The Gardener's New Director. 



203 



ENDIVE. 



THE curled broad leaved fort is "the fitted to be cul- 

 tivated in gardens. 1 he proper feafor.s for fov/- 

 ing are, between the twentieth of yufie and the twelfth 

 of Augujif upon a bed of good kitchen-garden ground. 

 When the plants have got five or fix leaves, they fl.ould 

 be tranfplanied into a fnot of good well dug earth, at 

 fourieen inches diflance, plant from plant, to be well 

 watered until they_begin to grow again; and as foon as 

 you perceive they h-ave got a good number of leaves, 

 take fome bafs-niats, and having placed the leaves in 

 regular order, tie them near the top, and in three weeks 

 the plants will be blanched and fit for ufe. At this time 

 they will fend out, or rather hiutl: out, their irnioft 

 white leaves below the tying, whereby you wi'! know 

 that their inner leaves are well blanched, and fit tor ufe. 

 There is another method of blanching endive, which 

 is ufed for the winter and Ipnng crops, viz. In dry wea- 

 ther lift your Endive plants, and v.ith a round-headed 

 dibble, plant them into tl'ie fides or the rldces of good, 

 rich, well-dug btds, Hoping to tlie fun, covering the 

 plants in fuch a ;i:anner, as that their tops only are a- 

 bcve ground, whereby they will be fecured from froff, 

 and the rain, by the declivity of the fituation, will run 

 off. In three weeks the plants will be fufiiciently blanch- 

 ed ; but as they do not keep long, it will be neccfifary to 

 keep planting every feafonable opportunity. During the 

 cold feakms, and in very fevere weather, I have kept 

 blanched Endive in the houfe, in earth and land, for 

 four weeks. Inftead of tying up your Endive for blanch- 

 ing, lay boards on it when full grown in the heart, and 

 in iuurteen days you vvill find it well blanched.. 



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