JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
143 
February  15,  1900. 
In  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report  of  the  Council  and  the  balance- 
sheet,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  took  the  former,  and  practically  dealt  with 
the  paragraphs  in  their  order.  In  doing  this  salient  points  were 
emphasised,  but  with  such  a  satisfactory  condition  of  affairs  nothing 
particularly  new  or  startling  could  be  advanced.  Several  tributes 
were  paid  to  the  various  Committees  and  officials,  and  gratification 
expressed  at  the  continued  excellence  of  the  shows.  Speculations  had 
previously  been  rife  as  to  what  the  Chairman  would  say  relative  to  the 
new  Chiswick,  but  the  anxious  ones  will  have  to  exercise  a  little  more 
patience,  as  at  this  juncture  Sir  Trevor  did  not  consider  it  desirable  to 
make  public  all  the  doings  of  the  Council  in  this  matter,  as  such  a 
course  might  tend  to  render  the  work  more  complicated  and  difficult, 
A  few  other  references  were  made  particularly  to  the  severe  loss 
that  the  Society  has  sustained  by  death  during  1899,  and  the  continued 
increase  in  the  number  of  Fellows  was  extremely  satisfactory.  It  was 
pointed  out,  too,  that  the  balance  of  £1751  was  the  largest  the  Society 
bad  ever  been  able  to  show  as  the  result  of  one  year’s  working.  The 
Rev.  Geo.  Henslow,  V.M.H.,  briefly  seconded  the  motion,  which  was 
further  supported  by  Messrs.  J.  Cheal,  E.  Dean,  V.M.H.,  and  G.  Paul, 
V.M.H.  It  was  then  put  to  the  meeting,  and  carried  unanimously. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  was  re-elected 
President,  Philip  Crowley  Treasurer,  and  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks  Secretary 
ere  the  meeting  closed. 
germination  keep  the  frame  dark  by  covering  with  mats  till  the 
seedlings  appear,  then,  of  course,  the  covering  must  be  removed. 
With  newly  made  hotbeds  a  chink  of  air  ought  to  be  left  on  the  back 
of  the  frame,  to  allow  strong  heat  and  moisture  to  escape,  until  the  bed 
begins  to  decline  in  heat.  During  cold  nights  the  irame  shouldibe 
covered  with  rough  straw  or  mats,  and  in  bright  weather  give  a  chink 
of  air  for  a  few  days  to  sweeten  the  atmosphere  and  prevent  ^the 
plants  from  becomii  g  weakly  and  drawn,  but  it  is  seldom  that  a  great 
volume  of  air  is  at  any  time  needed  for  forced  Radishes.  The  great 
point  is  to  get  them  to  grow  quickly ;  they  will  then  be  crisp  and 
tender.  Sutton’s  Early  Forcing  and  Extra  Early  Turnip-rooted  are 
excellent  for  early  sowings,  these  to  be  followed  by  Sutton’s  Earliest 
Frame.  'Ojsao  , 
In  nearly  all  gardens  of  pretensions  forced  Carrots  are  in  demand, 
and  Radishes,  and  these  are  frequently  grown  in  the  same  frame.'J  The 
Carrots  are  sown  in  drills  9  inches  apart,  the  Radishes  broadcast,  and 
the  latter  are  ready  for  pulling  by  the  time  the  Carrots  require  more 
room.  Radishes  may  also  be  sown  between  Potatoes  planted  in'pits, 
but  where  this  is  dqne  it  is  necessary  to  plant  the  Potatoes  deeply,  so 
that  no  earthing  is  needed.  ! 
Those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  have  spare  frames  at  the  end 
of  February  should  place  them  in  front  of  a  wall  on  a  warm  border 
Fig.  36.— a  DISH  OF  RADISHES. 
FORCING  RADISHES. 
