Septembfet  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTlGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
211 
splendid  examples  come  which  grace  the  showhoard.  “  How  is  it 
done?”  some  may  ask.  In  the  first  place  by  a  capacity  for  this 
branch  of  horticulture ;  secondly  by  sound  practical  knowledge ;  and 
thirdly  by  favoured  conditions  of  soil  and  aspect,  with  close  attention 
to  detail  in  culture  and  careful  selection  of  the  best  varieties. 
Beetroot  as  an  article  of  food  has  advanced  greatly  in  popularity 
during  recent  years.  Beet  enjoys  a  fertile  soil,  and  on  this  depends  to 
a  great  extent  the  rich  colour  and  sweetness  of  the  vegetable.  If 
grown  on  poverty-stricken  soil  even  the  best  varieties  will  be  lacking 
in  quality,  though  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  rooting  medium 
should  be  made  favourable  by  previous  applications  of  manure  rather 
than  at  the  time  of  seed-sowing.  Soil  enriched  with  crude  manure 
in  the  spring  is  an  incentive  to  rank  growth  and  forked  ugly  roots, 
therefore  it  should  be  avoided.  All  tap-rooted  vegetables  are  benefited 
by  deep  cultivation,  so  that  the  roots  may  strike  downwards,  and  so 
much  the  better  if  the  bed  can  be  formed  on  soil  that  has  been  well 
manured  for  some  previous  crop  such  as  Celery.  Otherwise  the 
manure  used  must  be  of  a  well  decomposed  nature  and  be  buried  a 
couple  of  spits  beneath  the  surface.  If  the  soil  is  at  all  clayey  greater 
care  must  be  taken  in  thoroughly  working  it  in  order  to  get  straight 
well-shaped  roots. 
■  There  is  no  advantage  in  sowing  the  seeds  of  this  crop  too  early, 
as  the  late  frosts  are  liable  to  play  havoc  with  the  tender  seedlings. 
The  second  week  in  April  is  a  good  time,  having  first  obtained  a  line 
surface  and  drawn  the  drills  15  or  18  inches  apart.  A  distance  of 
about  12  inches  should  be  left  from  plant  to  plant  for  development, 
and  a  sprinkling  of  salt  or  wood  ashes  along  the  rows  will  prove 
beneficial.  Constant  stirring  of  the  surface  soil  during  the  summer  is 
no  mean  factor  towards  the  ultimate  perfection  of  the  Beet,  as  this 
prevents  undue  evaporation  of  the  •  moisture.  When  the  roots  are 
swelling  to  maturity  applications  of  lic^uid  manure  may  be  given  with 
advantage,  or  spiinklings  of  a  chemical  fertiliser,  but  it  is  well  not  to 
feed  the  plants  before  this  time  or  they  are  liable  to  make  robust  and 
rank  leaf  growth  at  the  expense  of  the  roots. 
In  October,  or  before  severe  frost  sets  in.  Beet  should  be  taken  up 
and  stored  for  the  winter.  In  this  operation  great  care  must  be 
exercised  so  as  not  to  bruise  or  injure  the  roots,  otherwise  the  colour 
will  be  impaired.  Do  not  cut  off  the  leaves,  though  they  may  be  screwed 
off  with  the  hand.  They  are  best  stored  in  a  cool  shed  in  heaps  of 
sand  not  sufficiently  damp  to  absorb  the  moisture  from  them,  though 
at  the  same  time  it  must  not  be  dry.  A  good  method  is  to  jDlace  a 
layer  of  sand  on  the  floor,  and  dispose  the  roots  in  a  s(iuare,  crowns 
outwards.  On  these  put  another  layer  of  sand,  and  then  Beet,  and  so 
on  till  the  heap  is  complete.  The  sand  will  conserve  sufficient  moisture 
to  keep  the  roots  from  shrivelling  through  the  winter, and  they  maybe 
taVen  from  the  heap  as  required. 
