The Beet is a 
BKETS. 
favorite vegetable, and is exceedingly valuable, being in use almost from the 
time the seed-leaf appears above ground 
until we are looking for its appearance the 
next year. The seeds are in 
little groups or clusters of cal- 
yxes, as seen in the little en- 
graving, so that each rounded 
cluster w^hich we call a seed, really contains 
from two to four true seeds. The conse- 
quence is that the plants come up much 
thicker than necessary, and must be thinned 
out. There is nothing in the way of 
"greens" as good as these young Beets, 
and the thinnings of the beds can be used 
as needed, from the time the young plants 
are two or three inches in length until they 
are large enough for ordinary use. To pre- 
serve the roots in fine condition during the 
winter, take them up carefully before hard 
frosts, and pack them in a cool cellar, and 
cover with earth. For spring use they 
may be pitted in the ground. The seeds 
germinate more surely and rapidly if put in 
warm water and allowed to soak for twenty- 
four hours. The soil should be rich, mellow, 
and deep. Plant in drills, about two inches 
deep, and the rows about twelve or fifteen 
mches apart. Set the seeds in the drills about two inches apart. An ounce of seed will sow 
about seventy-five feet of drill, and five pounds are sufficient 
for an acre. The varieties of Beets are very numerous, and 
quite diversified in form ?nd appearance, from the little 
round, table, turnip-formed varieties, to the large, coarse 
sorts, sometimes three feet in length, and fit only for cattle. 
Figure 1 shows the Large Red Mangel, one of the best for 
feeding to stock; fig. 2, the Early Blood Turnip, a very 
smooth, pretty variety ; fig. 
8, the Pine Apple, a com- 
paratively new and good 
dark variety; fig. 4, Bas- 
sano, an old favorite, juicy 
sort, tender and light col- 
ored ; fig. 5, Dewing's Tur- 
nip, a week earlier than 
Blood Turnip, lighter 
fleshed, and an excellent 
variety; fig. 6, Carter's 
Orange Globe Mangel, 
thought in England to be 
the best round variety ; fig. 
7, the old and excellent 
Long Blood Red. The 
Swiss Chard, of which" we 
show the leaves, is a vari- 
ety of Beet cultivated for the broad leaf-stalks, which are cooked and served like Asparagus. 
Plants should stand a foot or more apart in the rows, and the rows three feet, for field culture. 
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