276 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



Radishes are usually sown as early in spring as the ground is 

 fit, even before frosts are past. Sow in rows 6 to 12 inches apart, 

 or farther apart if a wheel hoe is to be used. Cover 3^ inch. Thin to 

 2 or 3 inches apart. For family use, sow at intervals of 7 to 10 days. 

 As the season advances, select a cooler site, as a northern expo- 

 sure. Usually the sowings are discontinued from the last of Juce 

 until late August. One ounce of seed sows 100 feet or more of 

 drill; 8 to 10 lbs. is required for an acre. 



The most popular variety is French Breakfast. Other good 

 kinds are Olive-shaped, Scarlet Short-top, Chartier, Wood Early 

 Frame, White Box. For summer, good varieties are White Naples, 

 White Vienna, Strasburg, Stuttgart. For winter, Scarlet Chinese, 

 Black Spanish, White Spanish may be mentioned. 



The radish is an annual; or the roots may be kept over winter 

 and planted out in the spring, when they will quickly run to seed. 

 Spring and summer radishes run to seed the same season if left in 

 the ground, but the best seed is produced from plants that are 

 transplanted when young. Little radish seed is grown in North 

 America, probably largely because of the high price of hand labor. 



The radish, Baphanus sativus, is one of the Cruciferse or Mustard 

 family. It is unknown in a wild state. It is probably a devel- 

 opment of the wild Charlock, Baphanus Baplianistrum , which is an 

 annual weed of the Old World and is now 'naturaliz d in parts 

 of the eastern states. (Consult Carriere's experiments as reported 

 in his pamphlet Origine des Plantes Domestiques demontree par 

 la Culture du Radis Sauvage," Paris, 1869.) The garden radish 

 occasionally runs wild, when it loses its thick root. For a history 

 of the radish, see Sturtevant, American Naturalist, April, 1890, pp. 

 320-326. For description and classification of varieties of radish, 

 see Goff, 6th Rep. N. Y. State Exp. Sta. (for the year 1887), pp. 

 146-168. The classification is based on form and color of root: 



A. Root oblate, spherical or top -shaped. 

 White. 



Yellow, light brown or grayish. 



Red. 



Purple. 



Black. 



