122 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



For early use, the seed of blood turnip beet may be sown in 

 fall or winter, or at the very first opening of spring, on extra 

 rich ground, in rows twelve inches apart, between which early 

 salad or radishes may be sown if saving of space be an object, 

 these coming off before the beets require the whole ground, and 

 the beets can be thinned by pulling the young plants for greens. 



For winter, both the blood turnip and the long blood are 

 now extensively used, the former being valued not only for its 

 intrinsic excellence when raised properly, but also for its keep- 

 ing qualities. It may be preserved in good order until June. 



Long blood beets for winter use should not be sown at the 

 North until from the middle to the end of June, and blood tur- 

 nip from the first to the middle of July, and still later to the 

 South, so timing them as to allow between three and four 

 months for them to attain their full size. As soon as they 

 are well up they should be thinned, the former to a foot apart 

 each way, or fifteen inches by nine, and the latter to one foot 

 by six inches. Keep them well hoed and the earth loose until 

 they cover the ground with their leaves ; sow a little ash com- 

 post over them once or twice during their growth, if possible 

 just before rain ; and whenever the frost even but lightly 

 touches the tops, gather your crop immediately, or you will lose 

 a considerable portion of its sweetness. The tops having been 

 carefully and closely trimmed off, the roots, slightly dried, may 

 be kept through the winter by being buried or holed, as here- 

 after directed ; or in an ordinary cellar, if laid up dry, not 

 wilted, and covered with sand or earth. 



To this article a few general remarks may perhaps be profit- 

 ably added. 



1st. If long beets are raised for a series of years in ground 

 that is not deeply plowed and well pulverized, and the seed 

 saved from them is annually resown, they will become short- 

 ened in growth, or form a habit of growing much above 

 ground, and, in consequence of the latter peculiarity, deterio- 

 rate in quality for the table. 



2d. The kinds named above are the only kinds really worth 

 raising, and, if good stock is obtained, supply all that can be 

 desired. The color of the first two should be dark blood, but 



