Radish (Raphanus Sativus)

Quick growth for radishes is absolutely essential, as when grown slowly they become hot, tough, and ugly; speedy growth ensures mildness, tenderness, and beauty. A light, rich soil is the most suitable for both early and late crops; but a very fair radish may be grown in summer on any soil that will produce a good cabbage. From January until such time as the seed may bo trusted to a warm sheltered border, such kinds as the French breakfast, the frame, and the early turnip should be grown on a half-spent hot-bed. Much may, however, be done to forward a crop by resorting to the use of litter and mats, as a protection against frost, but these must be removed whenever the weather is at all favourable, to give the crop the fullest possible benefit of sunshine and air. For early sowing, the long varieties of radish are in all respects the most suitable; though the oval-shaped and turnip kinds are most generally appreciated. All the different sorts may be safely sown in the open ground from March to September; but a somewhat shady aspect should be selected for them during the height of the summer.

Rampion (Campanula Rapunculus)

Seed may be sown from the beginning of March to the end of April, in drills one foot apart; the plants, as soon as large enough, should be thinned out to four inches asunder in the rows. The root of this plant, which very much resembles a white radish, is used for salading purposes.

The Rat-Tail Radish (Raphanus Caudatus)

This belongs to the radish tribe; but, unlike that esculent, the seed-pods are eaten instead of the root. These produce pods varying from twenty to thirty inches in length, in a very short time, and are a great curiosity. Seed should be sown either in pots or in the open ground in March or April, and transplanted into the open ground or pricked out singly into forty-eight sized pots, as soon as large enough to handle with safety. For eating, the seed-pods should be gathered when about half grown. Any moderately rich and light soil will suit them.

Rhubarb (Rheum)

This requires a deep, rich, and damp soil, and is increased either by seed or division of the roots. The sowing of seed is advisable only in the case of raising large plantations; where a small quantity is sufficient, it is better to plant roots in the autumn or early in the spring. Sow the seed in April, on rich light soil, in drills one foot apart; the following spring transplant the roots to the spot they are to occupy permanently. Although this plant will thrive on almost any soil, and certainly wherever a dock will grow, the finest produce may be expected from a deep, damp, heavy loam, richly manured. A plantation made from roots ought not to be touched the first season; but after that it will bear fine sticks, and may be pulled from freely. Rhubarb may be forced very simply, and is most delicately flavoured when grown in the dark, or nearly so. A few strong roots packed in leaves or light soil under the stage of a greenhouse, or on a gentle hot-bed, will furnish a supply throughout the depth of winter. An early supply from the open ground may also be ensured by covering with boxes and litter.

Although the larger kinds are most in request for market, the small red-stemmed sorts are by far the best for forcing and home use, and are, as a rule, better in flavour.

Salsify (Trogopogon Porrifolium)

Sow in drills any time between March and April, choosing an open compartment of well - manured, deeply-dug, and light soil. The rows should be ten inches from each other; and as soon as the plants are three inches in height they ought to be thinned out to six inches asunder in the rows. In August and September the roots will have attained a good size, when some of them may be taken up for immediate use. The remainder will have perfected their growth by October, and will continue good all the winter. They must be well watered in dry weather.

Savoy (Brassica Oleracea, Bullata Major)

This species of cabbage prefers a strong and rich soil of a fair depth. The savoy is usually grown much too large for home use - we presume because the largest plants find the readiest sale in market. To secure a supply of small and delicately-flavoured hearts, sow in the latter part of April one of the miniature kinds on a bed of rich soil, and when large enough for the purpose put out the plants in rows a foot apart, and the same distance from each other in the rows. These will in due time form neat round hearts from four to six inches through, and be positively delicious after they have been touched by frost. When large savoys are required, sow in March, and plant out two feet asunder in every direction.