perhaps, cankered and worthless. The soil should be well prepared by
deep digging some time before making up the seed-bed, and it is sound
practice to grow Beet on plots that have been heavily manured in the
previous year for Cauliflower, Celery, or any other crop requiring good
cultivation. If the soil from an old Melon or Cucumber bed can be
spared, it may be spread over the land and dug in, and the piece should
be broken up in good time to become mellow before the seed is sown.
Seaweed is a capital manure for Beet, especially if laid at the bottom
of the trench when preparing the ground. A moderate dressing of salt may
be added with advantage, as the Beet is a seaside plant.

==Early Crops==.--Where frames are not available for providing early
supplies of Beetroot, forward crops may often be obtained from the open
ground by making sowings of the Globe variety from the end of March to
mid-April, in a sheltered position. Of course, the earlier the sowing
the greater the risk of destruction by frost, and birds may take the
seedlings. A double thickness of fish netting, however, stretched over
stakes about one foot above the soil, will afford protection from the
former and prevent the depredations of the latter. Set the drills about
twelve inches apart and sow the seed one and a half to two inches deep.
Thin the plants early and allow them to stand finally at nine inches in
the rows.

==Main Crop.==--The most important crop is that required for salading, for
which a deep-coloured Beet of rich flavour is to be preferred, and the
aim of the cultivator should be to obtain roots of moderate size and of
perfect shape and finish. The ground having been trenched two spades
deep early in the year, may be made up into four-and-a-half-feet beds
some time in March, preparatory to sowing the seed. The main sowing
should never be made until quite the end of April or beginning of May.