COMMON GARDEN PLANTS 123 



reversion. But this variability, while it is annoy- 

 ing to the practical gardener, should give the 

 radish added interest from the standpoint of the 

 plant developer. The amateur who wishes to 

 experiment with this species can begin with 

 plants grown from any good seed that he may 

 secure. He might then hybridize these plants 

 with seed of a Japanese or Chinese variety. 



The radish is supposed to have originated in 

 China and the vegetable is still very popular in 

 the Orient, where besides being eaten raw it is 

 pickled, dried, and preserved in various ways 

 somewhat as we preserve fruits. 



One of the Oriental Radishes 



The Oriental radish is of large size and may be 

 grown readily in a soil adapted to radishes in 

 general ; that is to say, a white, clean, sharp sand, 

 which should be fertilized with chemical fertilizers 

 only. The plants should have plenty of moisture 

 and sunshine, thus being urged to rapid growth. 

 They are much more subject to disease and liable 

 to become pithy or hard when grown in rich soil 

 than when grown in the sand, and are also of less 

 satisfactory flavor. 



There is little doubt that by crossing the 

 Oriental varieties with our common ones some 

 interesting variations would be produced that 



