserve the kinds distinct. With proper 

 watering they will soon strike fresh root, and shoot up in branchy 

 stalks ; producing plenty of seed ; which will be ripe in Sep- 

 tember or October. In transplanting for seed the turnip-rooted 

 kinds, select those with the neatest-shaped roundest roots, of 

 moderate growth, and with smallest tops ; they, as the other, will 

 ripen seed in autumn. To obtain seed of the winter sorts, sow 

 in spring to stand for seed ; or leave, or transplant in that season 

 some of the winter standing full roots. As the different kinds 

 ripen seed in autumn cut the stems, or gather the principal 

 stems or branches of pods ; and place them in an open, airy situ- 

 ation, towards the sun, that the pod, which is of a tough texture, 

 may dry and become brittle, so as readily to break and give out 

 the seed freely, whether it be threshed or rubbed out." 



2 R. CAUDA'TUS (Lin. mant. 95. Lin. fil. dec. 1. t. 10.) pods 

 depressed, acuminated, decumbent, longer than the whole plant. 

 O- H. Native of Java. Root fusiform. Differing from the 

 rest of this section in the pods being 1-celled, and from the 

 section Raphanistrum, in the pods not being torulose, and from 

 both by the calyx being bisaccate at the base, as well as the seeds 

 being oblong, not round. The stems are purplish, with a glau- 

 cous hue, at first they are erect, but at last they become pros- 

 trate. Flowers the size of those of common Wallflower; pur- 

 plish and veined. This plant is called in Java Mougri, where 

 the pods are gathered and eaten as a condiment. 



Tailed-podded Radish. Fl. May, Aug. Clt. 1815. PI. 1 foot. 



SECT. II. RAPHANI'STRUM (altered from Raphanus.} D. C. 

 syst. 2. p. 666. prod. 1. p. 229. Gaert, fruct. 2. p. 300. t. 143. 

 Silique terete, acuminated, having the form of a necklace (f. 47. 

 m.) when mature, 1-celled ; joints 1-seeded. 



3 R. ROSTRA TUS (D. C. syst. 2. p. 666.) pods 1-celled, 4 or 

 5-seeded, with striated joints, shorter than the subulate-conical 

 style. O? H. Native of the north of Persia near Lenkeran. 

 R. Raphanistrum var. Fisch. in lift. Flowers purplish. 



Beaked-podded Radish. Fl. Ju. Jul. Clt. 1828. PI. H foot. 



4 R. RAPHANI'STRUM (Lin. spec. 953.) pods 1-celled, 3 to 8- 

 seeded, jointed, longer than the style ; leaves simply lyrate. 

 O- H. Native throughout the whole of Europe in corn-fields ; a 

 troublesome weed, plentiful in Britain. Oed. fl. dan. t. 678. Curt, 

 fl. lond. t. 267. Schkuhr. handb. no. 1911. t. 188. Smith, engl. 

 bot. t. 856. R. sylvestris, Lam. fl. fr. 2. p. 495. Rapistrum 



