886 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



the interval the ground can be made ready to receive its future 

 occupants. 



The roots may be planted either on the flat, as shown in Figure 1, 

 or on the apexes of ridges, as indicated in Figure 3 of Diagram 66. 

 But whichever course be adopted, be ready for the plants when 

 they arrive, since it is important to expose the tender roots to 

 the influence of the air as little as possible. Great care, too, is 

 needed in handling them, for the fibres of the roots are very brittle, 

 and if broken do not mend rapidly. The plants should be set 

 twelve niches apart in straight rows. The crown of the root should 

 be at least three inches below the surface when the final covering 

 of soil is put on, as shown in Figure 2. 



And now the virtue of patience will be required. The plants 

 must be left to develop throughout the summer, and in the autumn 

 be covered over with a thick layer of rich manure. Cuttings may 

 be made during the following spring in the case of two-year-old 

 plants set out in April, but this should be done sparingly at first. 

 It is advisable to allow the plants plenty of time to develop, and 

 to leave a fair number uncut annually. 



Asparagus can be grown from seed sown in drills on well- 

 prepared beds, but in this case no cutting should be attempted 

 until the plants are three years old. 



BEET. The sowing of the earliest beet the round-rooted, of 

 which Blood Red is the best variety for the purpose may be 

 undertaken in favourable weather in April. The seed of the 

 later tapering-rooted kinds may be sown at any time during 

 May. Excellent varieties are Nutting's Red, Blood Red and 

 Pragnell's Exhibition. These all have dark crimson foliage ; 

 varieties with greener leaves are Cheltenham Black and Sutton's 

 Black. 



The soil for beet should be deeply tilled and fairly rich. But the 

 use of manure immediately preceding the sowing of the seed 

 should be avoided, since its presence in the ground will exercise a 

 deleterious influence upon the roots, in that it will cause them 

 to branch and produce objectionable side roots. The manure is 

 best applied in early autumn and even then it should not be 



