ACETAEIACEOUS PLANTS.— THE EADISH. 



175 



the large and small yellow turnip-rooted variety 

 stand no higher in our estimation. 



The Autumn kinds are the round brown, large 

 in size, not very handsome in shape, nor of a 

 decided colour. White Russian, a very large 

 sort, of good form, somewhat resembling a well- 

 formed white carrot; in flavour resembling 

 rampion. Not in general cultivation in Britain, 

 but much grown in the north of Europe. The 

 red metz, a French variety esteemed in the Paris 

 markets, in which it forms the principal supply; 

 roots of moderate length, rose-coloured, with 

 few leaves, and those very small. 



Winter radishes.- — Of these, the best is the 

 large Spanish black-rooted. The skin is black, 

 with numerous white dots; irregularly pear- 

 shaped ; flesh white, firm, and solid ; much 

 hotter than any other kind. Esteemed on ac- 

 count of its hardiness, and as affording an agree- 

 able winter salad when cut into slices. Large 

 white Spanish; skin white, tinged with green; 

 flesh firm, solid, and white ; form oval ; flavour 

 hot and pungent. Purple Spanish is only a sub- 

 variety of the black ; the skin is purplish ; flesh 

 firm and white. Oblong brown, another sub- 

 variety, with brownish skin; shape pyriform; 

 plant very hardy. The Chinese rose winter 

 radish is also a sub-variety of the white Spanish. 



Insects and diseases. — The plants, when in 

 their seed-leaf state, are preyed upon by the 

 aphides, and other insects, which are destructive 

 to all plants of the order Cruciferse : vide Cab- 

 bage and Turnip. 



General remarhs. — Some of the best plants 

 should be saved from the principal spring sow- 

 ing, for seed. Take them carefully up in May, 

 preserving the leaves entire; select the most 



perfectly formed roots, and transplant them into 

 rows 3 feet asunder each way, inserting the 

 roots with a large dibber so deep that their 

 crowns will be just level with the surface of the 

 ground. It is unwise to save seed from more 

 than one variety flowering at the same time, as 

 the plants are liable to hybridise with one an- 

 other, and seed of the previous year's sowing 

 should always be sown. To save seed of the 

 winter radishes, some of the best-formed bulbs 

 should be planted as above in March, and the 

 pods gathered when they become brown and 

 fully matured. Seed radishes must be covered 

 with nets to protect them from birds ; and if the 

 quantity of seed to be saved is great, the whole 

 stalks should be cut over, and, when dried, 

 stacked by until there is time for thrashing 

 them out. If the quantity is small, the pods 

 may be cut off individually as they ripen. " The 

 seeds of the different varieties are easily distin- 

 guished by an experienced seedsman. Those of 

 the long white radish are small, flat, and pale ; 

 of the scarlet and purple long-rooted, large; 

 and of the first very light coloured, compared 

 with those of the latter; of the white turnip, 

 small, round, and brown ; scarlet turnip rather 

 larger, and somewhat darker ; purple turnip 

 larger and brown, being similar to the long- 

 rooted purple, except in size."- — Cottage Gar- 

 deners' Dictionary, p. 762. The pods for pick- 

 ling should be taken when nearly full grown, 

 but still soft and green, which will in general be 

 the case in August. 



The European names are — Eadis or Rave in 

 French; Rabano in Spanish; Eettig in Ger- 

 man ; Rafano in Italian ; and Tamme radijs in 

 Dutch. 



