BEETS. 



139 



tli«iii with most other seeds, as the rough seeds (fruit) are liable 



to clog the feed hole. There are a few beet seed sowing ma- 

 chines p.dapted for horse power that it will probably pay one 

 to use where a large amount of land is to be cultivated in 

 beets. About six pounds of seed is required per acre, and it 

 is always a good plan to sow^ an abundance of seed, as it does 

 not start very uniformly. 



Forcing Beets. — Beets are easily forced by sowing the early 

 maturing kinds in February or March in hotbeds, where they 

 may be left to mature or may be transplanted when of proper 

 size. It is, however, best to allow them to grow^ to table size 

 without transplanting, as this always puts the plants back, and 

 they recover from it slowly. 



Harvesting and Keeping Beets. — On the approach of severe 

 weather — in this section about the middle of October — beets 

 should be pulled and the tops cut or twisted off, but the top of 

 the root should not be cut off. Light frosts do not hurt them 

 much especially when they are protected with a heavy growth 

 of foliage, but when the surface of the ground freezes hard there 

 is danger of permanent injury to the roots. Beets are easily 

 kept in a cold cellar. It is generally best to put them outside 

 when dug and allow them to remain there until severe weather 

 sets in. If the air of the cellar is very dry the beets should 

 be covered with earth after being put in bins, or they will wilt 

 and become corky. Beet seed is grown by planting out the 

 roots about the middle of May, two feet apart in rows three 

 feet apart. The seed ripens in the summer and is generally 

 threshed off as soon as ripe. 



Varieties. — There are many varieties of garden beets, and 

 they vary considerably in size, form and color, time of matur- 

 ing and other characteristics. Among the most valuable are 

 the following: 



Eclipse. — A very early dark-red turnip-shaped beet of good 

 quality. Valuable for early or late sowing. A favorite vrith 

 market gardeners. 



Egyptian. — Valuable for early sowing. 



Bastian's Early Turnip Beet. — A valuable early sort, tender, 

 sweet and good in every way; one of the best for early or late 

 planting. 



