82 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



or more, even after that time germinating well. 

 It is of no advantage to produce beet seed. The 

 seed comes so true and there are so many good 

 varieties suited to almost any and every soil and 

 climate, that one could venture to buy beet seed 

 at the corner grocery. Certainly it can be se- 

 cured safely of a reliable seedsman. The round- 

 rooted kinds, the "turnip varieties," should be 

 chosen. We will sow, say, the Eclipse for early 

 beets and the Crimson Globe for later; and, of 

 course, we must have some Swiss chard. 



Beets grow best in sandy loam. However, any 

 good garden soil will do. Prepare a generous strip 

 for all the roots on the border of the garden near 

 the perennials. We decided to keep that strip for 

 roots as much as possible, allowing, of course, for 

 occasional rotation to husband the soil food and 

 to prevent disease. That arrangement is an ad- 

 vantage in order to leave in the ground certain 

 long-season roots like salsify and parsnips 

 after the main garden has been made ready for 

 winter. Also, related plants requiring about the 

 same care may be more conveniently grown to- 

 gether. If the garden has been thoroughly pre- 

 pared for general planting, it is practically ready 

 for the beets. Just before sowing, give the entire 

 strip a careful deep cultivation to make the soil 

 loose and fine and to get rid of the stones. Dis- 

 posing of the stones is more important with the 

 root-crops than with any other, because stones in 



