FORCING RHUBARB. kid 
under different conditions; that is, from housed and 
small roots, with too much dry heat, &ce. 
RHUBARB. 
The same plan may be adopted in forcing Rhu- 
barb, for this, like Sea-kale, will not bear a very 
strong and dry heat; covering it precisely in the same 
manner as for Sea-kale will be found to answer best. 
The roots should be three- or four-year-old well-esta- 
blished plants. Before covering up the pots contain- 
ing the crown, give the whole of the ground a soaking 
with guano and soot; put, say, two pounds of guano in 
a tub holding twenty gallons of water, and add five or 
six pounds of soot, then stir it well, and water the 
ground where the roots are. This will induce the 
crowns to break very strong. About the beginning of 
the month of December, Rhubarb may be set to work. 
It is a plant of hardy constitution, and may be handled 
roughly, but good roots are often sacrificed by driving 
them too sharp when they are subjected toa strong 
dry heat. 
If Rhubarb is forced in the same way as Sea-kale, 
much finer stuff will be had, and no sacrifice made as 
regards the roots. When it is forced otherwise they 
should be strong, for only poor thin stuff is got from 
small roots. Rhubarb should be taken up and re- 
planted every four or five years, for if you want to 
prevent it from running to seed, the roots must be re- 
planted about those periods. The best time to do this 
is in the month of October. Turn out the whole root, 
divide it into single crowns, trim off the lacerated 
roots to a solid part, and then replant them. 
