THE CULTUEE OF ROOT CROPS. 87 



and the varying degrees of hardness in individual 

 seeds, beet germinates slowly and often very irregu- 

 larly. To obviate this, it is a good plan to soak 

 the seeds in water for two days previous to sowing. 

 The water should then be drained off and the seed 

 spread out on a piece of damp cloth or sacking for a 

 day or so to become surface dried, so that it may be 

 more easily handled. This soaking promotes a more 

 rapid, uniform, and stronger germination, and is 

 conducive to all-round better results. When sow- 

 ing, the ground should first be raked quite level and 

 made fine on the surface ; drills rather more than 1 

 inch deep should be drawn, and 12 to 14 inches apart. 

 Sow the seeds very thinly along the drills, or place 

 three seeds, with a short space between, at intervals 

 of 7 inches along the drill, this being the distance 

 to which the plants have to be thinned later. The 

 continuous row is most satisfactory, provided they 

 are sown thinly enough. Cover in with a rake and 

 leave the surface level. 



Thinning. When the seedlings are strong enough 

 thin to 7 inches apart. The tendency of the seeds 

 to produce closely-set tufts has already been indi- 

 cated, and these must be carefully reduced to single 

 specimens. After thinning, a watering given to the 

 rows will at once settle the soil about the roots and 

 enable the plants to become rapidly re-established. 

 This is especially beneficial when the ground is dry 

 at the time. 



During summer hoe the soil frequently between 

 the rows. 



Lifting and Storing. Beetroot should be lifted at 

 the end of October, as it has then reached maturity, 



