Which Radishes, and Why —.y Adolph Kruhm, ¥5% 
WITH YOUR NEEDS FULLY UNDERSTOOD IT IS EASY TO HAVE RADISHES THAT WILL COME UP 
TO YOUR DESIRES—GET THE RIGHT TYPES FOR THE TIME THEY ARE WANTED 
[Eprror’s NotE.—Three years ago Mr. Kruhm contributed a complete series of articles on efficient ways of growing the popular garden veg- 
etables, and had something to say about the varieties to be grown where quality was the prime object. 
In the present series, of which this is the 
first article, the reader is taken a step farther and is introduced to the finer distinctions between varieties, groups of varieties, strains, types, ete. 
No ordinary gardener can be expected to keep critically informed on the modern progress of varieties; and the elimination of the “too-much- 
alike” is a big problem. 
Mr. Kruhm interprets these things so that the average man may avail himself of the expert's acquaintance with the 
behavior of actual types, i. e. groups of varieties, and will think of varieties as offered in the catalogues as forms of a type, rather than as mere 
names having no relationship to each other.] 
N THE first place ask yourself “What 
do I want? Round or long radishes; 
red or white?” After that, ask 
“When do I want them,” and then 
utilize the information supplied here to 
get the “worth-while” kind of a radish 
crop. 
Radishes are easily the most popular 
crop in the home garden and there is no 
section of the country in which they 
may not be grown to advantage pro- 
vided the requirements of this crop are 
considered. It is of small use to at- 
tempt growing long sorts on stony 
ground or any ground having a hard 
subsoil. In such a case select small 
turnip or globe shaped sorts. And last 
spring taught me the lesson that soil 
may be too rich for certain kinds of 
radish. Don’t plant long radishes in 
too rich or too highly manured ground 
since they positively seem to attract all 
sorts of worms, maggots, grubs, etc., re- 
gardless of the fact that these vermin 
were never before in evidence. 
Radishes are not particular as to soil, 
location or weather conditions. They 
do well in poor soil, if you are willing 
to stretch a point in time of maturity; 
they thrive in the shade if you give 
them lots of cultivation and they grow 
in coolest weather when even the small 
spring sorts will remain solid and crisp 
Hailstone (left) and Snowball (right) are representa- 
tive of the Flat Turnip and Globe Shaped types 
for a longer period than during a hot 
spell. 
Everything considered, radishes are 
the most “democratic” crop produced in 
the garden and there is no reason why 
everybody should not have them in 
prime condition throughout the season. 
Since this is a “reason-why” age, I am 
first going to explain why certain sorts 
and certain types may be disregarded 
altogether by the home gardener. 
Years ago, when this country was in 
the pioneer stage, our forefathers grew 
certain sorts because there were no 
others. If there is one human emotion 
that should not be displayed in the 
For winter use the large 
rooted winter types only 
(White Chinese or Celestial) 
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF THE STANDARD VARIETIES OF SPRING AND SUMMER RADISHES 
Z |_ FIRST | soe, SIZE OF TOPS KEEPING 
VARIETIES = | ROOTS | 25 non WHEN OF QUALI- SPECIAL NOTES 
9 | READY EATABLE SIZE TIES* 
Extra Early Scarlet Turnip May 28|June 4/8-10smallleaves | good Not as popular as ‘‘white tipped’’ sorts 
White Box = |May 30|June 10}large excellent | Best small white sort 
Sparkler =|May 25|May 31/6-8 medium leaves | good Finest “‘Scarlet White Tipped”’ strain 
Hailstone 5 May 22|May 27]6 small leaves fair Best extra early White Turnip 
Snowball <|May 23 |May 28/6 small leaves fair Use quickly. Globe Shaped 
Rapid Red May 21|May 25]/4-6 small leaves excellent | Stands well for three weeks 
Crimson Giant Globe May 26|June 2/8-10 large leaves fair Use quickly 
Vick’s Scarlet Globe May 31|June 10/8-10 large leaves good Really an elongated Globe 
White Olive Shaped 
Scarlet Olive Shaped 
French Breakfast 
Icicle 
Long Scarlet Short Top 
aon Market 
ady Finger 
Chartiers f Summer 
May 1 
June 12|June 22|big tops 
June 10|June 22}big tops 
*Note: ‘Fair’ sorts deteriorate at end of first week. 
good as long as they last. 
making of a home garden, it is the 
“worshipping” of old idols. Among 
radishes, you need not depend upon the 
yellow-skinned sorts for quality “be- 
cause your grandfather grew them.” 
They are obsolete and a study of many 
years has convinced me that there is 
absolutely no excuse or reason why our 
seedsmen should continue to list them. 
After the ‘‘Pioneer” period came a 
time when the ‘‘fakers” thrived and a 
lot of curiosities were passed on to 
“easy going” planters who were anxious 
to have something “different.” In the 
radish line, this period is fitly repre- 
sented by the striped and speckled Tri- 
umph—a pretty, round, creamy colored 
sort with lots of carmine speckles or 
spots—which get “spongy” over night 
and just looks pretty—that’s all. Last 
summer I inspected a 100-foot row of 
this sort, grown from imported seed, 
which put Heinz’s proverbial “57 va- 
rieties” to the bad for a variety of dif- 
ferent shapes, sizes and colors. 
Finally, about fifteen or twenty years 
ago, American home gardeners entered 
the “reason-why” era, and from that 
time on real progress is recorded in 
every kind of American vegetable. 
Among radishes, progress meant a 
classification according to shape and 
season of maturity and we have now 
25 
May 25|June 2/6-8 small leaves fair 
May 25|June 4/6-8 medium leaves | good 
May 25|June 2/6 small leaves 
June 4|June 12/8-10 large leaves 
June 10} June 15/8-10 large leaves good 
June 10| June 20]8-10 large leaves 
“Good’’ sorts stand 10 days-2 weeks. 
Use quickly 
Not as popular as next 
Fine companion to “‘Sparkler’’ 
Best general purpose sort 
Good general purpose sort 
excellent | Stands heat well 
excellent | Of firmer texture than Icicle 
excellent | Splendid hot weather sort 
excellent 
“Excellent’”’ sorts are 
reached the point where there is abso- 
lutely no reason for failure with this 
crop if certain fundamental principles 
are kept in mind and applied. 
Let us start with the seeds. Two dis- 
tinct kinds are offered; American 
grown and imported. The American 
grown radish seed may come from 
Michigan or California, imported 
strains from any one of four countries 
in Europe. Of one point I am certain: 
I would rather have a good strain of 
California grown radish seed than some 
of the imported stocks now “dumped” 
upon the American market. 
Considering the best of each class, 
both have their good and their bad 
points. California grown radish seed 
produce roots with larger tops, of vary- 
ing color and of rather irregular shape, 
while the best imported strains have 
small tops, are of deep, true colors and 
of uniform shape. BUT—American 
grown radish seed grow roots that 
stand the fickle moods of our climate 
from coast to coast. Roots that are 
solid when those from the imported 
seed are “‘spongy,” roots that are mild 
in flavor when those from imported seed 
are as hot as the weather! The differ- 
ence in cost of seeds by the ounce is im- 
material—try both for yourself. 
The confusing multitude of varieties 