Radishes  dur’ng  winter  and  spring  are  always  highly  prized, 
and  although  it  is  possible  to  produce  them  throughout  the  year,  few 
gardeners  grow  them  in  the  autumn  months,  but  are  content  to  make 
their  first  sowing  on  a  hotbed  iu  December.  From  that  time  till  the 
middle  of  February,  in  order  to  secure  a  continuous  supply,  it  is 
necessary  to  sow  on  a  hotbed,  for  although  during  seasons  wdien  the 
weather  is  exceptionally  favourable,  seed  sown  in  i  old  frames,  or  even 
on  warm  borders  in  the  ojien  air,  will  give  satisfactoiy  results,  it 
cannot  be  relied  upon,  a-  the  roots  are  olten  toi.gh  and  worthless 
through  growing  too  slowdy. 
Hotbeds  made  up  in  the  usual  way,  by  packing  in  regular  layers 
prepared  fermenting  materials  to  a  height  of  3  or  4  feet,  and  p.acing 
thereon  a  frame  covered  with  lights,  answer  w^ell  for  Radish  forcing. 
The  lights  should  have  a  sharp  slope  from  back  to  front,  in  order  to 
catch  every  possible  ray  of  sunshine — an  important  matter  in  regard 
to  the  forcing  of  all  cro|  s.  Light  rich  soil  is  necessary  to  grow 
Radishes  well ;  this  may  sometimes  be  found  in  the  ordinary  garden 
soi',  in  others  it  has  to  be  specially  prepared.  Soil  which  has 
previously  been  used  for  Cucumbers  or  Tomatoes,  if  lurther  enriched 
with  thoroughly  decayed  and  sweet  hotbed  manure,  answers  admir¬ 
ably  if  passed  through  an  inch  sieve  to  remove  the  rough  parts, 
which  if  left  wmuld  impede  the  progress  of  long-rooted  Radishes.  For 
the  Turnip-rooted  section  a  fi-inch  layer  of  soil  is  ample,  but  an 
additional  3-inch  layer  ought  to  be  employed  for  the  long-rooted 
types. 
The  seeds  should  be  sown  broadcast,  be  just  covered  w'ith  fine  soil, 
and  the  bed  then  rece've  a  thorough  watering.  In  order  to  hasten 
and  sow  Radishes  in  them.  So  treated  the  crop  will  be  ready  for 
pulling  considerably  in  advance  of  sowings  made  in  the  open  air. 
Rough  planks  may  also  be  pressed  into  service  to  afford  slight  pro¬ 
tection.  Those  a  foot  in  width  are  suitable.  Arrange  them  to  form 
the  edges  of  a  frame,  secure  in  position  by  stakes  driven  into  the 
ground,  and  at  night  cover  with  mats  or  oiled  canvas.  Market  growers 
often  make  a  sowing  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  February, 
according  to  the  weather,  and  when  the  seedlings  appear  they  are 
covered  with  straw,  hay,  or  bmeken  during  frosty  nights,  and  the 
covering  is  left  on  during  the  daytime  occasionally  if  the  weather  is 
frosty.  By  following  this  plan  they  are  able  to  place  Radishes  on 
the  market  at  dates  which  surprise  most  people  when  told  such  produce 
has  been  grown  in  the  open  air.  Light  blackish  looking  soils  are 
peculiarly  adapted  for  growing  early  Radishes,  as  they  absorb  heat, 
and  being  thoroughly  stored  with  plant  food  there  is  a  reserve  for  the 
crop  to  draw'  upon  whenever  rapid  growTh  is  made  under  the  influence 
of  Gisht  sunshine. 
Those  who  require  only  a  limited  supply  of  early  Radishes 
should  sow  in  boxes  9  inche.s  in  depth,  and  put  in  a  vinery'  or  Peach 
house  just  started,  or  a  temporary  bed  might  be  formed  by  placing  a 
few'  inches  of  fine  soil  on  the  border,  from  the  middle  of  March  till 
August  sowings  ought  to  be  made  once  a  fortnight  in  the  open  air ; 
then  if  due  attention  is  paid  in  regard  to  w’atering,  satisfactory  results 
are  certain  to  accrue. — H.  D. 
[For  the  excellent  photographic  reproduction  (fig.  36),  reiiresent- 
ing  in  an  attractive  manner  a  dish  of  Radishes,  we  are  indebted  to  the 
courtesy  of  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons,  Reading,  whose  selections  of  this 
much  appreciatid  salad  j^stand  so  high  in  the  estimation  of  con¬ 
noisseurs.] 
