ii>3 THE AMERICAN GARDENLR. [Chap. 



leaf will be from eight inches to a foot long. You 

 peel the outside skin from these stalks, arid then 

 cut the stalks up into bits about as big as the first 

 joint of a lady's third finger. You put these into 

 puddings, pies, tarts, just as you would green goose- 

 berries and green currants, and some people think 

 they are better than either : at any rate, they are 

 full six weeks earlier. The plant, like the dock, is 

 hardy, is raised from seed, from the roots, will grow 

 in any ground, though best in rich ground ; and the 

 same plants will last for an age. It is a very valu- 

 able plant, and no garden ought to be without it. I 

 should think, that a hundred wagon-loads of the 

 stalks are yearly sold in London. A bunch which 

 you can clasp with your two hands sells for a shil- 

 ling or two in the very early part of the season ; 

 and that is nearly half a dollar. This circumstance 

 sufficiently speaks its praise. 



253. ROSEMARY is a beautiful little shrub. 

 One of them may be enough in a garden. It is pro- 

 pagated from slips, taken off in the spring and 

 planted in a cool place. 



254. RUE. Still more beautiful. Propagated 

 in the same manner. One plant of the kind is 

 enough. 



255. RUTABAGA. (See Turnip.) 



256. SAGE is raised from seed, or from slips. 

 To have it at hand for winter it is necessary to dry 

 it ; and it ought to be cut, for this purpose, before, 

 it comes out into bloom, as, indeed, is the case with 

 all other herbs. 



257. SALSAFY, called, by some, oyster plant. 

 is good in soups, or to eat like the parsnip. It is 

 cultivated like the parsnip, and, like it, stands out 

 the whole of an American winter. 



258. SAMPHIRE is propagated from seed, of 



