CARDOON 21 



the soil, thin to the largest and grow near the glass, 

 and give the seedlings ample ventilation as growth 

 increases. For the planting out, the ground or trenches 

 should be prepared in advance, and even when the 

 plants are grown in the open from the start this advice 

 still applies. The trenches should be at least 4 feet apart, 

 and 1 2 inches deep, not taking into account the manure 

 which is placed in the bottom of the trench, of which 

 there should be at least 6 inches. This is dug in, and 

 the plants placed at 1 8 inches apart in the trench. For 

 the large growers more room is advantageous. To get 

 the plants for the first supply I mean those raised under 

 glass, and when this plant is liked two or three Jots 

 may be grown, thus forming a succession the same 

 routine may be followed as concerns the land and 

 spaces, but the seed may be sown in the trench, a few 

 seeds dropped in at intervals of 1 8 inches lightly 

 covered with soil, and when large enough thinned to 

 the strongest. Doubtless this is the best system, for 

 medium-sized produce, when only one lot of plants is 

 grown, as should the least check occur to the plants 

 raised in heat they invariably bolt or run to seed. If 

 a late lot of plants should be required, seed may be 

 sown in June, but the end of April or early in May 

 is the best time for the open ground plants. All 

 varieties are obtained from seed, and at the start the 

 growth is slow in comparison with the after-growth as 

 the plant will make rapid progress after midsummer 

 providing there is no lack of moisture. 



The after-management of the plants is simple. It 

 may be summed up as plenty of food in the shape of 

 moisture and liquid manure, and attention to moulding 

 up, that is, blanching and protection from frost and rain. 

 As regards the blanching, the plants should be full 

 grown or nearly so before this is attempted ; I do not 

 advise doing the work before October, and it should 



