RAMPION. 571 



The best for general culture are the common taper- 

 rooted Radishes ; and chiefly, the short-topped varieties 

 of the Salmon and Scarlet for the early and main crops. 

 No. 2. is the sort sold under the name of Salad Radish, 

 the seed leaves being large. Of the Turnip-rooted 

 Radishes, the Early White is a very delicate variety : 

 if sowed in February and March, it comes in for use in 

 April and May ; or sowed in August for autumn use. 

 The Crimson-rooted, No. 6., is a very excellent variety 

 when perfectly true, and may be sown at the time of 

 No. 7 it is nearly as early, and makes a very hand- 

 some variety at table. 



The last six kinds of Radish will supply the table in 

 succession through the autumn and winter. Those 

 which are intended for winter use should be taken up 

 in dry weather in November, divested of their leaves 

 and fibres, and preserved in sand until they are wanted. 



53. RAMPION. 



The Rampion, Campanula Rapunculus, is a biennial 

 plant, a native of Britain. It also grows wild in France, 

 Germany, Switzerland, and the north of Italy, and it 

 is sometimes found apparently wild in the neighbourhood 

 of Croydon in Surry. It has a long, white, spindle- 

 shaped root ; the leaves grow close to the ground, till the 

 stem shoots up into blossom, in which state its bunches of 

 blue flowers, about two feet high, may fairly be consi- 

 dered ornamental. Eng. Bot. p. 283. 



The root is the part which is used : it is eaten raw 

 like a Radish, having a very pleasant nutty flavour ; it 

 is also sometimes cut into winter salads, and then the 

 leaves as well as the roots are used. 



The seed should be sown in the latter end of May, 

 on a shady border of rich earth, not over stiff, the mould 

 being made as fine as possible : it is better not to rake 



