CHAPTER FOURTEEN 
ROOT CROPS AND HOW TO GROW THEM 
Say what you will of roots and the root crop, I like to 
have a good lot of them for winter use. I would not do 
without them for twice their cost. 
Old Farmer's Almanac 
Tue radish, turnip, rutabaga, beet, carrot, parsnip, 
and salsify are the principal root crops commonly grown 
in vegetable gardens. While these plants thrive best in 
temperate regions, they are all grown successfully in our 
southern states during the cooler months of winter and 
early spring. The sweet potato is another important 
root crop, but it is not adapted to the shorter growing 
period of the more northern states. 
Root crops are very important vegetables. In the 
first place, they yield abundantly. There are 400 or 500 
plants in a row of carrots or beets 100 feet long, and these 
crops often yield at the rate of 600 bushels to the acre. 
The yield is high also in the other root crops. 
In the second place, root crops, taken together, are avail- 
able for use during practically the whole year. Radishes 
are the first vegetable ready for the table from seed 
planted in thespring. Beets and carrots are long-season 
crops, but the young and partially grown roots may be 
pulled for use early, thus much extending the period 
of harvest for the crop. Radishes and turnips can be 
grown in the fall as well as in the spring, and in the 
autumn the surplus of all root crops may be stored 
for winter consumption. Parsnips and salsify can be 
dug for use, during autumn and spring, and also dur- 
ing winter when the ground is not frozen. These root 
crops have a special value because they supply vege- 
2ir 
