MARCH.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN". 203 



having a mattock to assist him occasionally to clear them ; as he 

 takes \hern up, he throws them on the top of the ground, and in this 

 manner they proceed from row to row, till the whole plantation 

 is taken up. 



The small side roots are then trimmed off; the best divided into 

 lengths for fresh sets, which are to be carefully preserved in earth 

 till the time of planting, if not planted immediately, and the main 

 roots are washed clean, dried and tied in bundles, for sale. 



When Liquorice is intended to be cultivated on a large scale, 

 the rows may be planted three feet distant, and the labour of hoeing 

 performed with a small plough. 



If not sold immediately after having been taken up, the culti- 

 vator must be careful, not to suffer them to be put together in large 

 quantities, lest they should become mouldy, as this vegetable un- 

 less preserved in a dry place, is very liable .to such corruption. 



Rhubarb. 



There are several species of this plant, but the Ehmm ftalnia- 

 turn, or true officinal Rhubarb, is that which merits particular atten- 

 tion. It is a native of China, and Russian Tartary, has braved the 

 climate of St. Petersburg, grows to good perfection in Scotland, as 

 far North as Perthshire (Lat. 56) ; also in England, Turkey and 

 various other parts of Europe ; is an article of considerable con- 

 sumption, consequently of national importance, and highly deserv- 

 ing of attention in the United States-. It grows to the greatest pos- 

 sible perfection among the Tartarian mountains, from Selin to Tibet, 

 without any other culture than what is afforded by the scraping of 

 the Marmots ; and shall we despair of bringing it to perfection, 

 where soil and climate is perfectly congenial, and nothing wanted, 

 but the enterprize of a few spirited individuals to make a com- 

 mencement ? There is no doubt, that if the culture of this, and 

 Liquorice, were duly attended to, but the crops would more than 

 amply repay the cultivators ; and although a partiallity to articles 

 of customary culture is in the way, it is to be hoped, that new and 

 necessary plants will, from time to time, be introduced, and culti- 

 vated, with advantage to the individuals, aad the nation at large. 



The following is the mode of its culture : having procured a suf- 

 ficient quantity of seed of the true kind, select a piece of light rich 

 sandy loam, such as answers for asparagus, and after giving it a 

 good coat of manure, trench it two or three spades deep, if the good 

 soil admits ; after which, level the top neatly, and lay it out by line, 

 into squares of four feet, at the angles or intersections of which, ycu 

 are to form little circles with your finger about six or eight inches 

 in diameter, and on each, scatter a few seeds, then cover them with 

 light fine mould three quarters of an inch deep. The seeds should 

 be sown as early in spring as possible, or if this had been done in 

 November, they would vegetate in spring with more certainty ; when 

 the young plants appear, keep them free from weeds, and in dry 

 weather give them frequently a little water, but not much at a time ; 

 and above all things, protect them from the mid-day sun till they get 



