SWISS CHAED AND KOHL EABI. 125 



beautiful plants now used in our gardening. The modern style of 

 gardening has produced plants which we cannot get along without. 

 It is not probable that Coleus Verschaffeltii and the alternantheras 

 will ever be surpassed for usefulness, while for white it is doubtful 

 whether we shall ever see anything better than Centaurea 

 Candida. 



Mr. Cruiekshanks agreed with Mr. Brigham in condemning 

 straight lines, and mentioned a nobleman's place in England where 

 the disagreeable effect of a border of straight lines was broken by 

 planting groups of holly, laurestinus, laurels, and other shrubs, of 

 which they have so many more in England than we have here, and, 

 between these, groups of herbaceous plants. 



[Since the close of this discussion it has been suggested that 

 the Humea elegans should have been included among the plants 

 desirable for lawn decoration. Although a biennial it is well worth 

 the trouble of growing two 3'ears. It produces the best effect 

 when planted singly on the lawn. The Editor can testify from 

 personal observation at the estate of the late Mrs. Ward, in 

 Canton, Mass., to its exceedingly graceful effect when thus 

 employed.] 



Mr. Atkinson spoke of a specimen, exhibited by him, of the 

 Swiss chard, a variety of Beta cida, a species of beet of which 

 only the tops are eaten. They are cultivated in France under 

 the name of poirees. The leaf is boiled like spinage, while 

 the stalks form a substitute for asparagus. They are sown 

 at the same time with mangel-wurtzel, lifted in autumn, and 

 planted in a cold frame. A three light frame will furnish a 

 supply for an ordinary family. 



Mr. Atkinson spoke also of the kohl rabi, or turnip rooted 

 cabbage, a vegetable intermediate between the turnip and cabbage. 

 He said the bulbs were so hard and woody that he should not have 

 courage to boil one, but had found that when they were placed in a 

 frame for forcing, or planted out in the open ground in spring, 

 all the dormant eyes in the axils of the leaves, which spring from 

 the top of the bulb, would send up shoots, which, when about the 

 size of one's finger, were excellent boiled and eaten like asparagus. 



E, W. Buswell thought Mr. Atkinson need not fear to boil the 

 bulbs of the kohl rabi. He had found them very nice if only 

 taken young, before growing woody. 



