Cyclopedia of American Horticulture 



RADISH (Raphanus sativus). Plate XXXI. The 

 Radish is one of the most popular of garden vegetables. 

 It is of quick growth, and the product is secured at the 

 time of the year when fresh vegetables are in demand. 

 In order that Radishes may be of tne best quality, they 

 should have made a rapid growth. The soil should be 

 rich, light and loose, one that drains readily and does 

 not bake with heavy rains. Radishes fit for the table 

 may be had in three to six weeks from the sowing, de- 

 pending on the variety and the "quickness" of the soil. 

 They are often grown as a catch-crop with other vege- 

 tables. They may be sown in the rows with early beets, 

 peas or other crops, and they are usually mature enough 

 for use before they seriously interfere with the main 

 crop. Sometimes seeds of Radishes are sown in the 

 rows of slow-germinating things, like carrots and par- 

 snips, in order that the seedlings may mark the row and 

 thereby facilitate tillage. Many of the Radishes may 

 be allowed to remain long enough to produce an edible 

 tuber. Aside from the root-maggot, the Radish is rela- 

 tively free from insects and diseases. When the root- 

 maggot appears in any place, it is usually best to discon- 

 tinue the growing of Radishes in that area for two or 

 three years, until the insects have been starved out. 

 The maggots may be killed by an injection of bisulfide 

 of carbon into the earth about the plants; but this is 

 usually more expense than the product is worth. Early 

 Radishes may be grown in hotbeds or coldframes with 

 the greatest ease, and in these places they are usually 

 less subject to the attacks of the cabbage maggot, since 

 the crop is matured in advance of the maggot season. 



Radishes are readily forced in the winter months. It 

 is necessary that the house be light. The soil should be 

 a sandy loam, free from silt and clay. It is best to grow 

 Radishes in solid beds rather than on benches. They 

 thrive best in a low temperature. The temperature 

 during the day should not exceed 65 to 75 in the shade, 

 and at night it may drop to 45 to 50. If the tempera- 

 ture is too high, and particularly if the plants are given 

 bottom heat, the plants tend to run to top rather than 

 to root. The seed is visually sown in rows from 5-8 inches 

 apart, and they are thinned in the row until they stand 

 2 or 3 inches apart. In order that the crop shall be uni- 

 form and mature simultaneously, it is advisable either 

 to sift the seed or to transplant the young Radishes. 

 Galloway has found by experiment that Radish seeds 



mens. In a certain experiment, he secured from two 

 pounds of commercial seed 19% ounces of large seed, 

 10% ounces small seed, the remainder being bits of 

 gravel, sticks and other impurities. The chief value of 

 this sorting lies in the greater uniformity of the crop 



2060. Lone Scarlet Radish (X 



two-twenty-fifths of an inch in diameter are too small 

 to give a satisfactory and uniform crop. He therefore 

 advises that seeds be run through sieves with a mesh 

 of that diameter in order to separate the small speci- 



2061. A dainty bunch of Radishes (X %). 



Almost every plant can then be relied upon to reach 

 maturity. It is the practice in some houses to trans- 

 plant the young Radishes. The seed may be sown in 

 flats or in beds at one end of the house, and when the 

 Radishes have made two or three leaves, they are trans- 

 planted into permanent quarters. In this operation, all 

 the small and weak plants are discarded and the crop is 

 therefore more uniform. It is supposed by some grow- 

 ers, also, that the breaking of the tap-root in the process 

 of transplanting tends to make the tuber shorter and 

 thicker and to induce an earlier maturity. By means of 

 transplanting, the use of the house may be economized. 

 Whilst one crop is growing, another may be started in a 

 seed-bed or in flats. As soon as the first crop is re- 

 moved, the ground may be thoroughly raked, fertilized, 

 and the new plants put in. In some cases the 

 new crop is transplanted between the rows 

 of the old crop a few days before the latter is 

 removed; but, unless the soil is rich and in 

 good condition, it is better to wait until the 

 crop is removed in order that the land may 

 be thoroughly fitted for the new plants. Rad- 

 ishes are often forced in connection with let- 

 tuce, and they thrive well in the same tem- 

 perature. The varieties most used for forc- 

 ing, as also for the early spring crop in the 

 garden, are the globular or half-long kirds. 

 With these varieties, a depth of soil of 4 

 inches is sufficient for good results. 



The Radish is variable in size, shape, color 

 and consistency of root and in season of ma- 

 turity. Varieties may be classified as spring, 

 summer and winter Radishes; or as globu- 

 lar, half-long and long Radishes; or as red, 

 white, gray and black Radishes. Figs. 2060- 

 2062 show some of the forms. 



The origin and nativity of the Radish are 

 questions of dispute. For geographical rea- 

 sons, it is supposed that the Radish is wild in temper- 

 ate Asia, probably in the oriental part, although truly 

 indigenous Radishes are not yet known. Not infre- 

 quently the Radish runs wild about gardens, and In 



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