Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-03-08
THE CITIZE ~.
HORSE RADlSH CULTURE.
Unique Method of Growing Zinc
Roots Prncticcd In Bohemla.

Horse radish is grown to perfection
in Bohemia, whence large quantities are
exported So states Mr. David q. Fair
child, an agricultural explorer for the
government His account, as fellows.
OF horse radish culture in the region
named is OF interest to the growers or
the root in this country, although 1t IS
doubtful whether many OF them would
look favorably as practical measure
on the hand labor involved:
4 deep. loose. strong soil with plenty
of moisture Is best suited 10 the culture
of horse radish In the autumn the
soil is forked over to depth of or
Oh feet. and well rotted barnyard ma
nure is thoroughly worked in to the
depth of Il foot or more. \ narrow
bed, three feet wide, is prepared, and
In Late March or early April the horse
radish cuttings are planted along both
edges, alternating SO that they are not
oDDosite each other across the bed.
The cuttings are II inches long and are
set out Is inches apart. Instead of be-
ing placed vertically in the grou. ID they
are planted in an ohil4ucly horizontal
position, with the upper. larger end
covered by only thrre-qL quarters TO an
inch of earth. while the iowtr lies three
or four inches deep. As Il consequence
of this slanting position the new roots
thrown out from the lower end of the
cutting. striking vertically downward.
make almost 4 right angle with the
main stem. and ii is these slender roots
from which the ncN. cuttings for the
next seasons planting are made.
During the summer the ground is
kept free from weeds and the surface
of the soil lightly stirred. Toward the
end OF June the bed is gone over care
fully and each cutting uncovered sep
arately and slightly raised out OF the
soil with the hand. Care Is taken not
to injure the perpendicular roots which
have formed from its lower end All
small rootlets are rubbed on from the
body of the root with WOODEN cloth.
those that are too large To be removed
in this maniler being cut close with
sharp knife. y small quantity OF pow
dered charcoal is scattered over the cut
surfaces 10 prevent decay. The cut
ting is again covered with earth as be-
fore
In order TO keep the new roots of a
uniform diameter and 10 prevent their
striking deep into the soil and becom-
ing too slender the beds are sometimes
underlaid with Z porous cement pave
ment 10 feet below the surface of the
ground This pavement checks the
growth Of the young roots and causes
them to thicken-
The roots are allowed to cOntinue
growth until the end Of september, AZ
which time the harvest begins The
cuttings which have been two season
in the ground. the first as vertical roc
and the second In the obliQue position,
are by this time large enough for mar
ket. In digging the horse radish a long
hladcd u.aJ1ock or spade Is used,
which cuahles the digger 10 remove not
only the oi3liqucly planted cutting,
which = the marketable product hut
also the new roofs from IL lower end.
Of which the cuttings for the next year
are 10 bc made
The roots are sem To market in neat
bundles of several dozen The uni
formity in length and diameter = re-
uiarkabie. The q veTsige thickness heinS
about N. inches Al The barge end sd
"a Inches Ia the other. Restaurants
keen their supplies cf horse radSSh
ouifc frcSh Ter several months by
planisnc the raer> ia coeI cellars "a
raefSt ~Sar.I and the cuttings held over
Ter the spring planting are akeTt in the