20 THE TLOEAL WOELD AND GAKDEN GUIDE. 



late cold autumn rains. In the earlier months of the year their 

 fermenting action is assisted by the addition of some hot manure. 

 That YOU may be enabled to cut a dish of sea-kale for Christmas- day 

 by the latter method you should commence adding the fermented 

 materials about five weeks previous. Do not put it all on at once, 

 but add it at intervals, allowing a fortnight to elapse for the final 

 covering; care being taken that it does not get too much heated, or 

 the result will be long spindling stalks, instead of short, plump, 

 tempting produce. Although it is very difficult at this season to 

 obtain those thick, short stalks, such as we cut in the spring, 

 it is useless to attempt to hasten their vegetation if they are not well 

 established in the soil. 



We will now proceed to consider the best plan of rearing and 

 cultivating this root. The system pursued by myself for many 

 years past, and which has been attended with success, is to prepare 

 beds six or more feet in width. There must be a trench cut on 

 either side sufficient to give a natural drainage to the bed, the soil 

 from the trench being added to the bed, thus giving it an elevated 

 position above the common level of the garden. I prefer a light 

 sandy or porous soil to one of a more adhesive texture, although I 

 have cut remarkably fine sea-kale from plants growing in a clayey 

 soil. Having finished the preparation of the bed, I sow the seed in 

 very wide drills, about two feet apart, during the first fortnight in 

 March. As birds, especially the thrush and blackbird, are very 

 destructive to the seedlings as soon as they appear above ground, 

 every precaution should be used to guard against their depredations. 

 When they are strong enough, thin them, leaving them in patches of 

 five plants, the said patches corresponding in distance with the 

 width of the rows, or you may leave them growdng the whole 

 length of the row, or in such way as you may deem expedient for 

 your future culture. By using the hoe frequently during the 

 summer among them, so as to destroy weeds, and keep the surface 

 soil stirred, and placing some dry litter over their crowns before 

 they have shown signs of growing in the spring, I have cut as fine 

 a head of kale as could possibly be desired in the latter part of 

 April and beginning of May of the succeeding year of their being 

 sown. By adopting the above plan, and sowing a bed every year, 

 you may always ensure vigorous plants. In cutting the heads for 

 table always cut them off" level with the surface of the soil. This 

 mode of operation is a great preventive of canker, and it also 

 keeps the crown dwarf and compact. 



