Encyclopaedia of Gardening 201 



early stages, and does not therefore demand much room. When, 

 however, the seedlings begin to crowd it is a good plan to make a 

 reserve bed with a little manure covered with 3 or 4 ins. of soil, and 

 fix a glass sash over it until the weather 

 becomes mild. If ground is very 

 limited the trenches need not be made 

 till an early crop, such as Peas, is 

 finished. They may be cut 8 ins. deep, 

 dressed with decayed manure, and 

 surfaced with a little of the fine top 

 soil. Planting is best done a foot apart 

 after rain in June or July. Shade in 

 hot sunshine until the plants are grow- 

 ing. Soakings of water, varied with 

 liquid manure and dustings of soot, 

 will do good. Should maggots make 

 grey lines in the leaves, pinch the 

 affected parts and spray with paraffin 

 oil and soft soap (see Paraffin) in solu- 

 tion. When the plants are a foot high 

 draw the stems together, tie them, and 

 earth up partially, finishing in October. 

 In hard weather spread some litter over - 

 the tops. Good varieties: Standard 

 Bearer, red ; Sulham Prize, pink ; 

 Wright's Giant, white. The Turnip- 

 rooted Celery is a good vegetable and BLANCHIN B R ^wN L p A pER ERY WI 

 useful for soups and stews. It may be 



raised from seed in spring and planted a foot apart on level ground 

 in early summer. 



Chicory (Cichorium Intybus). Grown mainly for salads in this 

 country, the seed being sown outdoors late in spring in rows a foot 

 apart and the plants thinned to 9 ins. asunder. Roots are formed, 

 which are lifted in autumn, pricked in soil in boxes and kept in a 

 dark place. The blanched leaves which push constitute the salad. 

 The Witloof Chicory is extensively forced on the Continent, parti- 

 cularly in Belgium, for yielding Seakale-like stems, which are cooked 

 and form a delicious vegetable. 



Corn Salad or Lamb's Lettuce (Valerianella olitoria). A useful 

 salad which may be had in winter by sowing in September in friable 

 soil on a sheltered south border. Sowings may be made at intervals 

 in spring and summer if earlier supplies are wanted. 



Cress (Lepidium sativum). The plain and curled forms of Cress 

 are largely used in association with Mustard as salads and flavour- 

 ing ; the curled is also used for garnishing. The eed may be sown 

 4 days earlier than Mustard to allow for its slower growth. The 

 seed should be sprinkled thickly on the surface of fine, level soil in 

 the open or in boxes under glass ; or on flannel stretched tightly on 

 a wire frame and with one end dripping in water. The American 

 Land Cress is neglected in Great Britain, but it is very useful, as it 

 may be grown from seed in spring, and will yield continuously for 

 a long time in summer. The flavour is brisk and pungent. Water- 



