CULTXIEE. 41 



repay the cost. Time is money, in getting established in 

 the work, and they will save from one to two years' time 

 over plants from the seed. 



Growing from the Seed. — This then is also recom- 

 mended in addition to the work of propagating. How- 

 ever, one point must not be lost sight of, rhubarb seed 

 with one exception, cannot be relied upon to reproduce 

 its own. Myatt's Victoria is the exception and has be- 

 come so thoroughly established in its type that it nearly 

 always comes true to name. Hence to sow seed from any 

 and all varieties, at hand would be unsafe (except for 

 experimental purposes) and liable to result in serious 

 loss of time. Experiments however, are always in order 

 and many times very useful ; as many valuable varieties 

 are thus discovered and added to the list of both fruit 

 and vegetables. 



The seed is sown in hotbeds early in the Spring, in 

 drills four to six inches apart, or in the open ground as 

 early as weather will permit in rows 12 or 15 inches 

 apart. When the plants are well up and somewhat 

 established, thin to three or four inches in the row. 

 When six to eight weeks old transplant 12 to 15 inches 

 apart in the rows. If sown in the open ground, thin out 

 the rows to the proper distance using the plants thus 

 removed for other rows. 



The work of transplanting will be greatly simplified 

 by opening the rows with the plow, turning a shallow 

 furrow for the plants, and deeper, according to size, for 

 propagating roots. 



Thorough tillage must be kept up the entire season 

 through to give all the growth possible. The following 

 Spring, transplant into permanent rows four to five 

 feet apart. 



Tillage. — Remember that the largest possible growth 



