158 VEGETABLES FOR EXHIBITION 



three or four times in the earlier part of the growing 

 season a slight dressing of a good artificial manure may 

 be given, choosing a showery day for the purpose. 

 At the first sign of frost lift the roots, twist off a few 

 of the outer leaves, and store the crop in a cool position, 

 from which frost is excluded, in finely sifted road sand. 

 For exhibition they should be of medium size, evenly 

 tapering, regular, with a clean skin, and about twelve 

 inches to fifteen inches long. Soak for half an hour 

 in cold water, then sponge carefully, and remove any 

 small rootlets with a sharp knife. The young fresh 

 leaves should be left on, and the roots syringed just 

 before leaving them to be judged. Good long-rooted 

 varieties are Dobbie's New Purple, Pragnell's Exhibi- 

 tion, Sutton's Black and Sutton's Dark Red. For 

 early use Carter's Crimson Globe and Sutton's Globe 

 are good. These should be sown about 2Oth April 

 in rows one foot apart, and the plants thinned out 

 to ten inches between each. A good soil for this 

 crop is that described in the first instance, and the 

 best situation a south border. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 



For late autumn shows a good dish of Brussels 

 Sprouts forms a pleasing and telling feature in all col- 

 lections of vegetables where eight varieties and more 

 are required. Undoubtedly the best soil for Brussels 

 Sprouts is a good heavy loam, but properly prepared 

 almost any land is suitable. As a long season of growth 



