THE BRASSICAS 49 



early. No one needs large roots, but rather those 

 of medium size, smooth and handsome. 



Good red flesh varieties, the colour showing when 

 the flesh is cut into, are Blood-red, Dell's Crimson, 

 Pragnell's Exhibition and Nutting's Dwarf-red ; 

 varieties with a very dark, almost black, flesh are 

 Cheltenham Green Top and Button's Black. All 

 these varieties need similar culture. To have good 

 clean roots, trench the ground twenty inches deep 

 in winter, burying some half-decayed manure low 

 down. If by the spring the soil seems to have 

 hardened fork it well over, and sow the seed at the 

 times previously mentioned. Draw drills two inches 

 deep, twelve inches apart, and sow the seeds thinly along 

 the drills, then cover them up. When the seedlings 

 are three inches high thin them out to six inches 

 apart in the rows, and use the hoe frequently to stir 

 the soil and keep down weeds. The plants need little 

 further attention. If the ground has been manured 

 for a previous crop so much the better ; it is not wise 

 to apply fresh manure near the surface of the ground. 



THE BRASSICAS. 



We may group under this heading some of the most 

 important of green vegetables such as the Borecoles 

 or Kales, the Broccoli, Cauliflower and the Cabbage, 

 a large family indeed, and one that the grower must 

 cultivate largely to maintain a constant supply. It is 

 impossible to consider all these groups under one head- 



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