322 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



tion, that might be cultivated at home, to great advantage ; and al- 

 though, it does not immediately, come "within the province of the 

 gardener, I cannot let slip the opportunity, of giving the best infor- 

 mation in my power, for bringing it to perfection. 



The plant has a perennial root, and an annual stalk. The root 

 is composed of many long thick succulent fibres ; these are joined 

 at the top in a head, like the roots of asparagus, and strike very 

 deep into the ground, being sometimes more than three feet in 

 length. From the upper part, or head of the root, come out. many 

 side roots, which extend just under the surface of the ground, to a 

 great distance, whereby it propagates very fast; for these send up 

 a great number of shoots, which if carefully taken off in spring, 

 soon a^ter they are above ground, and managed as hereafter direct- 

 ed, they become so many plants. These roots are of a dark colour 

 on their out-side, and have a yellowish red pith in the middle, which 

 is tough and' of a bitterish taste ; from the root arises many large, 

 four-cornered, jointed stalks, which in good land, will grow five or 

 six feet high, and if supported, sometimes seven or eight ; they 

 are armed with short herbaceous prickles, and at each joint, are 

 placed five or six spear-shaped leaves, about three inches long, and 

 near one broad, in the middle, drawing to a point at each end ; their 

 upper surfaces are smooth, but their mid-ribs, on the under side, 

 are armed with rough herbaceous spines ; the leaves set close to 

 the branches in whorls. From the joints of the stalk come out the 

 branches, which sustain the flowers ; they are placed by pairs op- 

 posite, each pair crossing the other; these have few but small 

 leaves towards the bottom, which are generally by threes, and 

 upwards by pairs opposite ; the branches are terminated, by branch- 

 ing spikes of campanulate yellow flowers, which are cut into four 

 segments. These appear in June, and are followed by round- 

 ish, dark coloured seeds, compressed and indented on the side, 

 where joined to the pedicle, or partial flower-stalk, and are about 

 the size of asparagus seed. 



I am the more particular in the description, as there are seven 

 different species of Rubia or madder ; lest the wrong kind should 

 be cultivated, and produce a discouraging disappointment, to the 

 industrious and deserving cultivator. 



It is well known that Madder is so essential to dyers and callico- 

 printers, that neither business can be carried on without it. The 

 consumption of it is so great in England, that, upon a moderate 

 computation, more than one hundred and eighty thousand pounds 

 sterling, is annually paid for what is imported from Holland, exclusive 

 of their supplies from other parts ; and as in a little time, manufactures 

 of these kinds, must of necessity, progress in America, the sooner 

 some attention is paid to this article, the better. The profits aris- 

 ing from its culture, would at present, be very considerable, perhaps 

 more so, than when more generally attended to. 



The land best adapted for the culture of Madder, is a deep, loamy 

 substantial soil, not too stiff and heavy, nor overly light and sandy ; 

 this should be twice ploughed in autumn, and left rough during winter, 

 that the frost may mellow und pulverize it ; then ploughed again- in 



