ON THE CULTIVATION OF SEA KALE. 103 



a drawing is annexed, PI. Ill, fi^. 6, and both the health 

 and beauty of the crop depends upon their standing at equal 

 distances. In the months of May and June, if the seeds 

 are sound, the young plants willnappear. When they have 

 made three or four leaves, take away all but three of the 

 best plants from each circle, planting out those you pull up 

 (which by a careful hand may be drawn with all their tap 

 root) in a spare bed for extraforcing, or to repair accidents. 

 The turnip fly and wire worm are great enemies to the whole Wire worm 

 class of tetradynamia plants. I know no remedy for the *"^ turnip fly. 

 latter, but picking them out of the ground by hand ; the 

 former may be prevented from doing much damage, by a 

 circle of q-uick lime strewed round the young plants. If 

 the months of June and July prove dry, water the whole 

 beds plentifully. In the following November, as soon as 

 the leaves are decayed, clear them away, and cover the beds 

 an inch thick with fresh light earth and sand, that has laid 

 In a heap and been turned over at least three times the pre- 

 ceding summer ; this, and indeed all composts, should be 

 kept scrupulously free from weeds, many of which nourish 

 insects, and the compost is too often filled with their egg^ 

 and grnbs. Upon this dressing of sandy loam, throw about 

 Rix inches in depth of light stable litter, which finishes every 

 thing to be done the first year. 



In the spring of the second year, when the plants ^re be- gd year, 

 ginning to push, rake off the stable litter, digging a little 

 of the most rotten into the alleys, and add another inch in 

 depth of fresh loam and sand. Abstain from cutting this 

 year, though some of the plants will probably rise very 

 strong, treating the beds the succeeding winter exactly as 

 before. 



The third season, a little before the plants begin to stir, q^ geason. 

 rake off the winter covering, laying on now an inch in depth 

 of pure dry sand, or tine gravel. Then cover each parcel 

 with one of the blanching pots, pressing it very firmly into 

 the ground, so as to exclude all light and air; for the colour 

 and flavour of the Sea Kale is greatly injured by being exr 



shoul4 fit like a cap upon the lower j the crop might then be examined 

 without UUturbinit the Ivjt Uung. Secr. 



posed 



