634 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. PART III. 



SUBSKCT. 10. Radish. Raphams sativus, L. (Lam. III. t. 568.) Tetrad. Siliq. L, and 

 Crucifera', J. Radis and Rave, Fr. ; Rettig, Ger. ; and Rafano, Ital. 



3754. The radish is an annual, a native of China, and mentioned by Gerrard in 1584. 

 " The leaves are rough, lyrate, or divided transversely into segments, of which the infe- 

 rior less ones are more remote. The root is fleshy, and fusiform in some varieties, in 

 others sub-globular ; white within, but black, purple, yellow, or white, on the outside ; 

 the flowers pale-violet, with large, dark veins ; pods long, with a sharp beak." 



3755. Use. Formerly the leaves were often boiled and eaten ; but now the roots are 

 chiefly employed. These are eaten raw in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The 

 young seedling leaves are often used with cresses and mustard, as small salad ; and radish 

 seed-pods, when of plump growth, but still young and green, are used to increase the 

 variety of vegetable pickles, and are considered a tolerable substitute for capers. 



3756. Varieties. These may be divided into the spring, autumn, and winter sorts. 

 Spring radishes may be subdivided into the long or spindle-rooted (Rave, Fr.); and the 

 round or turnip-rooted (Radis, Fr.); the autumn sorts are chiefly oval or turnip-rooted, 

 and the winter radishes are ovate or oblong, and dark-colored. " The character of a 

 good long-rooted radish," Strachan observes, " is to have its roots straight, long, free from 

 fibres, not tapering too suddenly, and especially to be fully formed on the top, or well 

 shouldered, as it is called, and without a long neck ; the roots should be ready to draw 

 whilst the leaves are small, whence the name short-top radish, and if they soon attain a 

 proper size, and also force well, they are then called early and frame radishes." (Hort. 

 Trans, vol. iii. p. 438.) 



3757. Estimate of sorts. The spindle-rooted kinds are cultivated in the largest proportion for the first 

 crops. The small turnip-rooted sorts may be sown in spring as secondary crops, and in summer and au- 

 tumn for more considerable supplies. The winter sorts nave a coarser flavor than the other kinds; but 

 being of a hardy nature, are frequently sown. They are sliced in salads, or occasionally eaten alone with 

 salt, vinegar, and other condiments. 



3758. Propagation. All the varieties are raised from seed. 



3759. Soil and situation. The soil should be light and mellow, well broken by digging : for sowings be- 

 tween the middle of October and the middle of February, let the site be a dry sheltered border, open to 

 the full sun. From the middle of February to the end of March, any dry open compartment will be suit- 

 able. As spring and summer advance, allot cooler and shaded situations. A scattering of the smaller 

 growing sorts may be sown among some broad-cast crops of larger growth, such as spinage, lettuce, and 

 onion ; it may be also drilled between wide rows of beans, or on ground intended to be sown with a late 

 spring crop. 



3760. Times of sowing. " The crops raised between the middle of October and the middle of February, 

 are usually confined to the spindle-rooted kinds. Of the early short-top red, a first small saving may be 

 made at the end of October, another in November, and a third in the last fortnight of December, if open 

 temperate weather ; respectively to stand over the winter : but make the principal early sowings in January, 

 or the beginning of February. From this time sow every fortnight or ten days, in full succession crops 

 till the end of IVJay ; as well the white and red small turnip-rooted as the autumn sorts. The winter sorts 

 are sometimes raised at the beginning of summer ; but the fittest season to sow them is from the end of 

 June to the end of August ; that is, in July for use in autumn, and in August, to provide a supply through- 

 out winter." 



3761. Seed, process in sowing, and common culture. " Sow each sort separate ; and for a bed four feet 

 six inches by twelve feet, two ounces of seed will be required of the spring sorts, and an ounce and half 

 for the autumn varieties. All the kinds may be sown either broad-cast or in drills ; but the latter is pre- 

 ferable, as allowing the roots to be drawn regularly, with less waste. If you sow broad-cast, it is a good 

 method to make beds four or five feet wide, with alleys between, a foot wide, the earth of which may be 

 used to raise the beds, or not, as the season may make it desirable to keep the beds dry or moist. Avoid 

 sowing excessively thick, as it tends to make the tops run, and the roots stringy. Rake in the seed well, 

 full half an inch deep, leaving none on the surface to attract the birds. If you trace drills, let them be 

 for the spindle-rooted kinds half an inch deep, and about two inches and a half asunder ; for the small 

 turnip-rooted, three quarters of an inch deep, and four or five inches asunder ; and for the black turnip 

 or Spanish, six or eight inches asunder, because the root grows to the size of a middle-sized turnip. As 

 the plants advance in growth, thin them so as to leave the spindle-rooted about two inches square distance, 

 and the other sorts three, four, or five, leaving the most space to the respective sorts in free-growing wea- 

 ther. In dry warm weather, water pretty frequently : this swells the roots, and makes them mild and 

 crisp." 



3762. Occasional shelter. " The crops sown between the end of October and the end of February, be- 

 sides being favored in situation, will want occasional shelter, according to the weather. On the first ap- 

 proach of frost, whether the seed is just sown, or the plants have appeared, cover the ground, either with 

 clean straw, dry long haulm, or dried fern, two or three inches thick, or with mats supported on short 

 stout pegs. The covering will keep off the birds, and by its warm effect on the mould, forward the ger- 

 mination of the seed. The time for removing or restoring it must be regulated by the weather ; as the 

 plants should be exposed to the full air whenever it can be safely done. If the season be cold without 

 frost, take off' the covering every morning, and put it on towards evening; and if the weather be sharp 

 and frosty, let it remain on night and day, till the plants have advanced into the first rough leaves, and af- 



