CELEBIAC] 



PRACTICE OF HOETICULTUEE. 



[C2S38. 



place in the latter half of the month of 

 August ; and, iu the vicinity of London, the 

 growers adhere, as nearly as possible, to the 

 21st of that month. A second sowing takes 

 place in February, on a slight hot-bed ; and a 

 third in April or May. As the cauliflower is 

 a tender plant, when young, it requires pro- 

 tection in winter. A good method is to plant 

 them thickly in the ground, under a common 

 hot-bed frame, and to secure them from cold 

 by coverings, and from damp by giving air in 

 mild weather. A rich soil, and a warm situa- 

 tion, are the best conditions for growing cauli- 

 ilower, of which the varieties are — Early 

 Loudon, White, London Particular, Early 

 Dutch, Large Asiatic, Walchereu, and Wait's 

 Alma. 



CELERY. 



This plant, a native biennial, and inhabitant 

 of ditches near the sea, is usually sown at 

 three different times : on a hot-bed in the 

 beginning of March, and in the open ground 

 in March ; and again in April. The seedlings, 

 when about two inches high, are pricked into 

 rich soil, in which they are allowed to stand 

 till they have increased to four or five inches. 

 The first crop is defended by frames, or hand- 

 glasses, and is planted wide, to admit of being 

 lifted with balls of earth adhering to the roots. 

 As the plants advance iu growth, earth is laid 

 up about the stalks of the leaves — an opera- 

 tion which is repeated at the end of every ten 

 or fifteen days, care being taken not to choke 

 the plants. As the celery approaches ma- 

 turity, scarcely anything but the tips of the 

 leaves appear above the ridges; and, when 

 lifted, the stalks are found to be completely 

 blanched. Successional crops should be 

 planted out from the 1st of June till the 1st 

 of August, in a rich light soil, where there is 

 plenty of moisture, iu which this plant de- 

 lights. The varieties are — Cole's Superb Eed, 

 Colu's Superb AVhite, Lion's Paw, Seymour's 

 White Champion, Nutt's Champion, Man- 

 c'.iester Giant Eed, Cole's Crystal White, 

 Wall's AVhite, and Cole's Dwarf lied. 



CELERIAC. 



This plant resembles celery in its flavour, 

 and is, at first, treated like the early crop of 

 that salad. In the beginning, or middle of 

 97(5 



June, it is planted out in a flat bed, in drills 

 fifteen inches apart. Afterwards, a single 

 earthing suffices. Its roots are used in soups; 

 but it is not so much a favourite in Britain as 

 it is in France and the Low Countries. 



CHERVIL, AND OTHER PLANTS. 



The chervil. Lamb's lettuce, marigold, and 

 borage, are all used either as salads or in cook- 

 ing, and may be sown in spring or in summer, 

 in any light, fresh soils. The common sorrel 

 the French sorrel, and the horseradish a. 

 perennials, and are increased by parting their 

 roots. They succeed best in any cool, shady 

 situation. The capsicum, or chili, and the 

 love-apple, are tender annuals, from tropical 

 climates. Both are sown in hot-beds in 

 spring; and after being transplanted, and 

 nursed in separate pots, are planted out — the 

 former in a warm border, and the latter 

 against a wall. Dill has, for a long time, been 

 cultivated in our gardens, though not exten- 

 sively. It is easily raised from seed. Fennel 

 is a beautiful perennial, used iu salads and 

 sauces. It may be propagated either by 

 parting the roots or by seeds, which should be 

 sown in autumn, soon after they are ripe. 



CRESS. 



The common or curled cress may be sown 

 in shallow drills, a little successively every 

 week, in spring, summer, and autumn, by 

 those who prefer it cut in the seed-leaf; but 

 if it is not cut till in the fourth or fifth leaf, 

 as many prefer it, one sowing will last many 

 weeks, provided the outside leaves only are 

 picked off". In winter it may be sown in pots 

 kept iu a window, or on moistened sponge or 

 flannel. As it is not required to produce large 

 or strong plants, air may be wholly dispensed 

 with. Heat, darkness, and moisture alone are 

 necessary to make it germinate. It should be 

 always sown on the surface of the soil, and 

 not covered with it; for the more rapidly it is 

 grown, the more tender will be the crop. 



CRESS (AMERICAN). 



This is a very good autumn, winter, and 

 early spring salad, in use from September till 

 INlay. It is an excellent substitute for water- 

 cress, and may be cultivated in any corner of 



