FAVORITE VARIETIES 173 



may be spaced an inch in the drill approximately, but while still 

 small the plants should be thinned to six or eight inches. The sooner 

 this is done after the plants have reached a height of three or four 

 inches the better. It is quite a common practice to allow the rows 

 to grow thickly until the thinnings are large enough for greens. 

 The practice injures the surviving beets, for they never reach quite 

 the development they would if they had never been crowded, but 

 with some the gain of the greens is a compensation. 



Varieties. The garden beets popular in California for table 

 use are all the round or flat shapes, and all of red color. 



The Eclipse, an old favorite, is still of wide popularity. It is 

 early and of good quality, and symmetrical, round form. Said to 

 be better than others for late planting. 



The Extra Early Egyptian is of flat, turnip shape, very deep 

 color, early, tender and fine. 



Morse's Improved Blood Turnip, especially selected for style 

 and quality, deep red, green tops. 



Crosby's Egyptian, of flatter form than Early Egyptian, good 

 for early use, but maintains tenderness well as it gets larger size, 

 very bright clear red flesh. 



Edmunds' Blood Turnip is another favorite market variety, 

 round 'and smooth, deep color and good quality. 



Early Blood Turnip is also largely grown. It is round, good 

 form and quality. 



Long Smooth Blood is an old standard variety for those who 

 like beets for slicing. It roots deeply and stands drought well. 



THE LEAF-BEET OR CHARD. 



This plant is a beet grown for its foliage and not for its root, 

 which is small and branching. Its cultivation is, however, exactly 

 like that of the beet root, except that its rooting habit allows of 

 shallow tillage, but it enjoys good conditions in the soil and mani- 

 fests its delight by grander foliage, which is very desirable and is 

 used as spinach is. Chard is not largely grown in California be- 

 cause conditions are so favorable for continual supplies of spinach, 

 which is preferred. 



THE SUGAR BEET IN CALIFORNIA. 



All that has been said in preceding chapters on California 

 climates and soils has direct reference to the exceptional adaptation 



