38 GARDENING FOR YOUNG AND OLD. 



count not so attractive. The flesh is soft, sweet, and well 

 flavored. Its earliness entitles it to a place in every 

 garden. 



The Early Blood Turnip is more extensively cultivated 

 in all sections of the United States than any other variety. 

 It is excellent both for summer and winter use. For 

 winter use, however, it should not be sown before the 

 first or second week in June. I have raised an excellent 

 crop sown as late as the middle of July. As a winter 

 beet the Long Smooth Blood Red is the best variety 

 or perhaps I should say, it is the most popular variety. 

 For my own use I think the Blood Turnip is just as good 

 a winter beet, if sown late, as the Long Smooth Red, 

 but it is not so productive. 



The cultivation of beets is by no means difficult; 

 they will do well on a variety of soils. The great point 

 is to make the land rich and mellow. You can grow 

 beets or Mangel Wurzels on much heavier or more clayey 

 land than you can turnips. The only point is to manure 

 heavily and work the soil thoroughly. Recollect, how- 

 ever, it will not do to work such land while it is wet. 

 Remember also, if you let such land remain unplowed 

 or unspaded until it is baked by our hot sun, you will 

 have a tough job on your hands. You must take it when 

 it is neither too wet nor too dry. Such land ought 

 always to be plowed or spaded in the autumn, and 

 again in the spring, as soon as it is dry enough to crum- 

 ble to pieces. This kind of heavy land is not easily 

 managed, but when got into good shape and properly 

 cultivated, it stands the drouth well and is immensely 

 productive. 



For early beets, it is best to select a warm sandy soil, 

 and sow the seed in rows as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground. A week and two later sow again. I sow mine in 

 rows fifteen inches apart. I say fifteen inches, not be- 

 cause fourteen inches would not be as good, or sixteen 



