1870.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 63 



into a border where the protection of frames can be given in winter, 

 and it can be planted close to the base of garden-walls, where in 

 case of frost or snow it can be protected with mats or any other 

 coverings, but it is best under glass both for fine produce and con- 

 venience. 



A second sowing should be made in April for a winter supply, when 

 it is intended to stand without being transplanted. 



The more curled the leaf, the better it looks for garnishing purposes ; 

 it is also finer in flavour than the plain leaves. Wherever seed is 

 saved, the best curled plants should be selected for the purpose. 



RHUBARB. 



To the northern parts of Asia we are indebted for this very useful 

 vegetable. It was introduced into Britain in 1778 by Dr Eothergill, 

 and a good many years elapsed before it was generally cultivated as a 

 culinary vegetable. The first to cultivate it on a large scale was the 

 late Mr Myatt of Deptford, the well-known market-gardener. Not 

 much more than sixty years ago he tied up five bundles of Ehubarb 

 and sent his son to the London market with them, and so little were 

 the Londoners inclined to purchase it that only three of the bundles 

 could be sold. Not discouraged by his first effort to get Rhubarb into 

 favour among such a vegetable-loving people, and believing that it 

 would one day be highly prized, he persevered ; and the next time he 

 offered it for sale he had ten bundles, and sold them all. Since then 

 Rhubarb has come to be so generally used that it is sent into the London 

 markets in enormous quantities. The metropolitan market-gardeners 

 now force thousands of roots every year, to say nothing of the supply 

 drawn from the open ground ; and this applies to almost every town 

 in the kingdom in proportion to its population. 



Almost any soil will grow Rhubarb, provided it be well manured 

 and deeply worked. Heavy loamy soil will of course yield the longest 

 and thickest stalks ; but it is generally admitted that a drier and 

 lighter soil gives finer-flavoured produce ; so that a soil of medium 

 character may be pronounced the best. The cultivation of this free- 

 growing vegetable is so exceedingly simple that little detail is necessary 

 in explaining it. In making a new plantation the ground should be 

 heavily manured and deeply trenched in the autumn ; and when 

 planted, another dressing of manure should be dug deeply into the 

 fresh-turned soil. It can be planted at almost any time. I have 

 planted it when quite dormant, when commencing to grow in early 

 spring, and when it had grown a foot high. On soils that are heavy 

 and damp I prefer planting just as it is beginning to grow; and on 

 dry soils it is perhaps best to plant when quite at rest. 



