252 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



cleaned out from between them. Witli carrot, parsnip, 

 parsley, leek, celery, and many other seeds, that germinate 

 slowly, the leaf of the radish will shade the rows, and pre- 

 vent the hot sun from baking these more delicate seeds. 

 They also prevent the growth of weeds, their long roots 

 bringing up moisture from the sub-soil, and pulling the 

 roots makes deep holes to admit air and moisture ; thus 

 cultivating the standing crop more thoroughly than can 

 be done with a hoe." They can also be sown in drills 

 between the wide drills of many of the above vegetables, 

 as well as spinach, peas, beans, Irish potatoes, yielding 

 large crops, and taking up no room available for other pur- 

 poses. 



From the first of November until March a succession of 

 this variety can be grown under glass. All that is re- 

 quired is a bed of good rich loam, watering them occa- 

 sionally, and giving air every day, when it does not abso- 

 lutely freeze. Let the sash be off every rain, and let the 

 earth come within seven or eight inches of the glass. The 

 open ground crop can be sown for fall use, if there should 

 be a wet spell in October, and in our low country from 

 that time until April. Here, however, the first of Febru- 

 ary is soon enough for the earliest spring crop, and you 

 may continue the sowings of scarlet radish at intervals of 

 two weeks, until the middle of April. If you wish later 

 radishes, choose the summer varieties for a month or 

 longer. Sow in drills an inch deep, and ten inches apart, 

 dropping the seeds three inches apart in the drills. They 

 are of such rapid growth, that they will generally take 

 care of themselves after planting in a good soil, but hoeing 

 once will hasten their growth. 



For Seed. — Some of the finest and earliest can remain 

 where grown, or be removed to another bed and inserted up 

 to their leaves. Water frequently until estabHshed, and 



