184 GARDENING. 



of the treatment. Pulverized gypsum, applied in 

 small quantities to the hills at the first and second 

 hoeings, is found to be useful. The same remark 

 may be made of wood ashes, used in the same way, 

 but in larger quantity. To supply seeds for the 

 next year, cut off the tops of a few of the best 

 plants the moment the ears fill.* The effect of 

 this is to let in the air and sun on the ears, and, at 

 the same time, to concentrate in these the remaining 

 juices of the plant. 



THE WATER CRESS. There are two plants of this 

 name, belonging to different genera ; the Cardamine, 

 of the Cruciform, and the Hortensis, of the Passerage 

 genus ; the first includes two useful species : the 

 water cress, and the cress of the meadows; the 

 other has several varieties, as the golden, the cress 

 of Brazil, that of India, that of Mexico, that of Para, 

 all better than the parent plant, and between which 

 there appears to be but little choice. The qualities 

 and uses of both kinds are the same ; their taste is 

 hot and piquant, and they are principally employed 

 in the composition of salads. Lasteyrie tells us 

 that in Germany great pains are taken to propagate 

 the water cress, and gives the following account of 

 their mode of doing it : " The water (says he) most 

 favourable for its production is that in which it grows 

 naturally, and which in winter preserves heat enough 

 to prevent it from freezing. The situation on which 

 to form a cress plantation ought to have a little slope 

 or inclination ; because water, in a state of repose, 

 alters the flavour of the plant. Having chosen the 

 place, it is formed into heights and hollows alter- 

 nately ; the latter are destined for the cresses, and 

 the former for the culture of other plants. The 

 size of the hollows is made to depend on the quan- 

 tity of water you can bring into them, and the de- 



* Decidedly a bad practice. Cut up the whole stock, or 

 leave the whole to mature the seed. Either mode is better than 

 topping. J. B. 



