1488 



RADISH 



RADISH 



2062. French Breakfast 

 and Olive-shaped 

 Radishes, two of the 

 early or spring Rad- 

 ish class (X %). 



that case the root soon deteriorates into a small, slen- 

 der, woody and more or less fibrous member. It has 

 been thought by some that the Radish is only a modi- 

 fled form of the wild charlock, 

 or Raphanus Raphanistrum. 

 In fact, experiments were made 

 on the charlock by Carriere, 

 who was able in a few years to 

 produce edible Radishes from 

 the wild plant. While these 

 investigations seem to be con- 

 clusive that the Radish can be 

 produced from the charlock, 

 they nevertheless do not prove 

 that such was the actual origin 

 of the garden Radish. DeCan- 

 dolle, whilst accepting Car- 

 riere's experiments, was unable 

 to understand how the Rad- 

 ishes of India, China and Japan 

 could have originated from the 

 charlock, since that plant is un- 

 known in those countries and 

 the Radish has been grown 

 there for centuries. It is pos- 

 sible that the Radish was car- 

 ried eastward from western 

 Asia and Europe, but such has 

 not been the general course of 

 the migration of plants. It is 

 possible that the Radishes of 

 the Orient are a different species from those in Europe, 

 although they are generally regarded as the same spe- 

 cies. See Raphanus. 



The experiments of E. A. Carriere with the wild Rad- 

 ish (Journ. d'Agric. Prat., 1869, also separately printed) 

 form a classical example of the possibilities of plant- 

 breeding. In five years by means of cultivation and 

 selection alone he was able to produce from a trouble- 

 some weed practically all the important type-forms of 

 Radish in cultivation. Carriere began by gathering seeds 

 of the wild Raphanus Raphanistrum (Fig. 2063), which 

 he collected as far as possible away from all cultivated 

 plants of the same family. Duplicate sowings were 

 made in light, dry soil at Paris and in strong clay soil 

 in the country. The roots at Paris were mostly white or 

 rose and the long form dominated; in the country all 

 the colors and all possible forms were obtained. The 

 roots of the wild plant were very slender, dry, fibrous, 

 always the same shape, always white, hard, woody and 

 inedible. The roots of the same species after four gen- 

 erations of seed were large, various in form and color, 

 fleshy, the flesh white, yellowish, rosy or violet, succu- 

 lent, and good to eat. Figs. 2064, 2065. 



Carriere gives three pictures of the wild type with 

 which he began, and eight pictures of various types 

 produced after five years of intelligent cultivation and 

 selection. The original root was about 7 inches long, 

 but it was half an inch thick for a distance of barely an 

 inch and a half. Taking extreme cases, the length of 

 root was increased from 1%-10 inches, the thickness 

 from %-5 inches, the weight from 22 to 651 grams. In 

 terms of percentage the length was increased 666 per 

 cent, the thickness 1,000 per cent, the weight 338 per 

 cent. Among the forms pictured by Carriere were the 

 common long, the carrot shape, the turnip shape, the 

 beet shape and others, in all 8 types, the length and 

 diameter of which are given in every instance. All 

 these roots had the characteristic flavor of the Radish 

 well developed. There were others which in flavor ap- 

 proached turnips and other root crops of the mustard 

 family. 



The Rat-tail Radish, Fig. 2066, is grown for its much- 

 developed soft pods, which may be used as Radishes 

 are and in the making of pickles. It is rarely grown in 

 American gardens, although it is well worth raising as 

 a curiosity. It is annual, and its cultivation presents no 

 difficulties. L 4 jj_ g 



GARDEN NOTES ON RADISH. A very small area will 

 furnish an abundance of Radishes for a family. Rad- 

 ishes are of easy culture, and as they are at their best 

 when not more than an hour out of the ground they 

 make one of the most desirable vegetables for the home 



garden. In order to secure high quality it is essential 

 to use well-bred seed, secure a quick growth, and use 

 the product when in prime condition. 



Spring Radishes. The earlier quick - growing sorts 

 will reach a usable size in 20-40 days from planting, 

 and become pithy and worthless within 10-12 days later. 

 Therefore repeated sowings are necessary to insure a 

 continuous supply. The plant is very hardy, and the 

 first sowing should be made as soon as the ground can 

 be worked. The richer and more friable the soil can be 

 made the better, and there is little danger of over-ma- 

 nuring provided that the manure is fine ; and the older 

 and better decomposed it is the more satisfactory will 

 be the results. Having mixed the fertilizer with the 

 soil and made it as fine and smooth as possible, form 

 drills about 1 in. deep and 10-18 in. apart, and drop 

 15-30 seeds to the foot, covering with about % in. of 

 soil well firmed down with the hand or hoe. From 2 to 4 

 feet of drill will furnish an abundant supply for one 

 person during the time those from a single sowing are 

 usable, and sowings should be repeated once in 10 or 

 12 days. 



Early Radishes are often ruined by "maggots." We 

 know of no certain preventive other than covering the 

 soil just after planting with a heavy dressing of un- 

 leached wood ashes. A still thicker dressing of tobacco 

 dust will often enable one to get good roots when other- 

 wise the crop would be a failure. Market-gardeners 



2063. Root of the wild Radish, with which Carriere began 

 his experiments (X %). 



often scatter a few seeds of early Radish in their rows 

 of onions and beets. The Radishes start quickly and 

 enable the gardener to see and cultivate the rows sooner; 

 and the Radish crop is matured and pulled before the 

 space is all needed for the more permanent crops. 

 Petite Cote, Ontario, is a little hamlet of French set- 



