CULTURE OF SEAKALE 

 GENERAL DESCRIPTION 



SEAKALE is a perennial in the truest sense of the word, 

 for when once established it is very difficult to exter- 

 minate. Every little piece of root will form a plant, and 

 being thus so hardy it in some cases becomes a nuisance 

 in the garden. Reproduction can be effected either by 

 division of the roots or by seeds ; though I have always 

 found the former process the more satisfactory, and this 

 method is simple and easy. 



In digging up a seakale plant to force, if it be properly 

 removed, long white roots or thongs will appear, re- 

 sembling thongs of leather. If you examine these roots, 

 you will find those from seed more thonglike, and the 

 older the plant from whence these roots spring the more 

 woody are they. Again, if grown in a wet soil of a clayey 

 nature, on cutting them a blackish mark or inky vein 

 will be noticed. In seed plants, if young, this is not 

 found ; so for propagation I prefer such to plants raised 

 from cuttings. I will give you my experience of seed 

 raising first. 



There is no doubt but that plants can be raised 

 in two years from seeds. As with all other crops, 

 we must start with a clean soil free from weeds. If 

 this is to be a permanent site, we should select land 

 where convolvulus, ground ivy, couch, and other per- 

 sistent weeds are not, for it will be almost impossible 

 to exterminate such when the plants are established. 

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