RADISHES 



607 



varieties), and in the formation of the siliques or seed-vessels 

 (which are jointed in the Wild Radish, and not so in the others), 

 it must be observed that the cultivated plants are much more 

 sensitive to cold than our native Wild Radish, a fact which would 

 appear to point to a more southern clime as the native habitat of 

 the first parents of these plants. Moreover, the stems of the 

 cultivated plants grow erect, and not in an inclined or almost 

 prostrate position, as is frequently the case with the Wild Radish. 

 There are two Asiatic forms of Radish which have unjointed, fleshy, 

 ■edible seed-vessels, viz. the Madras Radish (Radis de Madras) and 

 the Mougri, or Snake Radish, of Java {Mougri de Java ou Radis 

 Serpent), and it is towards the countries in which these forms, 

 resembling the cultivated Radish in the structure of the seed-vessel 

 and in all their characteristics of growth, are found, that we think 

 we should look for the original plant which was their common 

 ancestor. 



The cultivated Radish is looked upon as an annual, because the 

 growth of the flower-stems is not preceded by any period of repose 

 in the growth of the plant ; the large late varieties, however, should 

 rather be considered biennial. The leaves are oblong in shape, the 

 flower-stems are branched, and the flowers are white or lilac, but 

 never yellow. The seed is reddish, round or slightly elongated, 

 and usually somewhat flattened at the sides. Its germinating 

 power lasts for five years. 



The French are such excellent 

 Radish growers that those who care 

 to be informed as to the best way of 

 growing these roots can hardly do 

 better than read the cultural notes 

 given under the three divisions. 

 For various reasons, however, it may 

 be well to give here the culture 

 usually pursued in our own country, 

 both in private and market gardens. 

 •A small and constant supply of crisp, 

 •delicately flavoured bulbs should be 

 the only aim. The earliest will be 

 had from a hot-bed or from under 

 ■some glass protection. It is seldom 

 we grow a special frame of Radishes, 

 but secure all we want from frames 

 planted with other crops. In Janu- 

 ary and February we are frequently 

 making up beds of manure and 

 leaves for forcing Potatoes, Carrots, 

 «tc., and amongst these are sown a 

 few Radishes. When the Potatoes, 



for example, are planted in rows 

 15 in. apart, a row of Radishes may 

 be sown between, and they will be 

 ready for use and cleared off before 

 the Potato crop in any way inter- 

 feres with them. In Carrot-frames 

 the same thing may be done, and 

 sometimes a Radish-seed is dropped 

 in here and there amongst the Car- 

 rots, as they will push up and be 

 cleared off before the Carrots require 

 much top room. Thus young spring 

 Radishes are obtained without any 

 special attention ; many, however, 

 who try to grow early Radishes in 

 this way make mistakes. One of 

 these is sowing the seed too thickly, 

 so that when the plants come up 

 they are as a mat at top and bottom, 

 and when this is the case useful 

 roots are never formed. Thinning 

 out some of the plants as soon as 

 they can be handled is one way of 



