ON REARING KITCHEN VEGETABLES. 



59 



"which is no less important than careful weeding. As 

 turnips often suffer much from drought, they should not 

 be thinned too freely ; but having the several thinnings 

 done in time is important, or they will grow weakly and 

 never form good roots. 



When weeding with the hoe, no earth ought to be drawn 

 up to the roots, as this is apt to produce bulgings or what 

 are commonly termed fingers and toes, and the leaves will 

 afford the roots sufficient shade to preserve them from 

 becoming green and acrid. 



The winter sorts afford excellent greens early in spring, 

 which are much used by all classes in London for the 

 table ; and if they are suffered to remain in the ground 

 till the spring, two or three successive crops of these 

 greens will be produced. 



A few plants of the several sorts may be allowed to 

 stand for seed, as distant as possible from each other, or 

 from any flowering cabbage, to prevent cross-fertilisation 

 by the bees or wind. 



When an early crop is wanted, seed may be sown (taking 

 care afterwards to scare the sparrows) in open weather 

 from January till April, but it is not to be depended on, 

 and is not profitable. 



I 7. — Radishes. 



The Radish is composed of nearly the same consti- 

 tuents as turnips, but being eaten raw, the chief nourish- 

 ment it affords is its fibre and its nitrogen, on the last of 

 which its flavour principally depends. 



It grows naturally in China, and sometimes here, as a 

 weed, in similar situations to the wild turnip, but thrives 

 best in the garden, on deep open loam, or a well-manured 

 sandy soil. It differs materially from the turnip as to the 

 seasons for sowing, which are successively from the be- 

 ginning of January till May-day, not later, and from the 

 end of August till the middle of October. Except in a 

 cold wet summer, no good radishes can be grown in open 

 beds, from the middle of May till September ; though 

 where a border with a northern aspect is afforded, they 

 may be grown to advantage through the whole of the 

 summer, taking care to sow them thickly, or allow them 



