178 BORECOLE RAPE. 



constantly running into new varieties. Thus, like many other plants, 

 having been often changed, it continues the more readily to admit of 

 others. The red and purple Brocoli, only, were known a few years 

 since in Italy ; but there are now 13 varieties raised in England. Im- 

 provements in the culture of Brocoli, have been more rapid than those 

 in the culture of any other plant. A hard white variety has lately 

 been produced, both handsomer and more delicate than the green or 

 red, and it is afforded throughout the year. A fresh, loamy soil, is re- 

 quired for Brocoli, and the seeds are thinly sown on beds of rich 

 mould, and covered with mats or litter till the plants are up. The 

 heads are a rich, seedy pulp, the white much resembling the cauliflow- 

 er. The purple is generally cultivated here. In the southern states, 

 they will stand in open ground, but they require more care in the 

 northern. Sudden transitions from cold to heat, as with most other 

 vegetables, is worse than continued cold. Brocoli is mostly for spring 

 and winter use, and is served up like most other varieties of the 

 cabbage. With the cauliflower, it is one of the greatest luxuries of 

 the garden. Grange's early Cauliflower, Brocoli and late Tartarian 

 Dwarf, are the two best varieties. The seeds of all the sorts are 

 sown in open ground in rich loamy soil, in April, May and June, in 

 rows, 2| feet apart and 2 feet distant in the rows, watered and hoed. 

 They are transplanted and sheltered like other species. 



BORECOLE, var. Sabdlica, is the curly-leafed colewort, and is 

 found mostly in English gardens. The Scotch kale is the green bore- 

 cole ; this, with the brown and purple are the most hardy. The plants 

 grow vigorously in rich soil, and become very large but the middle- 

 sized are the best, the larger being harsh and the stinted bitter. 

 This has many sub-varieties, all hardy and continuing green through- 

 out the winter. 6 only, of these are cultivated. The tall green, or 

 Scotch kale is best, the Russian kale is the most hardy, and the 1000 

 headed cabbage grows to the height of 4 or 5 feet, throwing off nu- 

 merous branches, and is chiefly extolled as an agricultural plant. All 

 the varieties are cultivated by seed, like the others we have described. 

 The dwarf, curled, or finely fringed, is cultivated here and in Europe, 

 for the table ; it is grown in trenches on gravelly soil, and covered in 

 winter. 



RAPE, Brassica napus. C. 15. Eh. B. 2. ft. A plant of the cab- 

 bage tribe, growing wild and cultivated in this country as a small sal- 

 ad in summer and winter, like mustard and cress. The seeds are sub- 

 stituted for those of mustard, and .with millet for bird-seed. It is 

 much cultivated for winter greens and salad. Oil is obtained from 

 the seed by pressure, which is used in large quantities by clothiers, in 

 medicines, in making green soap, or burning in lamps, &c. The roots 

 are eaten like those of turnips. It is commonly sown in July, for win- 

 ter use, and transplanted. When frost-bitten, it is good and tender. 



