186 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[June, 



WHITE AND GREEN BEET. 



The cultivation of the white and green beet is generally 

 confined to the use of their leaves, which are used in soups, 

 and on some occasion-s are boiled in the manner of spinach. 

 When the leaves of the large white beet have attained their 

 full size, they are stripped to the mid-rib, which, being in 

 itself thick and fleshy, is peeled and stewed, and then eaten 

 like asparagus. 



As the leaves of these plants grow to a considerable size, 

 they should be allowed ample space to grow ; in thinning them, 

 therefwe, a distance of six or eight inches ought to be ob- 

 served between every plant, and in other respects, the same 

 directions will apply as those, which have been already given 

 for the cultivation of the red beet. 



FRENCH OR KIDNEY-BEANS. 



A successional crop of kidney-beans should be planted at 

 this time, for which purpose any of the dwarf kinds may be 

 chosen. In order, however, to have a regular supply, a crop 

 should be planted in the first week, another about the twen- 

 tieth, and a third towards the latter part of the month. 



The climbing or running kinds of kidney-beans may also be 

 planted at this time, the proper sorts for which are the scarlet 

 blossom, the large white kind, and also the white Dutch. If 

 for a full crop, they should be planted in the first or second 

 week of the month, although they will succeed if sown at a 

 later period ; the crops which were planted early in the month 

 will begin to bear in July, but in August they will be in full 

 bearing. The scarlet-runners will continue in produce until 

 October. 



In the planting of the different kinds of kidney beans, espe- 

 cial care must be taken to allow each sort a sufficiency of 

 room, in order that they may not be stinted in their growth. 

 For this purpose, drills should be opened for the running kinds, 

 from three and a half to four feet apart, and for the dwarf 

 kinds, the drills should be drawn from two to two feet and a 

 half distant, and an inch and a half in depth. If the weather 



