PART VI VILLA GARDENING 517 



Cabbage Lettuce, is also very early, and a very good kind. The 

 best Cos Lettuce is the Loudon White, when true. The Alexandra 

 Cos is a good successional kind. It is a good plan to plant the 

 small Cabbage varieties alternately with Cos, 6 inches apart, as 

 the Cabbage varieties will be full grown and cut by the time 

 the Cos requires the space. 



Endive. — This is not often forced, because it sometimes bolts 

 when sown early in the open air ; but when sown in a mild hot- 

 bed, and grown unchecked, the tendency to bolt is not at all 

 prominent. It requires the same ti'eatmeut as the Cos Lettuce, 

 and should be tied to blanch when full grown, or when large enough 

 for use. The White Cm-led is a good variety for forcing ; it does 

 not take so long to blanch. 



Chicory is sometimes used as a substitute for Endive. 

 The seeds are sown early in May, in drills 14 inches apart, and 

 the young plants are thinned to 9 inches or less, according to the 

 sized roots we desire. Some give a preference to roots of only a 

 moderate size, and then the sowing may be delayed a little longer, 

 and less space allowed. The roots are lifted rather late in autumn, 

 stored away like Carrots or Beet, and potted a few at a time, as 

 required. Five or six roots may be potted with the crowns just 

 above the soil in a 10-inch pot, or they may be planted in a bed 

 in the Mushroom-house, or in a box deep enough to cover and keep 

 the light from the young growth as it comes up, for, no matter 

 where forced, it must be in the dark in order to have the young 

 shoots of a delicate flavour and free from that bitter principle 

 natural to the family when imblanched. A nice genial tempera- 

 ture of 55° to 60° will produce good results. 



Dandelions make excellent salad jDlants to mix with Lettuces 

 in winter or spring. The roots are best cultivated after the 

 manner of Chicory, but still less space will lie required, as they will 

 not get so large. Those found in the pastm'e field or by the way- 

 side may be carefidly taken up, and if potted six roots in an 8-inch 

 pot, or planted in a box, and placed in a dark place having a 

 genial temperature, a very wholesome salad will be the result. 

 When grown in pots or boxes, it will be an advantage to put an 

 empty pot or box, inverted, over those that they are growing in. 

 This tends to keep the atmosphere surrounding the plants close 

 and moist, and makes growth more tender and delicate. 



Radishes. — During the forcing season, early in the year, 

 Radishes areUaken as a stolen crop when forcing other things. 

 They are often sown with Carrots and Potatoes, as they come off 

 before the other crops require the space, and scarcely any harm is 

 done if they are drawn for use as soon as fit. If they grow by 



