360 VEGETABLE FORCING 
For the fall crop, it is common to sow in drills 10 
inches to a foot apart, and to thin the plants to 2 or 3 
inches apart. If space is an important consideration, it 
is more economical to sow the seed in beds or flats, and 
then prick out the seedlings into beds on the ground or 
on raised benches. The beet is sometimes used as a com- 
panion crop with tomatoes and cucumbers. Early varie- 
ties, such as Egyptian, are the most satisfactory for 
greenhouse culture. 
CARROT 
The carrot requires about the same cultural conditions 
as the radish, except that a larger percentage of sand is 
needed to grow smooth, regular roots. The small- 
topped, early Short Horn type is the best for forcing 
purposes. The seed may be planted in rows 6 inches 
apart and the plants thinned to an inch apart. Sowings 
made at intervals of three weeks will give a succession 
of roots. It does best as a spring crop, though with 
bottom heat it may be grown with entire success at 
midwinter. 
CHINESE CABBAGE 
Some attempts have been made to grow Pe Tsai or 
Chinese cabbage (Fig. 127) under glass, but with only 
fair success. It seems to rebel against the artificial con- 
ditions of the greenhouse. There is no difficulty in 
growing the plants for several weeks, but specimens of 
good size tip burn very easily unless unusual precau- 
tions are taken. The transpiration of water from the 
large, fleshy leaves is so rapid that the roots cannot 
supply moisture as rapidly as it is lost from the leaves, 
and tip burning necessarily results. It is thought that 
a very rich soil and low temperatures for about 5 weeks 
would cause the formation of an extensive root system, 
