RADISH 



VEGETABLE GARDEN 



SEAKALE 



1121 



have had something to do with producing 

 the cultivated Radish, but it is novy a 

 matter of mere speculation. 



Soil. — Any Ught or fairly good garden 

 soil will grow Eadishes well, but it should 

 be open and well exposed to the sun. 

 Early spring crops usually have sufficient 

 moisture, but if Eadishes are required 

 during the summer months, it is well to 

 select a piece of soil which is naturally 

 moist and cool rather than dry and 

 hot. 



Sowing. — Eadishes are best sown in 

 beds not exceeding 5 feet wide. The beds 

 should have at least a .good foot of space 

 between them to form an alley or path- 

 way, so that half the crop may be picked 

 easily from one side and half from the 

 other. The seed is usually sown broad- 

 cast and as thinly and evenly as possible. 

 The surface of the soil is afterwards raked 

 over, and may be made firm with the 

 back of the spade, or where large patches 

 are sown, with a light roller. 



The first sovraig' out of doors may be 

 made on warm sunny south borders during 

 December and January. As the weather 

 at that period of the year is more or less 

 severe, according to locality, the seed beds 

 should be covered with clean straw or 

 litter. This need not be disturbed until 

 the seedlings are well through the soil, 

 and even then it should be removed only 

 on warm bright days, and replaced towards 

 night. '•■■ 



It is however a moot question whether 

 there is any particular advantage in 

 sowing Eadishes so early as December or 

 January. One of the chief points with 

 Eadishes is to grow them as quickly as 

 possible, and it is obvious that the period 

 mentioned is not one of rapid growth. If 

 the first sowing in the open air be made 

 not earlier than the middle of February, 

 it will be found that the plants are quite 

 as forward and better flavoinred than 

 those raised from seeds sown a month or 

 two before. 



As an alternative to this the seeds 

 may be sown in cold frames, where there 

 are sufficient for the purpose, but they 

 must be protected by the lights in frosty 

 weather. In fine weather these may be 

 removed altogether, or tilted so as to 

 allow an abundance of fresh air. 



It is a good plan to sow seeds from the 

 middle of January to the end of February 

 on a gentle ' hotbed, which may be made 

 as described at p. '46. As the plants are 



apt to be drawn in a frame, the seeds 

 should be sown thinly, and plenty of air 

 should be given on aU favourable occasions. 

 Many good gardeners also sow a fair 

 quantity of Lettuce seeds with those of the 

 Eadishes, afterwards lightly raking the 

 surface of the soil and gently pattiog it 

 down with the back of the spade. The 

 Eadishes sprout first, and as they becorae 

 fit for use may be pulled, or ' drawn ' as 

 gardeners say. This will leave plenty of 

 space for the yoimg Lettuce to develop. , 

 From March onwards seeds may be 

 sown at intervals of about a fortnight, or 

 more rarely, according as Eadishes are 

 wanted or not. In the summer months, 

 frequent waterings will be necessary, 

 unless, as mentioned above, the seeds have 

 been sown on naturally moist soil. 



Maturity. — Eadishes are best pulled 

 when they have produced about the third 

 or fourth rough leaf. If allowed to grow 

 too long they lose their tenderness and 

 flavour and become woolly or stringy. 

 The quicker they are grown the better,, 

 and in this respect they resemble Turnips. 

 It is a good plan, especially ill dry weather, 

 to water the beds thoroughly the day 

 before the Eadishes are pulled. 



Eneinies. — The Turnip Fly sometimes 

 visits the, Eadish and treats it in the same 

 way as it does the Turnip. A sprinkling 

 of lime and soot when the leaves are wet 

 or damp will check its ravages. 



Varieties. — There are many of these 

 so far as names go, but they may be 

 roughly divided into (i) The Turnip- 

 rooted, varieties of which there are scarlet 

 red, and white forms ; (ii) The OUve- 

 shapeA varieties which include the white,, 

 scarlet, and French Breakfast forms ; and 

 (iii) The Long tapering varieties, Uke the 

 Long Eed, and Lady's Finger forms. 



The Java or Rat's Tail Radish (Bapha- 

 nus caudatus) is a peculiar variety, of 

 which the purple or violet seed pods only 

 are edible. They are 8-10 in. long, often 

 twisted, and not so thick as a lead pencil, 

 and shpuld be used when about half- 

 grown. The seeds should be sown thinly 

 in the open ground in May, and about 

 August the seed pods will be fit for eating 

 in a raw state, like ordinary Eadishes, or 

 they may be pickled in vinegar. 



SEAKALE (Cbambb maritima). — 

 The Seakale is a Cruciferous native peren 

 nial with large sinuated densely glaucous 

 or blue-green leaves. Of late years it has 



4o 



