SEA-KALE. 83 



three inches deep, and with a dibble set in the plants fifteen 

 or sixteen inches from each other; when these drills are 

 filled, the crowns of the plants will be covered nearly two 

 inches, but they will soon push through the earth. The 

 plants left in the seed bed may form a permanent bed, which 

 should be forked or dug between the rows ; previous to this 

 being done, lay on an inch or two of good rotten manure, 

 and incorporate it with the earth around the plants. 



Some make new plantations with pieces of old roots, 

 which should be cut up in lengths of about two inches, and 

 planted in March or April, three or four inches deep, at the 

 distance before directed for the plants. 



At the approach of Winter, the leaves will die away, and 

 disappear. The beds should be then thickly covered with 

 dung, leaves, or sea weed ; this will not only protect the 

 plants from frost, but will cause them to shoot up early in 

 the Spring. As soon as the frost is out of the ground, this 

 may be taken off, or if well rotted, it may be mixed up with 

 the earth; the crowns of the plants should then be covered 

 to the depth often or twelve inches for blanching. 



Some blanch it by heaping on it sea sand ; some common 

 sand and gravel ; and others with large garden pots, inverted 

 and placed immediately over the plants. If these pots be 

 covered up with fresh horse dung, it \vill forward the shoots 

 in growth, and make them sweeter and more tender. 



When your plants have been covered in either method 

 three or four weeks, examine them, and if you find that the 

 stalks have shot up three or four inches, you may begin 

 cutting ; should you wait till all the shoots are of considera- 

 ble length, your crop will come in too much at once, for in 

 this plant there is not that successive growth which there is 

 in Asparagus ; you may continue cutting until you see the 

 heads of flowers begin to form ; and if at this time you 

 uncover it entirely, and let it proceed to that state in which 

 Broccoli is usually cut, and use it as such, you will find it 

 an excellent substitute ; and this greatly enhances the 

 value of the plant ; as Broccoli does not stand our Winter 

 frosts, and can only be had when carefully protected, as 

 recommended under that head ; but this plant is sufficiently 



