418 VILLA GARDENING r.vnT v 



in patches, three or four in a patch, the latter to be 15 inches 

 apart, to be singled out afterwards leaving the strongest. Slugs, 

 snails, and other vermin are fond of young Seakale plants when 

 they first emerge from the soil ; and if the time is difficult for 

 young seedlings they will require watching, or a good many will 

 be destroyed. Dusting with fresh lime and surface -stirring will 

 be beneficial. It is veiy important to neglect nothing that con- 

 duces to rapid growth if we wish to raise plants strong enough 

 to force in one season. If the weather about June should be hot 

 and diy, 2 or 3 inches of manure scattered between the rows will 

 give size and strength to the crowns, and repay for time and trouble. 

 On porous soils a dressing of salt at the same time will be a great 

 help, especially in districts far removed from the sea. The dressing 

 need not be a heavy one, but half-a-pound to the square yard will 

 not be excessive if equally distributed. 



Permanent Beds. — The old-fashioned way of growing Seakale 

 was to plant in beds, two rows of plants on each bed, with 3 feet 

 alleys between. The rows, instead of being confined to single 

 plants in a direct line, woidd be in detached groups, three plants 

 in a group, occupying al)out as much space as the pots will cover 

 when the plants arc forced. Tlie i^atches should be about 18 inches 

 apart, and when the blanching ])ots are on the intervening spaces 

 will be filled with leaves and manure. Even when the forcing is 

 done in pits and houses, there should always remain a bed to be 

 blanched without any forcing or fermentation. 



Blanching. — The blanching of Seakale can be done in various 

 ways, but the exclusion of light is a sine rj^ua non whatever plan is 

 adopted. The materials employed should be sweet, and not likely 

 to impart a bad flavom- to the Seakale. For this, tree leaves are 

 as good as anything else when not much decayed, with some straw 

 or long litter placed over them to keep them from blowing about. 

 Old tan and ashes, or a mixture of the two, will do veiy well laid 

 in a ridge 15 inches deep over the crowns. Burnt clay or earth 

 is sometimes used when easily obtained, and answers the purpose 

 admirably. 



Forcing. — Its adaptability for forcing forms its most valuable 

 feature, as the green tops are not generally used, although the 

 young green sprouts in spring may be used as greens. As soon as 

 the leaves part readily from the crowns, towards the end of 

 November, forcing may begin. There is no plant which submits 

 so readily to varying conditions in the manner of forcing, provided 

 there is a temperature of 60° in a perfectly dark jAace, and the 

 necessary amount of humidity in the atmosphere. Seakale may 

 be forced anywhere. I know a garden where the flue from the 



