154 THE AMATEUR’S KITCHEN GARDEN. 
if allowed to make roots and leaves they soon become worth- 
less. 
As for the cultivation, it is the simplest matter in the world. 
Sow in shallow drills, putting the seed as nearly, as possible 
singly six inches apart. As nearly as possible, mind, and. do 
not waste valuable time about it, because if you sow too thick, 
it is no great task to thin the rows to nine inches or a foot 
apart, when the plants are large enough to handle. It is. not 
desirable to grow large beets as a rule, but if they are required,, 
proceed in the same way as recommended for the production 
of large parsnips. For open ground crops, where especial 
earliness of production is of no consequence, sow in April and 
May, and take up in November. When storing them, cut off 
the tails and some portion of the crowns, but be careful not 
to 'wound any part of the usable fleshy, root, for there should 
never be a puncture in a beet until it is cooked and cold— in 
fact, the cook ivho "would put a fork into a beet to try if it is 
£< done,” ought to be disarmed without the honours of war. 
But careful topping and tailing is to be advised, as it promotes 
close storing, and prevents growth in spring. All the varieties 
of beets have been grown again and again in the Experimental 
Garden at Stoke Newington, and, as a matter of course, we 
find that very few are needed in any ordinary garden. The 
three best are Sutton s Dark Red , Nutting s Dwarf Red, and 
Henderson s Pine Apple. If large and handsome roots are 
desired, grow Dewar s Short Top, and Whyte s Black. For 
particularly small and delicate roots of fine flavour, grow 
Garters St. Osyth. If the soil is shallow,, and the production 
of handsome roots doubtful, sow Egyptian Turnip Rooted, 
which is too coarse for a good soil. Beet is occasionally 
grown in the flower garden for the sake of the deep colour of 
its leaves. In this case, a green-leaved variety will not do ; 
the best for decorative purposes is Dewar s Crimson, the roots 
of which are second-rate in quality, but will be found useful 
in the kitchen. 
Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolium) is sometimes called the 
“ Vegetable Oyster,” because, when properly dressed,, its 
flavour reminds lovers of that favourite mollusk of the joys 
that belong to months in which the letter It occurs. . This 
root has a natural tendency to forkedness, which it. is the 
duty of the cultivator to correct, by treating it precisely as 
recommended for the production of extra large parsnips that 
