BEETS AND CHARD 83 



the way cause misshapen, rough, branched gnarly 

 roots. 



Put in the beets early. If there is room, a few 

 may be grown in the hotbed for the first greens 

 and for a mess or two of little butter-beets. They 

 may be sown in the garden as soon as the ground 

 can be worked. We need not wait for it to become 

 warm and dry, for beets like it cool and wet. The 

 middle of April is not too soon, or even the first, 

 when the spring is early. Cold days do not kill 

 the young plants. Even a spring snow will not 

 destroy them. Yet cold weather retards growth, 

 toughens the vegetable. So the middle of April 

 is early enough, usually. Because of the hard 

 husk, beets are slow to germinate, at best. Damp- 

 ness in the soil will scarcely affect them. For that 

 reason, soak the "fruits" in warm water. That 

 will aid in softening the tough outside shell. Plant 

 in rows, 12 to 18 inches apart, when cultivation is 

 done by hand; 3 feet between double rows, for 

 horse cultivation. Place the fruits about 1 inch 

 apart, and cover to a depth of about 1 inch. Firm 

 the soil well, that the seed may reach the moisture 

 so much needed. During the spring and very early 

 summer, sow every fortnight. While, as a rule, 

 we will keep the roots together, "companion crop- 

 ping" may be practiced with beets, growing them 

 between some main-season plant like cabbage. In 

 that way, by repeated sowings, a supply of fresh 

 greens and tender young beets will be ready for 



