This thoroughly decayed
stable-manure has become the best of plant-food; it warms the
ground, and carries the germinating seed and young plants with
vigor through the first cold, wet weeks.
In the home garden there are several reasons for sowing beet-seed
thickly. Unfavorable weather and insects will be less apt to cause
a thin, broken stand of plants. In order to produce good roots,
however, the plants should be thinned out so as to stand
eventually three or four inches apart I do not advise very large,
coarse roots for the table. For home use I think only three
varieties are essential. The Egyptian Turnip Beet is the best very
early variety, and can be planted closely, as it has a small top;
the Bassano is next in earliness, and requires more room; the
Early Blood Turnip is the best for a general crop and winter use.
The beet is a root which deteriorates rapidly from age; I
therefore advise that the seed of the winter supply be sown the
last of June or first of July in our latitude.
Parsnips should be sown at the same time with early beets and in
the same way, with the exception that the seed should be covered
only an inch deep. I doubt whether there are any marked
distinctions in variety, and would advise that only the Long
Smooth or Hollow-crowned be sown.
The carrot is not quite so hardy as the parsnip, and the seed may
be sown a week or two later, or indeed at any time up to the
middle of June.
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