264 GARDEN FARMING 



never produces seed. In fact, it reproduces itself so readily by 

 division and by offshoots that it has practically lost the power of 

 seed production. It frequently throws up blossom stalks, but sel- 

 dom or never produces a capsule ; and even when the capsules 

 are produced, they contain only abortive seeds. 



Propagation. Commercially, horse-radish is propagated by vege- 

 tative parts. The experiments conducted at Cornell University 

 Experiment Station some years ago showed that good commercial 

 horse-radish can be produced from cuttings not more than i inch 

 long, planted in drills in much the same way as are beans. The 

 usual practice, however, is to use the slender side roots, which 

 vary in size from that of an ordinary lead pencil to ^ inch or more 

 in diameter and from 2 or 3 inches to 6 or 8 inches in length. 

 Long straight cuttings are best. These are set at intervals of 10 

 or 1 2 inches, in rows at such a distance apart as will permit cultiva- 

 tion with horse-power implements. The cuttings or roots are usually 

 transplanted with a sharp dibble in the same manner as cabbage 

 or other truck plants ; that is, by using the dibble to make small 

 openings for the roots and to firm the soil about them. This 

 firming is done by inserting the dibble 3 or 4 inches from the root 

 and with it pressing the soil in such a way as to fill up that part 

 of the hole not fully occupied by the root and thus to establish the 

 cutting. The long cuttings may also be set by means of a spade 

 the same as is nursery stock. 



Preparation of the soil. The land to be used for horse-radish 

 should be carefully prepared by deep plowing, subsoiling, and the 

 application of a liberal dressing of stable manure and fertilizer. 

 Planting should be done early to give a long season, and the soil 

 should be tilled deeply to permit the development of a long, straight 

 main root. The larger and longer the root, the more valuable it 

 becomes. Long cuttings set in subsoiled land and well cultivated 

 should give good results. Clean cultivation such as is given potatoes 

 will suffice for this crop. 



Harvesting. At the approach of cold weather, horse-radish is 

 harvested by plowing out the roots, cutting off the tops, and storing 

 the trimmed roots in sand in suitable pits or cellars. Such of the crop 

 as can be disposed of immediately is shipped in barrels to various 

 markets, the stored roots being shipped as the market requires. 



