142 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



mer greens. It has a seed stalk about two feet high. The 

 varieties are divided according to their seeds into round and 



varieties for table use, but this difference is not always very 

 clear. 



Culture. — The seed of spinach may be sown in hotbeds or 

 cold frames very early in the spring or outdoors as soon as 

 the ground can be worked. It is of the easiest culture. A 

 supply may be had during the whole growing season by making 

 a succession of sowings at intervals of about two weeks. 

 Under good conditions it will be ready for table use in about six 

 weeks from the time of sowing the seed. In planting it outdoors 

 the rows should be about twelve inches apart. The seed should 

 be covered about one inch deep and about forty seeds or more 

 sown to the foot or row. It is well to use plenty of seed and 

 since it often starts poorly in dry weather extra precautions are 

 taken when sowing it at that time. The plants may be thinned 

 out when too thick, and, no matter how small they are they form 

 a good vegetable. Spinach is often sown in the spring between 

 early peas, cabbage, potatoes or other slow growing crops. For 

 early spring use the seeds of the hardiest kinds should be 

 sown in this section in the latter part of August. The plants 

 should grow well and attain a good size during the cool weather 

 of autumn, and on the approach of winter they should be covered 

 with about two inches of straw, hay or similar material. When 

 thus treated the crop generally comes through the winter in this 



Figure 63.^ — Spinach, 



prickly - seeded sorts. 

 The latter have sharp, 

 hard prickles on the 

 seeds'. This division is 

 so pronounced that 

 some botanists have 

 treated these classes 

 as distinct species. The 

 prickly-seeded sorts are 

 considered the hardiest, 

 while among the round- 

 seeded kinds are per- 

 haps the most desirable 



