196 FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



plants for forcing purposes. The English method of 

 cultivation may be briefly described as follows : 



An open sunny situation is essential, and the 

 soil for Seakale should be trenched 2 to 3 ft. deep 

 in autumn and be heavily manured. Planting is 

 usually done early in March. Pieces of the thick roots 

 4 in. to 6 in. long, called ' thongs ' by gardeners, are 

 cut from the old root-stalks in March, and are planted 

 12 in. apart in rows ij to 2 ft. apart. This operation 

 may be performed annually ; but if plants are to 

 remain for a few years in the same place, it will be 

 necessary to give more space so as to permit the free 

 use of the hoe or fork between the rows, and also to 

 afford more air and light. Instead of raising plants 

 from cuttings of the roots in this way, seeds may also 

 be sown in drills i4- to 2 ft. apart, afterwards thinning 

 the seedlings out so as to leave about a foot between 

 each plant, In autumn, when the large grey-green 

 wavy leaves have decayed, it may be advisable to cover 

 the crowns with a little heap of ashes or sand, or litter. 



Blanching. This operation consists in excluding 

 the light from the young shoots when they commence 

 to grow in spring. 



A box, large pot, hand-light, or even a heap of 

 leaves placed over each crown will serve the purpose 

 in the open air, but ashes or sand over the crowns 

 should be removed first. When the shoots are long 

 enough, a little light may be given just to give a tinge 

 of colour to the tips. Where one has a warm green- 

 house or moist hot-bed, the roots may be lifted from 

 December to February, and placed in the warmth 

 and in the dark. In this way blanched shoots can 

 be secured very early in the season. 



