ESCULENT -ROOTED PLANTS.— RED BEET. 



227 



Beet sown too early is liable to be killed 

 by the late spring-frosts. 



The superior varieties of beet for salad 

 purposes do not grow very large nor long ; 

 yet, from their fusiform shape, it is neces- 

 sary that the ground should be deeply 

 trenched or dug, and finely pulverised, 

 that the roots may meet with no obstruc- 

 tion in their descent, to induce their be- 

 coming forked or misshapen ; and, for the 

 same reason, recent manure should not be 

 applied, but ground employed which is in 

 good condition, such as that from which 

 celery has been removed. Although all 

 the beets transplant well, if done while 

 the plants are small, still it is better to 

 sow in drills than broadcast — either to 

 leave the crop in that way, or to trans- 

 plant it entirely. These drills should be 

 18 inches apart, and 2 inches deep. Some 

 pierce holes, 2 inches deep, with a blunt 

 dibble, at the distances at which the plants 

 should ultimately stand in the rows, and 

 drop three or four seeds in each, thinning 

 out the plants after they come up, so as to 

 leave only one in each place. There can 

 be no objection to this mode, more than 

 that of sowing in the opened drills, pro- 

 vided care is taken to place the seeds at a 

 proper and uniform depth. In strong 

 retentive soils beet seldom grows so clean, 

 nor will it vegetate so freely, as in light 

 sandy soils. To obviate this defect, and 

 secure well-formed roots, some drive a dib- 

 ble 4 inches in diameter into the ground, 

 a foot or 15 inches deep, at the distance 

 of 9 or 10 inches apart, and fill these holes 

 with sand, in which a little salt and guano 

 have been mixed ; in these the seeds are 

 dropped, and thinned out as above. The 

 roots, by this means, have less inducement 

 to fork or send out side fibres, and in 

 general are produced of good form and 

 size. When blanks occur in the lines, at 

 the period of thinning, the superfluous 

 ones may be taken carefully up with the 

 small planting-fork, fig. 55, as it is im- 

 material whether much soil is attached to 

 the roots or not; and if planted in the 

 blank spaces, on a moist day, they will 

 succeed perfectly; — only care must be 

 taken that the roots are not doubled up 

 during the operation, but extended to 

 their whole length, and the soil gently, 

 and not too tightly, placed around them. 



Subsequent cultivation. — Thinning the 

 crop to the distances stated above, and 



keeping the ground clear of weeds, con- 

 stitute all that is required till the roots 

 are fit for taking up. 



Soil and manure. — The soil in which 

 the beet thrives best is that of a deep, 

 light, sandy nature, rather dry than moist ; 

 and the best manure, if such be required, 

 is guano, soot, and salt, in equal propor- 

 tions, and applied when the seed is sown; 

 — or, should the crop look weakly after it 

 is 6 or 8 inches high, applied to the roots 

 in a liquid state. Pigeon dung incorpor- 

 ated with the soil during the previous 

 winter has been found beneficial; and 

 spirits of tar, applied at the same time, 

 has secured the roots from the attacks of 

 wire-worm. Much of the sweetness and 

 tenderness of the roots depends on the 

 soil : on poor light soils, as also on heavy 

 ones, the very best varieties will taste 

 earthy and unpleasant. Salt is a bene- 

 ficial application to this crop, as well as 

 to the green and silver beets — one reason 

 for which undoubtedly is, the beet being 

 a native of the sea-shore. 



Taking the crop, and subsequent preserva- 

 tion. — By the beginning of September in 

 England, or the latter end of that month in 

 Scotland, the roots will be of a good size 

 for use, and by the end of October in both 

 they may be taken out of the ground al- 

 together. They are sometimes destroyed 

 by frost, more especially in the north ; but 

 leaving them in the ground destroys their 

 colour, for which reason it is better to 

 take them up and place them amongst 

 sand, along with other roots, in the root- 

 cellar, or to store them after the manner 

 of potatoes (vide p. 2 1 8). The London mar- 

 ket-gardeners winter their " beet in large 

 sheds stored in moderately damp mould, 

 and banked up with straw. It is a mis- 

 take to pack it up in dry sand or earth 

 for the winter ; and the same may be said 

 in regard to carrots, parsnips, salsify, scor- 

 zonera, and similar roots." — Cuthill in 

 Market-gardening around London, p. 26. 

 The object here is, that the moist soil may 

 not draw the natural sap out of the roots 

 so readily as dry sand or soil would do, 

 and hence their tenderness ; and possibly, 

 in the case of the beet, the colour also 

 may be preserved. In taking up the 

 roots, the greatest care must be exercised 

 that they are neither cut, broken, wounded 

 on the skin, nor any of their fibres re- 

 moved ; and when the small-leaved varie- 



