SEA 



538 



SEA 



within the ground, but not so as to in- : plants from cold, will cause them to be 

 jure the crown of the root. Slipping i forwarder than the natural ground ones, 

 off the stalks is much preferable to cut- though not so forward as those under 

 ting. The plants may be gathered ; the hot dung ; and by this means it may 

 from until the flower begins to form, | be had in perfection from Christmas to 

 when all covering must be removed. I 

 If, when arrived at the state in which j 

 brocoli is usually cut, the flower is em- ! 

 ployed as that vegetable, it will be 

 found an excellent substitute. When 



Whitsuntide. 



It also may be forced in a hot-bed. 

 When the heat moderates, a little light 

 mould being put on, three or four year 

 old plants, which have been raised with 

 the cutting ceases, all covering must j as little injury as possible to the roots, 

 be removed, and the plants be allowed , are to he inserted close together, and 



to grow at liberty. 



covered with as much earth as is used 



To obtain Seed. — A stool, which has for cucumbers. The glasses must be 

 not been cut from, or even covered at covered close with double matting to 

 all for blanching, must be allowed to exclude the light, and additional cover- 



run in spring. It flowers about June, 

 and produces abundance of seed on 

 every stem, which ripens about the | 

 close of July, or early in August. 



Forcing. — To force sea-kale, some ] 

 established plants, at the end of Oc- 



ing afforded during severe weather. 

 Sea-kale, thus forced, will be fit for 

 cutting in about three weeks. Instead 

 of frames and glasses, any construc- 

 tion of boards and litter that will ex- 

 clude the light, would undoubtedly 



tober or early in November, being, answer as well. A common melon 

 trimmed as directed above al that sea- frame will contain as many as are capa- 

 son, and the bed covered with a mixture \ ble of being produced in two drills of 

 of moderately sifted light earth, and : twenty yards each, and with only one- 

 sand or coal ashes, two or three inches third the quantity of dung. To keep up 



deep, each stool must be covered with 

 a pot, set down close, to keep out the 

 steam of the dung ; or, bricks or planks 

 may be placed to the height of sight or 

 ten inches on each side of the row to 

 be forced, and covered with cross spars, 

 having a space of about an inch between 



a regular succession until the natural 

 ground crop arrives, two three-light 

 frames will be sufficient for a large 

 family; the first prepared about the 

 beginning of November, and the second 

 about the last week in December. 

 Another mode is, on each side of a 



them. The dung employed must be three-foot bed to dig a trench two feet 

 well tempered and mixed for three deep, the side of it next the bed being 

 weeks before it is required, or for four, perpendicular, but the outer side slop- 

 if mingled with leaves, otherwise the ing, so as to make it eighteen inches 

 heat is violent, but transient. When \ wide at the bottom, but two feet and a 

 thus prepared, each pot is covered ten half at the top. These trenches being 

 inches thick all round, and eight inches; filled with fermenting dung, which of 



at the top. The heat must be constant- 

 ly observed; if it sinks below 50", more 

 hot dung must be applied ; if above 

 60", some of the covering should be 

 removed. Unless the weather is very 



course may be renewed if ever found 

 necessary, and frames put over the 

 plants, the light is to be completely 

 excluded by boards, matting, &c. 



Unlike the generality of vegetables, 



severe, it is seldom necessary to renew the shoots of forced sea-kale are always 

 the heat by fresh linings; when the : more crisp and delicate than those pro- 

 thermometer indicates the necessity, a j duced naturally. Those plants will not 

 part only of the exhausted dung should do for forcing a second time which have 

 be taken away, and the remainder mixed been forced in frames; consequently a 

 with that newly applied. In three or small bed should be sown every year 

 four weeks from being first covered, for this purpose, so that a succession of 



the shoots will be fit for cutting, and 

 they will continue to produce at inter- 

 vals for two or three months, or until 

 the natural crops come in. To have a 

 succession, some should be covered 

 with mulch, or litter that is little else 



plants may be annually had, they not 

 being used until three years old. Some- 

 times a plant will send up a flower- 

 stalk; this must be immediately cut 

 away, it will then be as productive as 

 the others. But those plants which are 



than straw; this, by sheltering the 1 forced by whelming dung over the pots, 



