rills half an inch deep, and five or
six inches apart; for the small, turnip-rooted kinds, three-quarters of
an inch deep, and six inches asunder. As the plants advance in growth,
thin them so as to leave the spindle-rooted an inch apart, and the
larger-growing sorts proportionally farther.

"_For raising early Radishes without a Hot-bed._--Sow in the open ground
the last of March or early in April, arch the bed over with hoops or
pliant rods, and cover constantly at night and during cold days with
garden-matting. In moderate days, turn up the covering at the side next
the sun; and, if the weather is very fine and mild, remove it entirely."

_Open Culture._--Sow in spring as soon as the ground can be worked. If
space is limited, radishes may be sown with onions or lettuce. When
grown with the former, they are said to be less affected by the maggot.
For a succession, a small sowing should be made each fortnight until
midsummer, as the early-sown plants are liable to become rank, and unfit
for use, as they increase in size.

Radishes usually suffer from the drought and heat incident to the
summer; and, when grown at this season, are generally fibrous and very
pungent. To secure the requisite shade and moisture, they are sometimes
sown in beds of asparagus, that the branching stems may afford shade for
the young radishes, and render them more crisp and tender. A good
criterion by which to judge of the quality of a Radish is to break it
asunder by bending it at right angles. If the parts divide squarely and
freely, it is fit for use.

_Production and Quantity of Seed._--To raise seed of the spring or
summer Radishes, the best method is to transplant; which should be done
in May, as the roots are then in their greatest perfection. Take them up
in moist weather; select plants with the shortest tops and the smoothest
and best-formed roots; and set them, apart from all other varieties, in
rows two feet and a half distant, inserting each root wholly into the
ground, down to the leaves. With proper watering, they will soon strike,
and shoot up in branching stalks, producing abundance of seeds, ripening
in autumn.

One ounce and a half of seed will sow a bed five feet in width and
twelve feet in length. Ten pounds are required for seeding an acre.

The excellence of a Radish consists in its being succulent, mild, crisp,
and tender; but, as these qualities are secured only by rapid growth,
the plants should be frequently and