LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS 163 



HORSE RADISH 



Horse radish has long been looked upon as an 

 essential vegetable in every home garden. < It is 

 used chiefly as a condiment, but is also widely used 

 in the home in flavoring various pickles and preserves. 

 While its culture was fornnerly confined almost entirely 

 to the home garden, it has become an important com- 

 mercial product in a number of localities. While it 

 will grow under almost any soil conditions, a well- 

 defined type of root is necessary to meet market 

 requirements, and 

 this can be grown 

 only on certain 

 types of soil, some- 

 what limited in 

 area. A deep, al- 

 luvial soil is always 



to be preferred. hand garden rakes 



Muck soils grow 



tops at the expense of roots, while the heavy clay soils 

 produce sprangly roots of little value commercially. 



The soil should be plowed from lo to 12 inches 

 deep and thoroughly fined all the way down in 

 preparation for this crop. The plant produces no 

 seed and is propagated in a commercial way from 

 root cuttings. These cuttings consist of the side 

 or lateral roots trimmed from the main root in pre- 

 paring it for market. They generally range in length 

 from four to six inches, the longest pieces produc- 

 ing the largest roots and consequently most valu- 

 able for cuttings. The top or large end of the pieces 

 is cut square, after which they are tied in bundles of 

 uniform size, packed in sand and stored in cool, moist 

 cellars until wanted for planting. The pieces are some- 

 times buried in a well-drained soil out of doors. 



