316 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [APRIL. 



half an inch deep, will produce fine eatable roots, for autumn and 

 winter use; they are boiled and eaten like carrots, &c. and are 

 greatly esteemed by many. When the plants are up, they must 

 be^ thinned, to five or six inches apart, and be kept perfectly free 

 from weeds. They may also be sown broad cast, in three or four 

 feet wide beds, and, when up, thin them to six or seven inches dis- 

 tance, every way. 



Skirret. 



The Slum Sisanim^ or skirret, is greatly esteemed as a garden 

 vegetable, its root is composed of several fleshy tubers, as large as a 

 man's finger, and joining together at top. They are eaten boiled, and 

 stewed with butter, peper and salt ; or rolled in flour and fried ; or 

 else cold with oil and vinegar, being first boiled. They have much 

 of the taste and flavour of a parsnep, but a great deal more palat- 

 able. 



This plant is cultivated two ways, first by seed, and second by 

 slips from the roots : the former method I think the more eligible, 

 because the roots which are raised from seeds, generally grow 

 larger than those raised by slips, and are less subject to be 

 sticky. 



The seeds should be sown the latter end of March, or in the be- 

 ginning of this month, either broad-cast, or in drills ; the ground 

 should be light and moist, for in dry land the roots are generally 

 small, unless the season proves wet. 



The seeds may be sown broad-cast, or in drills, and covered 

 half an inch deep ; they will rise in five or six weeks, when they 

 must be carefully wed, and thinned to the distance of six inches 

 asunder. In autumn, when the leaves begin to decay, the roots 

 will be fit for use, and continue so, till they begin to shoot in the 

 spring. They may be taken up on the approach of winter, and pre- 

 served like carrots. 



To propagate this plant by offsets, dig up the old roots in spring, 

 before they begin to shoot, and slip off the side shoots, preserving 

 an eye or bud to each : plant them in rows one foot asunder, and 

 six inches distant in the rows, and in autumn, they will be fit for 

 use, as before. Or, you may separate the roots, that you have pre- 

 served all winter, and plant them in the same manner. 



Solving Common, and Large-rooted or Hamburg Parsley. 



Sow a full crop, of the common, and curled parsley ; and also of 

 the large rooted parsley, as directed last month, in page 191. 



Sea Kale. 



If you have yet omitted sowing the Crambe maritima, or Sea 

 Kale, it may be sown the beginning of this month. For its gene- 

 ral culture see page 191, Sec. 



