KITCHEN GARDEN. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



proving the growth of asparagus. Meat pickle 

 or brine is .still better. 



BKA.VS, ENGLISH (Vicia faba). Plant very 

 early in the spring, in rows. Broad Windsor 

 and Mazagan are the best varieties. 



Busk Beans (Phascolus vulgaris). The Early 

 Six weeks, China red-eye, and Red speckled 

 Valentine, are among the earlier; the Valen- 

 tine, Mohawk, and Marrow are very superior 

 varieties. They may be planted for the first 

 and succession crops from the middle of spring 

 till the close of summer; the usual mode of 

 culture is in rows, two or three in a clump, at 

 intervals of 10 or 12 inches. 



Pole or Climbing Beans (P. multiflorus). The 

 best varieties are the Lima, Carolina, White 

 Dutch, Red and White Cranberry, and Lon- 

 don Horticultural. The Limas are tender, 

 and should not be planted till the close of 

 spring. They may be forwarded by sprouting 

 them in a hotbed, and transplanting them into 

 hills 4 feet distant from each other. Poles 

 8 or 10 feet long should be put into the ground 

 before planting, and (if of seed) 6 or 8 planted 

 round each pole, as the seed is apt to rot in 

 cold or damp weather. Thin them afterwards, 

 leaving three or four good plants in each hill. 

 Th<> London Horticultural is an excellent va- 

 riety, and may be used for the Lima in those 

 s where the Lima frequently fails to 

 ripen. See BEANS. 



UKKT ( I '.eta im/garis). The Turnip-rooted and 

 \ ! Mood-red are generally esteemed the best 

 lor tuble use. The turnip-rooted is somewhat 

 earlier iluui the long, and is equally good for 

 wintei use. Sow in drills from early in the 

 till the commencement of summer. The 

 should stand 6 or 8 inches apart in the 

 drills, but the seed should be put in thick, to 

 secure a full crop. A good plan is to drop 

 several seeds together at proper distances, and 

 when up remove all but the strongest. 



Sn-ixg Chard (Seta cida), is much grown in 

 Germany and Switzerland, and used as chard 

 or asparagus. The laminae or thin parts of 

 the leaves, are eaten as spinage or put in 

 soups; and the stalk or midrib is boiled, and 

 eaten with melted butter or gravy like aspara- 

 gus. The culture is the same as for the blood 

 beet, but the leaves are much larger, and a 

 greater space should be left between the plants 

 on that account. See BKET. 



CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) 

 The earliest variety is the Early York; nex 

 the Early Sugarloaf,and Landreth's large York 

 Early Battersea is late in the summer. The 

 flat Dutch and Drumhead are for winter use 

 and red Dutch for pickling. Early and sum 

 mer varieties are usually sown in seedbeds 

 early in autumn, protected therein or in cold 

 frames, during winter, and transplanted earl} 

 in the spring. Where the climate is mild, anc 

 the lanl light and dry, they are planted in th 

 autumn, in which case they head earlier than 

 those put out in spring. 



Should a supply of plants not have been ob 

 tained in autumn', sow in a hotbed very earl) 

 in spring, or somewhat later, on a warm borde 

 in the open air. But let it be borne in mini 

 that in no case can fine cabbage (especiall) 

 the earlier kinds) be had, unless on heavily 



manured and well-tilled land heavy or strong 

 oamy soil is best adapted to this crop. 



For winter sorts, sow in a seedbed in the 

 middle or latter end of spring, and transplant 

 arly in summer. To have these kinds to head 

 arly in autumn, sow at the same time as the 

 arly sorts. To preserve from the cabbage-fly, 

 ow in boxes elevated two or three feet above 

 he surface, and as soon as the plants are es- 

 ablished, place them on the ground, lest the 

 'lants burn up. To keep them during winter, 

 ury the stalk and part of the head with earth, 

 ver which, if the cold be severe, sprinkle 

 straw, or put in a cold frame. 



Savoys and Brussels Sprouts (B. oleracea var. 

 mllata}, are good for winter use, and become 

 rery tender after being touched by frost. Cul- 

 ivate as winter cabbage. 



Borecole, Kale, &c. (7>. oleracea var. actphald), 

 may be treated as winter cabbages. They are 

 said by Bridgeman to be delicious when ren- 

 dered tender by smart frosts; and to be valu- 

 able plants to cultivate, particularly in the 

 Southern States, as they will there be in the 

 greatest perfection in the winter months; they 

 will also, if planted in a gravelly soil, and in 

 a sheltered, warm situation, bear the winter of 

 lie Western States ; and may be kept in great 

 perfection in the Eastern States, if taken up 

 before the frost sets in with much severity, and 

 placed in trenches up to their lower leaves, and 

 then covered with straw or other light cover- 

 ing. See CABBAGE. 



Broccoli and Cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botry- 



). Purple Cape broccoli is decidedly the best 

 of many varieties. Sow in seedbeds in the mid- 

 dle of spring, and transplant and manage gene- 

 rally as winter cabbage. Early Asiatic cauli- 

 flower is sown in seedbeds in the beginning of 

 autumn, kept in a cold frame during winter, and 

 transplanted to very rich ground as soon as 

 the frost ceases. Hand glasses or boxes put 

 over them at night, when they are first put out ; 

 are useful. The late variety matures in au- 

 tumn, and is sown at the same time, and man- 

 aged like Cape broccoli. It is, however, not so 

 sure to succeed as the brocci li, nor is it a bet- 

 ter vegetable when obtained. See BROCCOLI. 



CARROT (Daunis carota var. hortensis'). The 

 Early Horn is best for table use. The Long 

 Orange is more productive. The Altringham 

 produces great crops, and is suitable to raise 

 for horses and cattle. Sow the seeds in the mid- 

 dle of spring, in a rich, sandy loam, well pul- 

 verized, in rows a foot apart, cover about half 

 an inch deep, and thin the plants to 4 inches 

 distance. Gather the crop soon after the first 

 hard frost, and keep them in a cave or warm 

 cellar. See CARROT. 



CELERY (Upturn graveolem}. So\v the seed 

 early in spring, in rich, mellow ground, and in 

 a situation where the plants can be protect* 1 

 from the parching heat of the sun. It can 

 either be sown broadcast or in drills, if in drills, 

 they may be half an inch deep and 6 inches 

 apart, that a small hoe may be worked between 

 them. Plant out in July, in a piece of rich 

 ground, in an open exposure, in trenches 8 or 

 10 inches wide, and allow the space of 4 feet 

 between them. Dig each trench a spade deep, 

 laying the earth equally on each side, and 



687 



