St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-02-04
RADlSHES UNDER GLASS,
One of the Most Profitable Crops Market
Gardeners Can Raise.

One of the Most Profitable Crops Marke,
Gardeners Can Raise.
Our large markets now demand 8
constant supply of radishes through
winter and spring. to supply which
they are grown under glass until ship
ments come from Charleston and Nor.
folk in May. In order to grow Long
Scarlet radish the soil must be light,
rich, sandy and very fine. These con-
ditions arc best attained by sitting
through wire screen having $-inch
meshes though many gardeners are
content with thorough and repeated
forkins and raNin". Ii a young radish
root in its downward growth strikes a
stone or a hard lump of earth or other
substance, it bends around it, and a
crooked, unstable root is the result.
Moreover, the long radish has large
leaves and requires some room to grow
we'll, at least three inches each way
from plant to plant, and is also a slow
grower in comparison with the French
Breakfast, which will also bear forcing
in a higher temperature; the latter is
therefore the variety mostly grown for
market, and is more profitable at the
price it commands, usually about two
thirds what the Long Scarlet will
bring. The French Breakfast radish
is by no means particular as to soil,
and will do we'll on any rich and well
worked bed. The culture is simple, a
low temperature only being required,
say 40 to so degrees at night and 20 de-
grees by day. though the French Break
fast will endure 60 degrees at night and
80 degrees by day without harm. When
grown in frames little artificial heat
will be required from November to
April, just enough to keep out frost.
Radishes are sometimes grown az a
catch-crop between cucumbers. coming
off in about five weeks in the heat of
cucumber house, but in cool place.
which suits them best, they need six to
eight weeks. Much depends upon
having good seed. The best Long
Scarlet seed | have ever seen is grown
by gardeners near Boston for their own
use, but the French Breakfast Seed is
mostly imported and is generally re.
liable. The seed is sown in frames by
the common Arlington drill, running
the rows three inches apart, which re-
quires some skill; in greenhouses the
seed is sown by hand, using marker
with teeth set like rake. only stouter
and three inches apart. Drawing this
across the bed two or three times
makes the drills into which the seed is
sown and covered by hand.
When the plants are we'll up and
show a third leaf they must be prompt
Iy thinned out to two inches apart, if
of the French Breakfast variety, or to
three inches for Long Scarlet. When
they begin to get big enough to sell,
thin the plants two or three times a
week till they are all gone, selecting
the best each time. They are marketed
in neat punches of ten roots each, OF
twelve if small, and much depends on
the neatness with which this is done
for ready and profitable sales. Prices
range in winter from so cents to 81
per dozen punches for the French
Breakfast, and rs cents to 81. Is for the
Long Scarlet. At these rates the beds
will usually yield from Is to $1.25 per
sash in six or eight weeks. Not so
profitable, indeed, as a good crop of
lettuce upon q good market, but far
easier to grow and less subject to vio-
lent fluctuations in price. Since
radishes are not much troubled by
green-fy or aphis it is usual to grow
them in a hotbed after lettuce, when
the lettuce comes lousy" as it often
does.
After March Is raddish seed may be
sown in cold frame, provided with
mats for cold nights and after April Is
will need no glass whatever; but the
culture hardly pays at that season, be-
cause of Southern competition.
AS delicious and wholesome relish,
and as an elegant table ornament, rad
shes are always acceptable, but they
must be eaten while just in season,
which is only for a few days, and to
obtain a constant succession in good |
order successive sowings of seed are
made every ten or fifteen days.-W D.
IN american Garden.