210 KITCHEN GARDEN. 



down close to the ground, the beds kept clean from weeds, 

 and in winter covered with two or three inches of manure. 

 As soon in the spring as the frost is out of the ground, the 

 earth in the beds should be loosened by means of a fork 

 introduced into the soil to the depth of three or four inches, 

 turning up the earth carefully, so as not to injure the 

 roots. Trim off the edges of the beds, so as to make 

 them even. A full crop may be expected the fourth sea- 

 son after planting. Cutting should not be continued after 

 the middle of June. Beds well situated and properly 

 managed will continue to yield good crops for twelve or 

 fifteen years. Salt and brine will be found extremely 

 valuable applications to the asparagus beds, and should be 

 put on in winter. 



SEA-KALE (Crambe-maritima) is a perennial plant, 

 growing spontaneously on the shores of the southern parts 

 of England. The roots are spreading, the leaves waved, 

 glaucous, and covered with a fine mealy bloom, and the 

 stalks rise to about two feet high, bearing white flowers, 

 which smell of honey, followed by seed-pods, each contain- 

 ing a single seed. 



The country people in the west of England, have long 

 been accustomed to use in spring the young shoots, which, 

 by passing through the sand and gravel on which they 

 grow, are somewhat blanched and rendered tender. In 

 conformity with this practice, the cultivation formerly 

 recommended consisted merely in covering the beds on the 

 approach of spring with a little dry earth or sand, in order 

 to the blanching or internating of the shoots. These were 

 cut as they appeared in March and April. Now, however, 

 the blanching is not only much more completely effected, 

 but simple means have been devised for supplying the table 



