THE KITCHEN GARDEN, 



111 



the roots besides become harder, or more fibrous, and 

 less tender when cooked. 



In taking them up out of the ground, great care 

 must be used not to wound or break off any of the 

 roots. Each root should be separately lifted with a 

 five-tined fork, taken up in the hand, divested of all 

 soil by the aid of a blunt stick, the leaves being then 

 twisted oii with the hands in a manner not to 

 injure the crown — they must not by any means be 

 cut across with a knife — after which they are care- 

 fully stored away for winter use. Modern varieties 

 are greatly improved both as regards colour and 

 quality, the form of the root being excellent in some 

 instances. Such 

 varieties are those 

 known as Pine- 

 apple and Nut- 

 ting's Red. The 

 Egyptian Turnip - 

 rooted variety is 

 also a very excel- 

 lent type. Being 

 in the exact Turnip 

 shape, it is better 

 suited to shallow 

 grounds than arc 

 long-rooted ones. 



Beet, White 



[Beta cic^a). French, 

 Poiree ; , German, 

 MangoldKraut; Ita- 

 lian, Biettola. — The 

 Great White, or 

 Sweet Beet, is 

 cultivated mainly 

 for the midribs of 

 the large and or- 

 namental leaves, 

 which, with the 



green portion {lamina) removed, are cooked and 

 served, under the name of Chard, in the same 

 manner as Asparagus. The ordinary White Beet, 

 which also possesses more abundant and larger 

 leaves than the Red Beet, is grown for the leaves, 

 which are used in soups, and in the same way as 

 Spinach. A generous culture is desirable in con- 

 nection with both varieties. Small beds only are 

 needed as a rule. Sowings may be made broadcast 

 during both March and September, thinning the 

 plants out to eighteen inches apart. Delugings 

 with water are beneficial in the summer months. 

 The leaves are occasionally appreciated more in the 

 way of the Chard by being somewhat blanched, 

 which is easily done by placing between and among 

 tbem, to a third or more of their depth of leaf- 



Beoccoli, Early White. 



growth, dry fallen tree-leaves, &;c. The frequent 

 gathering of the outside leaves will induce the 

 plants to form others of a more tender and succulent 

 kind the more quickly. 



'Bvoccoli {Br assicaoleracea,\ax. hotrytis). French, 

 CJioH hrocoli ; German, ^parcjel-Kold ; Spanish, Broculi. 

 — The Broccoli may be described as a hardy form of 

 Cauliflower, and one which, owing to the climatic 

 influences derived from its native country, and the 

 natural period of flowering there, adheres to its prac- 

 tice of flowering to date (whether that be midwinter 

 or spring, judging the seasons as exj^erienced) here. 



Originally im- 

 jDorted from Cyprus 

 towards the end of 

 the sixteenth cen- 

 tury, other forms 

 in duplicate were 

 received from Italy 

 somewhat later. 

 Being hardier than 

 the Cauliflower, and 

 capable of with- 

 standing the sharp 

 frosts of our win- 

 ters, especially now 

 that such excellent 

 white - flowered 

 forms exist, it is 

 one of the most 

 valuable and reli- 

 able vegetables. 

 It requires and 

 deser%^es gener- 

 ous culture. A 

 somewhat stifl: 

 heavy soil suits it 

 the best, having 

 a moderate sup- 

 ply of good manure intermixed therewith. 



In view of securing a successional supply for a 

 lengthened period, commencing with the month of 

 October, and continuing onward throughout the 

 winter until about June of the following year, it is 

 necessary to grow several varieties and to sow the 

 seeds, plants, &c., at different seasons. 



Seeds of the following varieties have to be sown 

 early in the month of April upon a warm sunny 

 border, viz. : Snow's Winter White, Walcheren, and 

 Grange's for autumn and winter use. Dilcock's 

 Pride, Penzance, Miller's, and Wilcove's during the 

 third week in March for a later or early spring and 

 early summer supply. The seeds should be sown on 

 well-manured, finely-raked and broken-up ground. 

 Sow them broadcast, and simply draw the rake to 



