36 OF ESCULENTS. SECT. XV. 



or early in spring, in rows six or eight inches asunder, 

 three deep, and six from one another in the rows, 

 preferring a light dry soil. If the leaves are tied up 

 in knots in June, it will prevent their spindling for 

 seed, and help their bulbs to swell. Take them up 

 towards autumn, when their leaves turn yellow ; 

 keep them in bags, or hang them up in a dry place. 



GOURD, SQUASH, and CALABASH, is of one fa- 

 mily; see PUMP ION, the culture being the same. 



HORSE-RADISH is variously used for culinary pur- 

 poses; when scraped fine, it is a good addition to 

 salladS) especially in the colder seasons. Propagate 

 crowns, or pieces of the root from one to two inches 

 long, having an eye or two ; set them from nine to 

 twelve inches below the surface of the ground, (ac- 

 cording to the nature of the soil, as heavy or light) 

 by digging a trench, and covering them over, or 

 (which is not so good a way) by making holes with a 

 dibble ; it should be the work of February or Oc- 

 tober, and the soil must not only be deep, but rich, 

 or the roots will be weak. 



This root will grow finer, and be more conveni- 

 ently dug, to have the rows two feet, and the sets 

 one foot asunder in them, though a less distance is 

 the more common practice. Where there is plenty 

 of ground, however, it is not worth while to be 

 cramped, and the first year of planting, the ground 

 may be cropped witli any early things. The roots 

 will not be fit for use the first year; but the second 

 they come strong and warm. Take them up care- 

 fully, regularly moving the earth away, and cut off 

 close to the stool, from whence fresh heads will be 

 sure to spring. 



New plantations of horse-radish should be made 

 about every fifth year ; and old ones should be cleared 

 from the straggling side shoots, in order to keep the 

 rows open, but take them up deeply. 



