288 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



of the produce. The land should be bastard trenched or sub- 

 soiled in the autumn, and well enriched with a liberal dressing 

 of manure, as the plants have to stand in the ground for a 

 number of years, and top-dressings afterwards will not com- 

 pensate for neglect to enrich the soil before planting. 



Propagation. The most common method of propagating 

 Rhubarb is by root division, and when the grower's object is to 

 get a thrifty, vigorous plantation in a short time this is the best 

 method to adopt. Strong old roots are cut with a sharp knife 

 or spade into as many portions as there are crowns to it, and 

 each slice forms a set for planting. These sets should be 

 carefully trimmed up, removing any parts that may be broken 

 or mangled, but leaving to each set as much root as possible. 

 Where a stock of old roofs is not easily procurable, sets ready 

 for planting may be obtained from most of the large growers. 

 An alternative method of obtaining sets, practised by some 

 growers, is to purchase large roots for forcing, and when the 

 supply of stalks begins to decline, remove them to a shed where 

 they will be slightly protected from too severe a change, and 

 at planting time divide them in the manner described above. 

 Such sets are not, of course, as vigorous as those from unforced 

 roots, but if planted out in good soil and well cared for after- 

 wards they soon render a good account of themselves, and in 

 the second year make fine plants. 



Where economy on the immediate outlay is of greater 

 importance to the grower than an additional year or two of 

 waiting, the necessary stock can be easily and cheaply raised 

 from seed, the plants coming fairly true to character when 

 the seed is obtained from a reliable source, though in this 

 respect perhaps Myatt's Victoria is the most dependable variety. 

 The seeds should be sown thinly in rich soil, early in October, 

 or in February or March as soon as the conditions of weather 

 and soil are favourable. Sow in rows 1ft. apart, and thin the 

 seedlings early to 6in. apart in the rows, afterwards thinning 

 again to about lOin. apart by removing the least vigorous or 

 those which are untrue to character. Through the following 

 summer the surface soil must be kept loose and free of weeds 

 by frequent hoeing, and the plants will then be ready to set out 

 in their permanent quarters in the following spring. 



