West London Gardeners' Association. 109 



very delicate mind could feel sympathy with), and directions upon rural affairs 

 (most of which are now obsolete), the theme of war was almost the only one 

 on which the classics treated. After numerous similar observations, Mr.' Fish 

 took a rapid sketch of the immoral tendency of the classics, and concluded a 

 very able speech by doubting their tendency to fit man for acting a superior 

 part in life. Mr. Russel contended that neither Mr. Keane nor Mr. Fish had 

 kept to the subject ; that the essay was not on classical education, but on its 

 utility to gardeners. He considered all knowledge desirable, but would give 

 the preference to that which was self-acquired; and thought that, when a 

 young gardener resolved to master any subject, he would be sure to succeed. 

 Mr. Henry Knight stated that he had not been fortunate enough to receive 

 a classical education ; but, if the advantages of it to the gardener consisted in 

 his knowing at a glance the meaning of botanical and scientific terms, then he 

 should say, Get a classical education if possible, if the time required do not in- 

 terfere with other matters of more importance; but, if the advantage consisted 

 in giving true dignity, delicacy of sentiment, &c., to the mind, then he should 

 say, the less a gardener had of a classical education the better, as, from the 

 translations he had read, so far as he could judge, the study of the classics 

 would have an opposite tendency. After some further observations from Mr. 

 Russel and Mr. Fish, Mr. Stormont contended that the reason why gardeners 

 often appeared so stupid to their employers was for want of a classical educa- 

 tion; and made many other observations, which were ably refuted by Mr. Fish. 

 In conclusion, Mr. Keane replied to the objections that had been made to his 

 paper, especially by Mr. Fish, whom he thought selfish in wishing to deny to 

 others the advantages he had experienced himself; and who had been en- 

 abled, by the classical education he had himself received to contend with the 

 ability he had done against its becoming general. 



Oct. 16. — Cultivation of Sea-Kale. Mr. Russel read an essay on the culti- 

 vation of sea-kale, stating it had been used time out of mind by the natives 

 on the western shores of England, and that he had seen it in great abundance 

 in a wild state on the shores of the Moray Frith, in the sandy desert called 

 Miveston Sandy Trills, supposed to have been produced by the same inun- 

 dation which swept away the Earl of Godwin's estate in England ; that it 

 was sold in Chichester j^larket in 1753, and in London in 1767. He first 

 treated on soil and culture, and then on forcing and blanching. He recom- 

 mended the ground to be deep and dry, as he had traced the roots 7 or 8 feet 

 deep, and found that, in wet situations, the roots are small and soon decay. 

 He prepares the ground by covering it with equal proportions of sand and 

 rotten dung, to the depth of 6 in.; trenches and mixes the soil and the above 

 ingredients 3 ft. deep in the beginning of March ; sows the seeds in drills 3 ft. 

 apart ; thins out the plants to two in a patch, which should be 18 in. asunder ; 

 and blanches and cuts the second season after planting. The blanching he 

 effects by covering each stool with a wooden box, surroundino' it with fer- 

 menting matter in winter, so as to raise a litte heat, and coverino- the stools 

 with light earth in spring; he disapproves of coal-ashes, as they give the 

 shoots a rusty appearance. He cuts off all the seed-stalks in summer, unless 

 when seeds are wanted, and advises having large pots filled for putting into 

 mushroom-houses. 



Mr. Fish thought that the fact of Mr. Russel tracing the roots to the depth 

 of 8 ft. in dry situations was something like a proof that they went down in 

 search of moisture; also, that the specific name given to the plant, as well as 

 the localities in which it grew, would naturally lead him to ima<>ine that 

 though the plants delighted in a rich light soil, and would not endure stao-nant 

 water, still, like the bulbs which flourished in Holland, they liked water 

 to be within their reach ; but that it was a very acconnnodating plant, suiting 

 itself to various situations. He considered that Mr. F-iussel's directions as to 

 soil were too general, as, if the soil was rich, it might not require so much 

 dung ; if very light, not so much sand ; and, if a poor stiff clay, more of both. 

 He detailed a method of blanching by covering the plants with peat moss. 



