S2 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Notembes 0, 1S5S. 
mo mention, that all manurial matters must be avoided, 
unless the soil be very poor and lean, when some very old 
manure, may be employed. As to applying dung to Beet 
land in the old kitchen gardens, it is absurd : it is almost 
sure to spoil the Beet. The soil should be most thoroughly 
worked : the least obstruction may turn them crooked, as 
in the case of Radishes, and other tap-rooted plants. 
The period of Sowing is a matter of some consequence. 
If sown too early, the plants will run to neck; if too 
late, they will be too small. In the case of running to 
neck, the roots are sure to prove coarse. Supposing the 
soil to be adapted, I think the end of May an excellent 
time. 
Light is indispensable, as well as a perfectly open situa¬ 
tion. I have, years since, sown them on a north border, 
thinking they would be more tender: but they have been 
poor, insipid things. 
Air. —A. free circulation of air is equally necessary. 
They will not succeed huddled into any corner. For this 
reason careful thinning becomes necessary, of which I will 
presently speak. 
They may be sown in drills twenty-six inches apart, the 
drills being two inches in depth. The seed may be either 
sown continuously, yet thinly, or may be dropped in 
patches, like Mangold, about three seeds in a patch, at 
nine-inch distances. By whatever plan, the plants must 
be thinned finally to about nine inches apart. Deep 
culture with the hoe, by the sides of the drills, is of im¬ 
portance, for by its means the side roots are kept within 
bounds. The object is to force them to produce 
abundance of fibrous roots near the main root, for these 
cause the Beet to assume a finer form. The hoe may, 
therefore, be used deeply to within three inches of the 
stem; but not in the earlier stages of the plant, which 
should be nearly half grown when the deep hoeing takes 
place. Whatever the kind, it will generally be found, that 
towards the beginning of August some very gross plants, 
of unusual size, w ill predominate over the rest. These 
may be removed, for they seriously injure the dwarfer 
Beet, "which is generally the best. All those which are 
inclined to run to neck should at all times be pulled out. 
By neck, I mean a tendency to run to seed; such arc sure 
to spoil the sample. 
The finer Beets are impatient of frost, and should, 
therefore, be drawn, and put in winter quarters by the 
first iveek in November. But they should not be drawn 
by hand, for that may wound them, and cause them to 
bleed. They should be carfully lifted w ith the spade. 
Now, there are two or three things to be particularly 
noted as to their future welfare. Their foliage must be 
trimmed nearly close to the crown ; but if trimmed whilst 
the foliage is fresh, they bleed, and thereby lose colour. 
I think it best to throw them on the soil where dug for a 
few days : by this practice two things are accomplished of 
some importance,—bleeding is stopped, and the fibres of 
the roots become much stagnated. The latter, however, 
must be totally destroyed before the Beets can be secured. 
If this plan be adopted, the roots should be taken Tip 
about a fortnight earlier, for fear of severe frost va hilst 
they lay on the surface uncovered. When trimmed of 
their foliage, they must not be cut into the ci’oavu, but 
just a little stump of each leaf left—about half an inch—to 
save bleeding. They shoidd then lie on the surface of the 
ground, and be turned occasionally, until the fibres are 
destroyed; and, seeking an occasion when they are dry, 
they may be disposed of for the winter. Some keep 
them in sheds, and others put them in pits. But it is 
Avell to look to the conditions requisite to their sound 
keeping. They should sprout as little as possible, and to 
this end dryness and coldness are indispensable. I keep 
mine in a shed, dry and cold, and I think it by far 
the best plan : they may, hoAvcver, without much harm, 
be kept in a pit, as Potatoes. But they shoidd be housed 
dry, and kept dry, but not by fire-heat If the tempera¬ 
ture is just a little above freezing, it is amply sufficient. 
If any sprouts arise, the} 1 " should be rubbed aivay,— con¬ 
sidered as robbers. 
I may here observe, that after the gardener has done 
his best, something remains for the cook. I do not 
understand the culinary art myself, but I am given to 
understand that they require steady boiling, and some¬ 
thing like two hours, to do justice to them. This 
I do know', from pretty good authority, that cooks arc 
sometimes to blame more than the Beet. Indeed, what 
is a Potato, with an excellent character, when badly 
cooked ? And Potatoes, be they ever so good, cut but a 
sorry figure on one table, ivhilst at another the parties 
declare exultingly, that “ tis the best Tato’ in the king¬ 
dom.” R. Eeeikgton. 
SOME EXOTIC SEEDS. 
“ I have received a large packet of seeds from friends in our 
Colonies. Can you tell me how to use the following, and if they 
are worth culture ? I can command bottom heat, if wanted, and 
a top heat of from 45° to 50° in winter, and more in spring and 
summer.”—J. W. 
The plants of which seeds were received will be found 
beloiv, and we place them without any attempt at ar¬ 
rangement :— 
Spaeaxis (fine mixed).—It will be best to wait until 
February or March. Sow in sandy loam and peat, and 
half plunge the pots in a little bottom heat. If the seed¬ 
lings come up thick, prick out into pans, or pots, about one 
inch apart. "Water, and encourage to grow. If the leaves 
fade in summer, refrain from watering. If they should 
grow on, give them a little water; and if they should 
keep growing all the winter, do not starve them, but 
separate those that do so from those that fade. Seedlings 
will frequently thus prolong their growdli during the first 
season, and will go to rest early in the spring and summer 
following, when thcj r should be kept dry, either in their 
pots or out of them, until they begin to grow', which they 
will generally do in autumn, or early in winter. They 
should then be potted, or, if already in pots, top-dressed 
at least, and watered as they grow. In spring they may 
be expected to bloom. If planted afterwards in the 
flower garden, care must be taken in winter to screen 
them from frost. All varieties do not bloom at one time 
naturally, and, therefore, you must be more on the 
watch with a mixed collection. They belong to the Irid 
group. 
Babiana (mixed).—Very low-growing bulbs, requiring 
much the same attention as the former. A few may 
bloom the first year, if the seeds were sown about 
Christmas, but they will generally bloom freely in the 
second or third year. They flower early in spring and 
summer. Those buibs arrived at maturity,—kept dry 
after the foliage withers,—potted in autumn, and watered 
as they grow, will bloom in a greenhouse early in spring. 
Those kept in a cool place in sand over the winter, 
planted out in sandy loam in spring, and afterwards pro¬ 
tected from the heaviest rains, will bloom in May and 
June. If grown in pots, a six-inch pot will be large 
enough for six or eight bulbs. 
Teitonia, Ixia, Anomatheca (each mixed).—Treat 
much in the same way as Sparaxis. Different varieties 
of the Tritonias and Ixias bloom at different times, and, 
therefore, the foliage will decay at different times, which 
must be watched. With good treatment, all will bloom 
the second year; but the Anomatheca cruenta we have 
had a dense mass of bloom in July and August, from 
seeds sown in heat in February. All w ill bloom out of 
doors in summer, if the bulbs arc protected from frosts, 
and from very cold, soaking rains in winter and spring. 
All will bloom freely in pots, in sandy peat and loam, in a 
cool greenhouse. 
Acacia armata, julibrissin dealbata, Jophantha, and 
others marked superfine-leaved, Ac.—The two first will 
suit your greenhouse. If you have not plenty of room, 
