Radishes. . 285 



as it is impossible for useful roots to form under such condi- 

 tions, and the other occupants of the frame are injured by 

 overcrowding. When grown with other crops, Radishes should 

 not stand closer than 3in. apart on the average, and when it is 

 seen that they come up closer they should be at once thinned 

 to this distance, but thick sowing under such circumstances is 

 wasteful of both seed and labour. Another frequent mistake, 

 attributable solely to carelessness, is to omit properly clearing 

 the bed of all small immature Radish plants when the bulk of 

 the crop is taken; these should never be allowed to remain, 

 or they quickly make large tops which overshadow and injure 

 the other plants. 



Another way in which early supplies may be obtained is to 

 make a hot-bed, about 1ft. thick, at the beginning of February, 

 either on the surface of the ground or in a shallow trench. 

 On this is put 3m. of light soil, and after the seed is sown 

 cover the bed with litter, or with mats laid on a light frame- 

 work of laths. The coverings must be removed in the day-time 

 and replaced each night. With careful management the crop 

 will be ready in about five weeks from sowing. 



Early Crops from the Open. It is useless attempting to 

 get very early crops of Radishes from land of a heavy sticky 

 nature unless special preparation is made to get rid of excessive 

 damp and to make the surface friable. In addition to being 

 well drained, for early work such soil should be laid in raised 

 beds and the surface should be covered with 4in. of light com- 

 post. Naturally light, warm, well-drained soils need no special 

 preparation beyond reducing the surface to as fine a tilth as 

 possible before the seed is sown, though even these are all 

 the better for having sunk pathways between the beds to take 

 excessive moisture away quickly. 



The earliest sowings are made from December to February, 

 in the most sheltered and sunny positions available, which are 

 generally found between rows of fruit trees and bushes or at 

 the foot of walls or fences. The beds are made from 4ft. to 5ft. 

 wide, as is most convenient, the crop being gathered from the 

 pathways, without treading on the beds. Seed is sown broad- 

 cast, thinly, raked in with a wooden rake, and then slightly 

 covered with fine soil. After sowing, the bed is covered with 



