Chapter XI 



THE VEGETABLES AND THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS 



THE garden vegetables may be considered in 

 three groups, in each of which the various 

 varieties are given somewhat similar treat- 

 ment : the root crops, such as beets and carrots ; the 

 leaf crops, such as cabbage and lettuce ; the fruit 

 crops, such as melons and tomatoes. 



ROOT CROPS 



Under the first section we will consider : 

 Beet Carrot Kohlrabi 



Leek Onion Parsnip 



Potato Salsify Turnip 



Any of these may be sown in April, in drills (with 

 the exception of potatoes) twelve to eighteen inches 

 apart. The soil must be rich and finely worked, in 

 order that the roots will be even and smooth — in 

 poor or ill-prepared soil they are likely to be mis- 

 shapen, or "sprangling." They must be thinned out 

 to the proper distances, which should be done if pos- 

 sible on a cloudy day, hand-weeded as often as may 



(io8) 



