420 



VEGETABLE GARDENING 



a small percentage of the plants produced in this way 

 are true to type, the system should not be generally prac- 

 ticed. Root division is the method ordinarily employed. 

 A piece of root containing a strong eye will grow and 

 under favorable conditions produce a good plant in one 

 season. Gardeners who force the crop in hotbeds or 

 special buildings often lift the roots from old plantations 

 in the fall, remove a sufficient number of eyes to start 

 the new plantation the following spring and force the 

 large, fleshy roots during the winter. 





FIG. 



A FIELD OF RHUBARB 



587. Planting. Fall planting is sometimes practiced, 

 but spring planting is preferred. Early planting is im- 

 portant, because the plants need the entire growing sea- 

 son for their full development. The most common dis- 

 tances for planting are 3 x 4 or 4 x 4 feet apart. The 

 roots or eyes are covered with several inches of soil. 

 Victoria and Linnaeus are the two most popular varie- 

 ties. The former is somewhat the more vigorous. Lin- 

 naeus (sometimes called Strawberry) produces beautiful 

 pink stalks of the finest quality. Figure 98 shows a 

 field of this variety in prime condition. 



