Cochlearia Armo-racia. Delights in a deep, mouldy, rich soil, kept as much as possible in a moderate but regular degree of moistness. Hence the banks of a ditch, or other place which has a constant supply of water, is a most eligible situation for the beds, so that they do not lie so low-as to have it in excess. If the soil is poor, or beneath the drip of trees, the roots never attain any considerable size.

Manures

Should the ground require to be enriched, leaf-mould, or other thoroughly decayed vegetable substance, should be dug into the depth at which the sets are intended to be planted. If cow or horse-dung be employed, it should be in a highly putrescent state.

Propagation

Horse-radish flowers in June, but in this climate seldom perfects its seed, consequently it is propagated by sets, which are provided by cutting the main root and offsets into lengths of two inches. The tops, or crowns of the roots, form the best; those taken from the centre never becoming so soon fit for use, or of so fine a growth. If the latter are, however, unavoidably employed, each set should have at least two eyes; for without one they refuse to vegetate at all. For the obtaining a supply of the crowns, any inferior piece of ground, planted with sets sis inches apart and six deep, will furnish from one to five tops each, and may be collected for several successive years with little more trouble than keeping them clear of weeds; but the times for planting are in October and February - the first for dry soils, the latter season for moist ones.

The sets are inserted in rows eighteen inches apart each way. The ground should be trenched between two and three feet deep, the cuttings being placed along the bottom of the trench, and the mould turned from the nest one over them, or inserted to a similar depth by a long blunt-pointed dibble. They should be placed in their natural position, which has considerable influence over the forwardness of their growth; the surface raked level, and kept clear of weeds until the plants are of such size as to render it unnecessary. The mould ought to lie as light as possible over the sets; therefore, treading on the beds should be carefully avoided. The shoots make their appearance in May or June, or even earlier if they were planted in autumn.

As the leaves decay in autumn, have them carefully removed; the ground being also hoed and raked over at the same season, which may be repeated in the following spring before they begin to vegetate, at which time eighteen inches depth of mould to be laid regularly and lightly over the bed.

In the succeeding autumn they merely require to be hoed as before, and may be taken up as wanted. By having three beds devoted to this root, one will always be lying fallow and improving; of which period likewise advantage should be taken to apply any requisite manure.

If, when of advanced growth, the plants throw out suckers, these should be carefully removed, during the summer, as they appear.

In September or October of the second year, as before stated, the roots may be taken up; and in November a sufficient quantity should be raised to preserve in sand for winter supply.

Taking Up

To take them up a trench is dug along the outside row down to the bottom of the upright roots, which, by some persons, when the bed is continued in one place, are cut oft" level to the original stool, and the earth from the next row is then turned over them to the requisite depth; and so in rotation to the end of the plantation. By this mode a bed will continue in perfection for five or six years; after which a fresh plantation is usually necessary. But the best practice is to take the crop up entirely, and to form a plantation annually; for it not only causes the roots to be finer, but also affords the opportunity of changing the site. If this mode is followed care must be taken to raise every lateral root; for almost the smallest of them will vegetate, if left in the ground.