88 THE CULINARY GARDEN. [jUNE. 



be in pretty good heart, so much the better ; as, in 

 that case, a little compost will now be sufficient. 

 Mark off, with the line, trenches eight feet in width, 

 with four feet spaces between them. Dig a single 

 spit out of the trenches, which lay on the spaces, 

 right and left. This serves, with the earth of said 

 spaces, to blanch with, as afterwards to be directed. 

 Now point a moderate quantity of compost ma- 

 nure, or well-reduced dung, into the trenches thus 

 formed ; and plant in lines across them, at eighteen 

 inches apart, and three inches in linej the ultimate 

 distance, however, to be six inches. But the early 

 crop should be planted at double thickness, as many 

 will shoot for seed ; and it is only tlie waste of a few 

 plants, if they do not; thinning them out after that 

 matter is ascertained. Later crops, that are in no 

 danger of shooting for seed, may be planted at seven 

 or eight inches in line, and sixteen to twenty be- 

 tween the lines, according to the quality of the 

 ground. 



Previous to planting, let the plants be trimmed ; 

 that is, pull away a few of the under leaves, prune 

 the long points of any stragghng fibres, and crop 

 the tops ; thus rendering each plant about four 

 inches in length, above the root. Be careful not to 

 plant too deep ; water frequently, and shade them 

 from the sun for a few days, if the plantation be not 

 very extensive. 



It may be necessary to observe, that if the soil be 

 damp, and less than eighteen inches in depth, the 

 plants should be planted on the surface, and not in 

 trenches, as above directed; making the spaces five 



