RADISH 255 
shine and length of days are important factors. In April 
and May, roots of small size may be grown in four weeks, 
while twice this length of time may be required at mid- 
winter. There is no reason why the first sowings should 
not be made in October or perhaps earlier in houses 
which can be thoroughly ventilated. Radishes generally 
sell at good prices immediately before and during the 
Christmas holiday season. Scarlet Globe sown about 
November 15 should produce marketable roots a few days 
before Christmas. The beds should be resown as rapidly 
as they are cleared. 
Most growers make rows or furrows for the seed by 
means of a thin, narrow board, long enough to extend 
nearly across the bed. By drawing it back and forth a 
few times, a furrow is quickly made. It need not be more 
than half an inch deep. The seed is distributed with the 
thumb and fingers or with an envelope. Twenty seeds 
to each linear foot of row should give a good stand of 
plants. The furrows are closed in some convenient way, 
and the beds firmed with a block of wood and then 
watered. 
Thinning.—Two general policies are followed with 
reference to thinning. One is to sow enough seed to in- 
sure a good stand of plants without crowding, and then 
to do no thinning until they are large enough for market, 
when their removal will leave more space for the remain- 
ing plants. With this plan of management more time is 
required for all the plants on a given area to produce 
roots of marketable size. It is claimed by some growers 
that this method is more profitable than the usual plan of 
thinning the small seedlings. 
The majority of commercial growers prefer to sow 
plenty of seed and then thin the plants soon after they 
are up. While this is a somewhat tedious task, there are 
distinct advantages in thinning. The smaller plants may 
be removed, leaving only the strong, vigorous ones which 
will be likely to produce good roots. Again, the roots 
