420 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
a small percentage of the plants produced in this way 
are true to type, the system should not be generally prac- 
ticed. Root division is the method ordinarily employed. 
A piece of root containing a strong eye will grow and 
under favorable conditions produce a good plant in one 
season. Gardeners who force the crop in hotbeds or 
special buildings often lift the roots from old plantations 
in the fall, remove a sufficient number of eyes to start 
the new plantation the following spring and force the 
large, fleshy roots during the winter. 
FIG. 98. A FIELD OF RHUBARB 
587. Planting. — Fall planting is sometimes practiced, 
but spring planting is preferred. Early planting is im- 
portant, because the plants need the entire growing sea- 
son for their full development. The most common dis- 
tances for planting are 3 x 4 or 4 x 4 feet apart. The 
roots or eyes are covered with several inches of soil. 
Victoria and Linnaeus are the two most popular varie- 
ties. The former is somewhat the more vigorous. Lin- 
naeus (sometimes called Strawberry) produces beautiful 
pink stalks of the finest quality. Figure 98 shows a 
field of this variety in prin ?4 condition. 
