Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/46

 It is like the Long Orange, but of a brighter color. In soil of a deep sandy loam, it produces a heavy crop, and is very suitable for the Farm.

Long White is much cultivated by the French for seasoning and for soups. On light, deep soils, it produces a heavy crop.

.—In the culture of this excellent vegetable, a deep, light, rich, sandy soil, well manured, should if possible be employed. If the ground is not of this quality in the preceding year, it should be dug deep, and well broken. If this is not done, the roots fork or spread in a lateral direction, injuring both their size aud quality. It is very important to have an early crop, for such the Hora sort only should be used. Sow on a warm border, as early as the season will admit. In sowing, a calm day should be preferred, as the seeds are very light, they also bundle together, and should be rubbed between the hands in dry sand or earth, to separate them. The preferable way of sowing, is in shallow drills, half an inch deep, and nine to twelve inches apart, which admits of the hoe being mado use of in thinning out the crop, and clearing off the weeds. As soon as the plants are up, and can be easily observed. take a hos of three or four inches broad, and thin out the crop to three or four inches apart. The main crop intended for large roots, should be thinned to six inches apart. Frequent hoeing and stirring the soil, whether there are weeds to destroy or not, is very essential to the growth of the roots. From the first of May to the first of June, is the period to sow for a general erop, which will be ready to house about the first of November. As soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow, the roots can be taken up in a dry day. Cut the tops off about an inch from the crown, and pack the roots in dry carth or sand in the cellar, for Winter use; or they may be pitted out of doors, covered with two inches of straw and a foot of earth, to keep them from frost, when they can be in use till the following April—Beets may be kept in the same manner.