For  exhibition  purposes  the  roots  must  all  be  chosen  of  even  size 
and  character.  They  may  be  carefully  washed,  but  cutting  of  roots 
o)‘  fibres  should  be  avoided.  For  early  use  the  Turnip-rooted  or  round 
Beet  should  always  be  grown,  as  it  comes  in  well  for  the  late  summer 
shows,  and  for  the  main  crop  Pragnell’s  Exhibition,  Sutton’s  Dark 
Bed,  Dell’s  Crimson,  or  Blood  Bed  may  be  depended  on,  though 
there  are  several  other  varieties  of  etjual  merit.  One  important  point 
in  favour  of  Beet  culture  is  that  the  plants  do  not  suffer  much  from 
insect  pests  or  diseases.  The  foliage  being  strong  and  fleshy  repels  all 
such  attacks,  therefore  if  careful  attention  is  given  to  details  of 
cultivation  there  is  no  other  secret  in  the  growing  of  Beetroot  with 
success. 
In  reference  to  Carrots,  we  have  a  much  wider  family  than  with 
the  former,  and  one  on  the  whole  more  difficult  to  grow.  We  know 
the  long  tapering  roots  as  Long  Carrots,  those  terminating  abruptly  as 
Horn  Carrots,  and  others  again  which  strike  the  medium  as  Inter¬ 
mediate.  Gardeners,  practically  speaking,  produce  these  roots  all  the 
year  round,  first  by  early  forcing  in  heated  frames,  to  be  followed  by 
successive  sowings  outdoors.  The  Long  varieties  appear  to  be  the 
most  favoured  for  exhibition  purposes,  not  so  much  on  account  of  their 
superior  eating  qualities  as  for  their  appearance,  and  the  perfection  to 
which  they  may  be  grown.  Straight  tapering  roots  of  even  size,  clean, 
bright  coloured,  and  without  a  blemish  are  what  the  exhibitor  aims 
at,  and  to  obtain  these  he  must  have  suitable  varieties,  and  subject  the 
plants  to  careful  treatment  in  cultivation.  Good  Carrots  play  no 
small  ])art  in  a  collection  of  vegetables,  and  if  they  can  be  shown  with 
the  foliage  attached  this  adds  to  their  attraction.  I  do  not  care  for 
the  practice  of  scrubbing  the  roots  till  they  shine  like  new  bricks 
before  putting  them  up  for  show,  though  this  may  be  done  to  enhance 
the  colour.  Grub-eaten  or  speckled  roots  are  ])as8ed  over  as  defective, 
and  if  the  dirt  is  removed  by  washing  that  is  all  that  is  required. 
In  preparation  for  the  main  crop  much  the  same  remarks  as  made 
for  Beet  are  applicable.  Becently  broken  up  pasture  land  is  often 
disastrous  to  the  Carrot  crop,  as  it  is  almost  invariably  infested  with 
wireworms.  Where  these  pests  abound  a  winter  dressing  of  gas  lime 
at  the  rate  of  about  half  hundredweight  to  the  rod,  allowing  it  to  lie 
on  the  surface  about  six  weeks  before  digging  in,  is  a  good  remedy. 
Salt  may  also  be  applied  in  the  spring  at  the  rate  of  about  7  lbs.  to  the 
rod,  but  perhajDS  the  best  advice  is  where  practicable,  Do  not  grow 
Carrots  where  you  know  wireworms  abound.  Sandy  soil  is  favourable 
for  Carrot  growing,  and  if  at  all  stifl’  or  binding  it  is  rendered  friable 
for  sowing  by  thoroughly  breaking  and  pulverising  with  the  fork. 
For  sowing  the  oft-given  advice  to  choose  a  dry  day  and  dispose 
the  seeds  thinly  may  well  be  followed.  With  specially  cleaned  seeds 
now  obtainable  there  need  be  no 
difficulty  in  sowing ;  but  where  such 
is  not  to  hand  the  seeds  should  be 
rubbed  between  the 'hands  with  a 
little  admixture  of  dry  sand,  ordt  is 
hard  to  sow  with  regularity.  For 
the  Horn  varieties  a  distance  of 
10  inches  may  be  given  from  row 
to  row,  and  for  the  long-rooted  sorts 
allow  12  to  18  inches,  according  to 
the  condition  of  the  soil.  One  of 
the  deadliest  enemies  of  the  Carrot 
is  the  grub,  which  often  plays  havoc 
to  the  crop.  The  larvae  of  this  jrest 
is  secreted  below  the  surface  of  the 
soil,  whence  it  emei'ges,  and  the  fly 
hovers  round,  depositing  her  eggs  on 
the  foliage.  When  hatched  the  grubs 
make  their  way  to  the  roots,  and  the 
results  need  no  recapitulation  here. 
