The Busy Woman s Garden Book 



more apart. When the plants are about two- 

 thirds grown they must be drawn together and 

 tied for blanching, without which they are unfit 

 to use; this must be done when the plants are 

 perfectly dry — in the middle of a bright, sunny 

 forenoon, being the best time for the work, other- 

 wise they will rot as they are very sensitive to 

 moisture and prone to decay — as a Japanese 

 friend said of chrysanthemum seed; — "They are 

 very corruptible." 



They are a most acceptable addition to salads 

 and combine acceptably with lettuce having a 

 tangy bitterness very piquant, but it is as a gar- 

 nish that they excel; the fringed and curled 

 fronds, pure white or tinged with green in the 

 less well-blanched specimens, are beautiful in- 

 deed and they may well be grown for this alone. 



Covering with boards is sometimes resorted to 

 instead of tying, two boards being laid along 

 either side of the row to form a cap. It takes 

 about three weeks to properly blanch endive and 

 the plants should be used as soon as ready. If 

 desired plants may be taken up in the fall and 



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