KITCHEN GARDEN. 185 



mand for the article to be raised. If the soil of the 

 hollows is not sufficiently rich, better earth must be 

 brought to amend it ; and, if the bottom be marshy, 

 you throw over it some inches of sand. Your next 

 step is to cover it with water for some hours, after 

 which you drain and sow, or plant. At the end of 

 a few days you let in the water and drain as before, 

 and continue these processes until the cresses ap- 

 pear, if sown, or until they have taken root, if plant- 

 ed. The quantity of water let in is always to be 

 regulated by the growth of the plant ; for, though it 

 cannot live but in water, it will not bear to be long 

 covered with it. Planting is always surer than sow- 

 ing, and is therefore preferred. The time for this is 

 either March or August. The distance between the 

 plants should not be less than ten or fifteen inches. 

 Moving the earth about their roots with the hoe, 

 from time to time, is useful ; but for the rest (hav- 

 ing once taken root), no farther care is necessary. 

 A cress plantation is in full bearing the second year, 

 and lasts a long time. When it begins to fail, it 

 may be renewed by taking off a foot of the surface 

 soil of the old beds, and replacing it with good and 

 fresh earth. In winter the beds are covered more 

 deeply with water, which protects the plant against 

 the frost." 



The same writer informs us how they manage 

 their cress plantations near Paris. " Having there 

 (he says) no running water, they cultivate it in the 

 neighbourhood of wells, and water it every day. 

 The cress vegetates promptly, but becomes acrid in 

 its taste. They accordingly prefer sowing to plant- 

 ing, because, if cut when only six inches high, and 

 treated in all respects as an annual, it has least of 

 this pungency." 



THE GARDEN CRESS requires a moist and well-la- 

 boured soil, and, if possible, a cool and shady situa- 

 tion. The north side of a wall or fence is its true 

 place in a garden, and, if frequently and abundantly 