A  good  preventive  is  to  blacken  the 
ground  with  fresh  soot  before  draw¬ 
ing  drills  for  the  seeds.  Another 
plan  is  to  mix  a  <iuart  of  paraffin 
Avith  a  bushel  of  dry  sand  and  spread 
it  on  the  surface  between  the  rows, 
as  the  smell  from  the  paraffin  is 
distasteful  to  the  fly.  If  these  reme¬ 
dies  fail  seed  of  an  Early  Horn 
vaiiety  may  be  soAvn  at  the  end  of 
July,  as  by  this  time  the  insect 
season  is  over,  and  there  is  yet  time 
before  the  winter  for  the  roots  to 
mature.  Thinning  should  be  done 
early  and  in  damp  weather,  leaving 
the  plants  from  8  to  12  inches  apart, 
acc<jrding  to  the  variety. 
A  common  method  for  obtaining 
long  straight  roots  solely  for  exhi¬ 
bition  purposes  is  to  insert  a  crowbar 
or  other  sharp  pointed  instrument 
into  the  ground  to  a  depth  of  2^  feet. 
Fill  this  with  old  potting  soil  with 
an  admixture  of  dry  fowl  manure 
and  sow  the  seeds  of  an  approved 
variety  on  the  surface.  AVhen  large 
enough  thin  these  to  one,  and  during 
the  summer  give  occasional  applica¬ 
tions  of  liquid  manure  and  surface 
sprinklings  of  chemical  fertilisers. 
The  roots  will  strike  into  the  pi'e- 
jiared  compost,  and  going  doAvn 
straight  fine  specimens  may  be  thus 
obtained.  An  occasional  surface 
sprinkling  of  an  approved  fertiliser 
will  assist  the  main  crop,  and  water¬ 
ings  Avith  liiiuid  manure  during 
Fig.  29.  periods  of  drought  will  also  be  ser- 
Red  Curuaxt  The  Comet,  viceable.  Keep  the  surface  soil 
stiired  with  the  flat  hoe  and  dis¬ 
courage  the  spread  of  Aveeds. 
Towards  the  end  of  October,  when  the  leaves  change  colour,  the 
crop  may  be  dug  carefully,  and  stored  for  the  winter  in  the  same 
way  as  recommended  for  Beet,  not  cutting  the  tops,  but  scrcAving  them 
off  with  the  hand.  Care  should  be  exercised  in  the  display  of  Carrots 
on  the  exhibition  table,  choosing  clean  eA^en  examples.  There  are 
numerous  varieties  of  the  different  ty]ies,  and  for  early  forcing  pur¬ 
poses  Carter’s  Improved  Early  Horn,  Early  Nantes,  and  French  Horn 
may  be  mentioned.  Veitch’s  Model  is  a  splendid  specimen  of  the 
stump-rooted  type,  either  for  home  use  or  exhibition ;  and  Sutton’s 
NeAV  Scarlet  Intermediate  is  rightly  a  favourite  of  its  kind,  and  can 
be  thoroughly  recommended.  Among  the  giants  of  the  Carrot 
family  favoured  by  exhibitors  perhaps  none  are  more  widely  grown 
than  Selected  Altrincham  and  Long  Surrey,  though  here,  as  with 
other  vegetables,  the  number  of  seedsmen’s  strains  is  so  large  that 
it  becomes  confusing.  The  successful  culture  of  Carrots  opens  a 
Avide  field  for  the  grower,  and  offers  ample  scope  to  the  exhibitor. 
— Grower  and  Judge. 
