VEGETABLES 15 



In very dry weather the roots ought to have an 

 occasional soaking with water or Hquid manure, 

 and if, from the same cause, the pods fail to set, a 

 good overhead syringing night and morning will 

 generally enable them to do so. 



Runners may be grown without sticks by 

 pinching out the points of the shoots several times 

 beyond the third or fourth leaf 



The best sorts to grow are Painted Lady and 

 Sutton's Champion and the Czar ; Daniel's Giant 

 is also very fine. 



Scarlet runners may be cooked in any way 

 French beans are. 



BEETROOT 



This was a native of the sea-coast on the south 

 of Europe, and was introduced into England in 

 1656. This vegetable likes the same rich, deep 

 soil, and open and sunny situation, as the carrot. 

 Soot of any kind or burnt material, salt, and 

 nitrate of soda are the best manures for it, and 

 should be applied to the soil before sowing, or 

 as a top dressing after the plants are up. The 

 ground should be dug two spades deep, and the 

 whole of the manure intended for it should be put 

 in with the bottom spit, so that it may be buried 

 twelve inches within the ground. An early sowing 

 should be made in April and a main sowing the 

 first week in May. It is most necessary that the 

 seed should not be put in till the severe frosts are 

 over. The seed is best sown in drills a foot apart 

 and an inch deep. 



The seedlings should be thinned out about six 

 or eight inches between the plants at least. The 



