4 jg STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY <»s&o MOORESTO WN, NEW JERSEY jfjfe 



RADISH 



(Raphanus sativus) 



HISTORY — Probably a native of Asia. Although the original wild 

 plant has never been identified, there seems to be some question whether 

 our cultivated radish has developed from the wild radish as we now 

 know it. Phillip, in his History of Cultivated Vegetables, 1822, places 

 China as the origin. In any event, because of the accounts left by ancient 

 naturalists, its culture apparently has come down from the most remote 

 times. The Greeks were especially fond of them, and in their sacred 

 offerings to Apollo in the Temple of Delphi, radishes were always served 

 on beaten gold, whereas turnips were served on lead and beets on silver. 

 An ancient Greek writer thought so well of the radish that he devoted an 

 entire book to the subject. Pliny speaks at length on the radish, referring 

 especially to those from Egypt. He states that salt grounds no doubt 

 produced the sweetest sorts. Pliny speaks of single radishes weighing 

 as high as forty pounds apiece, while we are assured by other authors 

 that they were known to grow to weigh one hundred pounds. Radishes 

 were introduced into France arid England about 1500. During Queen 

 Elizabeth's reign, Gerard cultivated four different varieties, the direct 

 descendants of which we are, no doubt, enjoying at the present time. 

 I refer particularly to the Long Scarlet, Black Spanish and Long White, 

 all of which are well and favorably known today. The former was 

 introduced in America by Collins in 1795, and thirty-one years afterward 

 was listed by Landreth. 



No. 875 — Earliest Scarlet Forcing 



Days to Maturity 20. Listed by Gregory as Early Scarlet Olive 

 as early as 1866. A variety suited to early forcing work or for home 

 garden culture where the greatest care may be given it. The root 

 is olive-shaped of a brilliant color attaining a maximum size be- 

 fore becoming pithy of one and one-quarter inches in length and 

 five-eighths inches in diameter. It must be pulled immediately on 

 attaining full size, otherwise it will become pithy within a very few 

 days. The flesh is white, crisp and of excellent flavor. This is the 

 earliest radish under cultivation, and should not be grown except 

 as mentioned above. Pkt. 10c, ozv 15c, 34 lb. 40c, 1 lb. $1.25, 

 postpaid. 



EARLY SCARLET GLOBE (Natural Size) 



No. 877— Early Scarlet 

 Globe 



Days to Maturity 25 under favor- 

 able conditions and under unfavor- 

 able conditions 30 days. A variety 

 in larger general use for all purposes 

 than any other radish. The root 

 is rich, bright scarlet, short olive- 

 shaped or short oval, and the top is 

 smaller. It will mature five days 

 after Earliest Scarlet Forcing. Maxi- 

 mum size before becoming pithy is 

 one and one-quarter inches long by 

 three-quarters inch in diameter. 

 As 1 compared with Scarlet Olive- 

 Shaped, it is shorter, slightly fighter 

 in color and two days earlier in 

 maturing. The interior of the root 

 is pure white, mild, crisp and fine 

 grained. Its season is rather short, 

 and it must be pulled reasonably 

 soon after maturity. Recommended 

 for the home garden, for the market 

 garden or for greenhouse forcing. 

 Pkt. 10c, oz. 15c, lb. 40c, 1 lb. 

 $1.25, postpaid. 



No. 880— French 

 Breakfast 



Days to Maturity, 28. Offered 

 by B. K. Bliss in 1866 as a new 

 "variety." An olive-shaped radish, 

 deep scarlet in color, except for a 

 very slight white tip at the base 

 of the root. It resembles Sparkler 

 White Tip, except that it is slightly darker in color and is 

 olive-shaped instead of round. Its season is shorter than the latter 

 variety, and, therefore, it must be pulled soon after reaching its 

 maximum size of one inch in diameter. The strain of French Break- 

 fast as offered now is much improved over the old type. Pkt. 5c, 

 oz. 10c, M lb. 35c, 1 lb. $1.25, postpaid. 



No. 882— Sparkler White Tip 



Days to Maturity-, 28. This type of radish has been grown in 

 America for a great many years, originating under the name of 

 Scarlet Turnip White-Tip. As such it was fisted by Johnson & 

 Stokes in the eighties. A very desirable variety for home garden 

 purposes, and grown very extensively commercially, especially 

 for the Mid-West markets. The color is a very deep scarlet, with a 

 distinct white tip covering about one-third of the lower diameter 

 of the root. Its maximum size, before becoming pithy, is about one 

 and one-quarter inches in diameter. Its shape is nearly round, 

 slightly flattened on the under side. It is one of the most attractive 

 and desirable radishes in our list, inasmuch as it holds longer before 

 becoming pithy than most of the other sorts maturing in the same 

 class. Pkt. 10c, oz. 15c, M lb. 40c, 1 lb. $1.25, postpaid. 



WHITE ICICLE (Natural Size) 



60 



All varieties described on this page are good home garden varieties 



